Specialty Vs. Regular Contact Lenses

Choosing to wear contact lenses is a decision you should make with your eye doctor. The appropriate choice depends on your refractive error, contact lens comfort, wear schedule, and your expectations and willingness to care for them.

After a contact lens exam, your eye doctor can fit you with specialty contacts or regular contact lenses. What is the difference?

Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty contact lenses are designed for patients whose vision cannot be corrected by eyeglasses or regular contact lenses. They can benefit patients with the following eye diseases or irregularities.

Corneal diseases. Some corneal illnesses like keratoconus change the cornea’s shape and can trigger vision loss.
Corneal injury. Eye trauma, infections, or injury can scar the cornea or alter its shape.
Severe dry eye disease. Extremely dry eyes can cause eye soreness, irritation, and pain.
Sensitive or damaged eyes. Eye sensitivity or damage can arise from a birth defect, disease, or trauma.
Eye surgery side effects. Eye surgeries for vision correction or corneal transplant can alter your eye’s shape. These changes may make it hard for regular contact lenses to stay in place.

Types of Specialty Contact Lenses

The most common specialty contact lenses are rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses. They allow oxygen to enter the eyes, reduce the risk of eye infection, hold the eye's shape, and prevent protein buildup.

RGP lenses are suitable for patients with dry eye disease, keratoconus, and other corneal irregularities. Other specialty contacts include scleral and toric contact lenses. Scleral lenses work for dry eyes and people with keratoconus. Toric lenses are great if you have astigmatism.

Regular Contact Lenses

Optometrists prescribe regular contact lenses for patients with no eye issues that can make wearing contact lenses problematic.
Regular contact lenses can benefit patients with:

Active lifestyles. Contact lenses do not fall off or slip when you run, ride a bike, or play sports. You do not have to worry about them interfering with your active lifestyle and performance.
Refractive errors, such as nearsightedness or farsightedness. People with astigmatism or presbyopia may require specialty contacts.

Types of Regular Contact Lenses

There are various types of regular contact lenses based on the wear schedule. They include daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and extended-wear contact lenses.

Daily wear contacts expire at the end of the day, and you wear a fresh pair every morning. Weekly contact lenses expire at the end of the week, and you only wear them during daytime hours. Bi-weekly contacts need replacement every two weeks, and you only wear them during the day. Monthly contact lenses expire at the end of 30 days and should be worn during the day and removed at night.

Extended-wear contacts are a bit different. You can keep them on during the day and night for 30 days and replace them each month.

Which type of contact lenses is right for you? Can your vision get by with regular contact lenses, or do you need more specialized contact lenses like RGP, scleral, or toric lenses? Your eye doctor can help you find the appropriate type and fit for your eyes and vision. Talk to your eye doctor today to schedule a visit.

For more on specialty and regular contact lenses, visit Hunter Family Vision at our office in Leawood or Prairie Village, Kansas. Call (913) 681-8555 or (913) 381-2323 to book an appointment today.