Are you tired of spectacles restricting your movements, slipping off, fogging up and falling down? Are you looking for a more convenient alternative? Contact lenses are a great choice that not only provide many benefits along with convenience, but also if chosen correctly, can enhance your appearance manifold. Before we proceed to the best brands you can consider while buying your first pair of contact lenses, here’s something you must know: contact lenses fall into two primary categories; Soft Contact Lenses and Hard Contact Lenses.
So, what’s your style or rather what does your pair of glasses say about you? There’s so much to uncover and we are so excited to share this information with you. If you’re excited too, keep reading. Let’s unveil different personality types and what eyewear suits them the best.
Soft Contact Lens
These are the most commonly preferred lenses available in India and around the globe. Soft contacts are usually used for correcting vision problems like:
- Nearsightedness (myopia)
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Blurred vision (astigmatism)
- Age-related loss of close-up vision (presbyopia)
The reason Soft Lenses are so popular is that they are comfortable and easy to wear, while compared to Rigid Gas Permeable Lens or Hard Contact Lenses.
There are two main types of Soft Contact Lenses:
a Daily Wear Lenses
Daily wear lenses or one-day lenses are made for one -ay wear only. They are either worn for 10 hours or 24 hours after which you dispose them at night. If these are slightly over the budget for you, there are other options too that you can consider like bi-weekly lenses, weekly lenses, monthly lenses, etc., each disposable after their prescribed validity.
b Extended Wear Lenses
If removing and disinfecting your lenses regularly seems tiresome, you can always opt for extended wear lenses. These can be worn for 30 days at a stretch, including when you are sleeping. However, if not sanitized every now and then correctly and taken care of, this type of lens could create vision complications in the long run.
Rigid Gas Permeable Lens
Like Soft Contact Lens, Rigid Gas Permeable Lens too provides crisp, clear vision for people with severe eye issues. It’s usually chosen by individuals who have tried soft contact lenses before and/or if they have dry eyes. They are durable in comparison to soft contact lenses and more breathable, allowing more oxygen to reach the cornea. These too could be worn on a daily basis or for 30 days at a stretch with proper sanitization at regular intervals. Do note, your eyes could take a while to adjust to this type of lens, and if your prescription does not change in the interim, you can use it for up to two to three years.
Coming to the top choices of contact lenses in India, brands like Aqualens, Bausch & Lomb and Acuvue are in the market with rave reviews and a loyal customer base. Want to know more about them? Well, read on…
Aqualens
Clear vision is the primary motive to pick a pair of contact lenses and Aqualens offers exactly that. Plus, it’s easy on the pocket. With 55 percent water content, these lenses offer all day long wearability, and are a great choice for someone with a constantly-on-the-move lifestyle. The best part about these lenses is that they can be worn for 24 hours in one go, and will keep your eyes comfortable all day long, from morning to evening. Additionally, these contacts protect your eyes from the harmful UV rays and offer 4x more oxygen compared to traditional hydrogel lenses, which means your eyes will be free of redness, irritation and dryness.
Our recommendation: Aqualens 24 Hours Toric Contact Lens
Bausch & Lomb
With 59 percent water content, the Bausch & Lomb lenses are comfortable and reliable. Made from a protein resistant material, which leads to the unique combination of visual acuity, excellent performance and comfort, the brand has a cult following. They offer lenses that treat a variety of vision correction needs including Myopia and Hyperopia refractive errors, Astigmatism, Presbyopia, Aphakia, and conditions that require therapeutic lenses during healing. Above all, these are highly affordable as well.
Our recommendation: Bausch & Lomb Soflens 59
Johnson & Johnson – Acuvue
If you have a higher budget and are looking for a versatile pair of contact lenses, Acuvue lenses are a great pick! They offer clear and comfortable vision and can be used for 24 hours at a stretch. These lenses are typically used for correction of near and farsightedness. The new Contour Intelligent Design in Acuvue2 weekly lenses provides a soft lens wear feeling, which means you’ll have zero itching, redness and dryness in the eyes. Additionally, owing to its high water content, it manages to keep your eyes cool and refreshed at all times. It is also known to have one of the highest levels of UV protection available in contact lenses.
Our recommendation: ACUVUE2 2-Week Contact Lenses
Alcon Air Optix
Alcon’s Air Optix offers a variety of breathable contact lenses, all of which have long lasting surface moisture. Choose from Air Optix Plus Hydraglide and Air Optix Aqua. A couple of features that are notable in these lenses are the exclusive AQUA technology that helps in lubricating, retaining and nourishing moisture on the lens, a patented smartshield technology that helps protect against deposits all month long, and Silicone Hydrogel material for excellent oxygen transferability and health to eye.
Our recommendation: Air Optix Aqua
The Correct Way To Wear Contact Lenses
- Place the contact lens on the tip of your clean and dry index finger.
- Try to insert your lenses in the same eye every time. If your prescription is different between your left and right eyes, your contact lenses will be designed to correct the needs of each eye.
- Using your opposite hand, carefully pull your eyelid upward with your index finger, and with the middle finger of your dominant hand (i.e., the one holding the contact lens), gently pull the lower eyelid downward.
- Try not to blink or move your head, move the lens toward your eye, gently placing it on your eye.
- Blink a couple of times to fix the lens in your eyes.
How To Remove Your Contact Lenses
- To remove your contact lenses, pull your lower eyelid down with your clean and dry index finger.
- Gently slide the lens down while looking up.
- Avoid using your fingernails or pinching the lens while removing it.
- Place the lens in your contact lens solution or discard the lens if it is past its use date.
- Repeat the same for the other eye as well.
Dos and Don’ts
For an in-depth understanding of the do’s and don’ts of wearing contact lenses, its upkeep, etc., refer to this
