Contact Lenses

Contact Lenses give you the freedom and convenience to choose between wearing glasses and not wearing glasses. You may love your glasses and the way you look in them at work, during family time and meeting with friends but you may also want the ability to choose not to wear your glasses when you are at the gym, swimming, playing sport etc.  That's when contact lenses can be a good option.  You can wear contact lenses everyday, once a week or only on special occasions - the choice is yours.   

Who can wear contact lenses ?  -  Most people who wear glasses can wear contact lenses, but keep in mind that there may be reasons why you might not be a successful contact lens wearer, such as working in a dusty environment or you need a certain correction in your vision that only glasses can provide.  

Types of Contact Lenses - Advances in technology mean that contact lenses nowadays are more comfortable and wearable than ever before.

Soft Lenses - Soft contact are made of hydrophyllic (water-loving) plastic polymers that contain between 38% and 80% water.  These lenses are soft, flexible and allow oxygen to pass through the lens to the eye.  Most people will not know that you are wearing them and there are no peripheral distortions or reflections on the lens surface, as can be the case with some glasses.    Most soft lenses are designed for frequent replacement with the types of use being daily disposable, fortnightly and monthly disposables and extended wear.  These lenses are available in a variety of designs, sizes and with varying water content and prescription parameters.

Daily Disposable lenses offer the most convenience, flexibility and health benefits to the eye as they are discarded at the end of each day's wear.  There is no cleaning and storing in solution required.  Daily Disposable lenses are the most common choice for people that want the convenience of contact lenses for occasional wear.

Fortnightly & Monthly Disposable lenses are the most common types that regular contact lens wearers choose. They are comfortable to wear, easy to clean and store and cost effective.

Extended Wear Disposable lenses can be worn continuously (day & night) for a period of up to 30 days.  These lenses are made with a polymer which allows for greater transmission of oxygen to the eye which is essential to the health of the eyes when they are continuously being covered by a contact lens.

Hard Lenses - Nearly all hard contact lenses that are worn nowadays are Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) lenses. RGP lenses are more flexible than the old hard contact lenses and allow far more oxygen to pass through the lens to the eye.  They are still considered to be a 'hard' lens as they maintain their shape even when worn on the eye.  The advantages of wearing hard contact lenses are that they are more durable than a soft contact lens, they are easy to handle and do not dehydrate.  RGP contact lenses have also been used to slow down the progression of short-sightedness (Myopia) in adolescents and young adults, this type of treatment is called Orthokeratology.
For more information this type of treatment, please refer to our Orthokeratology page.

How do I become a Contact Lens wearer? Anyone interested in swapping to contact lens wear on an everyday basis or just for occasional use needs to book an appointment with us, even if you already have a current prescription for glasses.  During this appointment we assess your suitability for contact lens wear, discuss the types of lenses and identify a lens that best fits your eyes, lifestyle and gives you the best vision correction.  It is important to understand that even if you know your prescription for glasses, this may not be the prescription that we would prescribe for you when wearing Contact Lenses as Contacts are worn on the eye - not in front of the eye as glasses are.    

If you are suitable to wear Contact Lenses we will ask you to come back for at least two more appointments. The first appointment will teach you how to insert, remove and care for trial contact lenses and the second appointment will assess the fit, comfort and vision that the lenses are achieving after you have been wearing the trial lenses for several days.

Once you are in a routine of regularly wearing Contact Lenses it is important that you continue to buy the same lenses. Never change the brand or type of Contact Lenses without consulting with an Optometrist. Always only wear your Contact Lenses for the number of recommended wear - overwear can result in serious complications to your eye health.    

Regular check ups with us are important to ensure your eyes stay healthy and that you continue to wear the right contact lens and prescription for optimal vision.