Disposable Contact Lenses

Browse Lenstore.co.uk's selection of disposable contact lenses.

Before 1987, all contact lenses were so called non-disposables, which meant that they were taken out and cleaned thoroughly each night and put back every morning for up to a year. Then disposable soft contact lenses were invented, and things started to change. In 1992, tinted disposable contact lenses were made available on the market, and in 1995 daily disposable contacts came around. Five years later the first disposable toric contact lenses were introduced by Vistakon, and now, a staggering 99% of all contact lenses prescribed in the UK are disposables.

Disposable contact lenses can be worn for an extended period of time, such as with monthly disposables and two-weekly disposables, or thrown out every night, as is the case with daily disposable lenses. While the extended wear disposable contact lenses need to be cleaned and stored overnight, the daily disposable contacts have the advantage of low maintenance as they require no solution, lens cases or care. While extended wear disposables are still very popular, some say that daily disposables are by far the safest. As for non-disposable contact lenses, most Opticians are reluctant to prescribe them.

One non-disposable contact lens wearer had to beg her Optician to let her go back to wearing non-disposables, after an unsuccessful trial of a disposable contact lens. “He said that protein deposits build up, and also [non-disposable contact lenses] dehydrate and cause damage to the eyes for most people.”

“Disposables were invented for a reason,” one optometrist says. “Since the advent of disposable lenses, I have seen far fewer contact lens related problems, especially those related to dirty lenses with deposits. A soft lens is porous, much like a sponge. And, much like a sponge, it will attract and retain soil from the tear lipids and proteins. And, much as a sponge cannot be cleaned after a while, a soft contact lens cannot be completely cleaned.” Moreover, new lens technology seems to always appear in the shape of disposable contact lenses these days.

It may be worth pointing out that people with very good quality tears can be successful with non-disposables. Though non-disposable contact lenses are quite costly, some wearers appreciate the fact that they don’t have to worry about purchasing new contact lenses very often. Non-disposables are also known to be very durable, which means that the likelihood of them ever breaking is very small.

On the downside of non-disposable lenses, a study by Italian scientists has found that non-disposables may pick up bacteria in spite of being soaked in lens cleaning solution, as some wearers are not thorough enough in regards to the cleaning of their lens cases. This could potentially lead to the spreading of sight-threatening infections. “The findings strengthen the case for using disposable contact lenses that come ready sterilised and never need to be cleaned,” says the study’s lead author, Antonia Pinna.

“For all sorts of reasons and ease of cleaning, disposable lenses make sense to a lot of people,” The Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians’ general secretary, Bob Hughes, tells the Mail Online. He adds that most of FODO’s members sell nearly exclusively disposable contact lenses.

“Most eye infections can easily be cleared up with antibiotics,” Melanie Corbett, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at London’s Western Eye Hospital, affirms. “But even with treatment there is a risk of damage to the cornea, the part of the eye that is responsible for focusing.”

While daily disposable contact lenses are thought to be the absolutely safest, avoiding any interference at all with lens cases and bacteria from under finger nails, extended wear disposable contacts are considered a great option too as they are only cared for during a limited amount of time. Daily disposable contact lenses are often manufactured from the same materials, such as silicone-hydrogel, as the longer-life disposables.

In addition to the safety aspect, many wearers express that disposable contact lenses are more comfortable than non-disposables as they are much thinner. This also allows for more oxygen to pass through to your eyes, which in itself could help cut down the risk of eye infections.

For those wishing to enhance or change the colour of their eyes, disposable coloured contact lenses are a good option, as they can be worn regularly or occasionally as you wish. Whether with correction powers or not, however, wearers still need a prescription to buy disposable coloured contact lenses.

Like the service you receive at Lenstore?