If you've always worn eyeglasses, you may not be aware of just how many contact lens options are available for vision correction. From single-use lenses to ones you can wear for a week at a time and from clear corrective lenses to elaborate colored contacts, there are all kinds of options to suit any lifestyle and prescription. Here are a few of the main categories of contact lenses.

What Types of Contacts Are There?

1. Hard Contacts

Modern hard contacts are usually rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lenses. Unlike older varieties, RGP varieties let oxygen through to the surface of your eye to maximize comfort and minimize irritation. Many people are intimidated by the idea of hard contacts since they worry about discomfort; in reality, they're so thin and comfortably shaped that they're only noticeable when you first begin wearing them.

2. Soft Contacts

Soft contacts are made of plastics that contain water and are flexible and comfortable to wear. Modern soft contact options include extended wear models that you can wear day and night for up to a week before needing to remove and clean them. Most soft contacts are designed to be worn for a day and removed at night.

3. Disposable Contacts

This is a type of soft contact lens designed to be used for a short time and discarded. One-day disposable contact lenses are an especially suitable choice for those who are vulnerable to eye infections since you don't have to worry about keeping them clean long term. There are also different types which can last for two days, two weeks, or a month.

If you need corrective contact lenses in Amherst, OH, visit Eric G. Stocker, OD. Serving Lorain County for almost 30 years, Dr. Stocker offers Optomap® retinal imaging and opens his office two Saturdays a month to accommodate your busy schedule. To make an appointment, call (440) 988-4419, or learn more about his products online.