Why buy contact lenses online?
Many of us buy everything online, from a simple box of pencils for Back to School, to the most expensive and modern 3D printers. The convenience of the online shopping experience is undeniable, so why wouldn’t we buy contact lenses online too? If you’re an experienced wearer, and you already know what brand and what type of lens works for you, there’s no reason to not consider it. Your options will be far less limited, and so will your schedule for buying. You can even sign up for a periodical shipment of your supply and be sure to always have it when you need it.
What is important is that you always consult an optometrist first. All contact lenses must be bought with a valid prescription, even online. An advantage to that is that then the prescription is always saved in the system, so you simply sign in, add your product to your cart and you’re good to go. Ifyou don’t have a prescription with you, some stores can even contact your doctor directly, and not only verify, but actually get the actual prescription, saving you time for other things.
However, don’t let comfort fool you into risking your eye health. Always scout for the best retailers, as we have done, and make sure everything they sell is legit. For example, if a website doesn’t ask you for a prescription, it’s probably best to stay away. Prescriptions only last a year, so you will still have to get checked and measured every 12 months. These are non-negotiable parts of wearing contact lenses.
Types of Contact Lenses
Dailies
Daily contact lenses are meant to be worn for a single day and then thrown out. Because of this, they are considered to be very safe, since there is no care needed and no risk of exposure. However, they can be costly depending on the brand and model, and there are some environmental concerns (though it’s not that simple, as we’ll show below).
Weeklies
Unlike daily contacts, weeklies (which can mean either one or two weeks) are meant to last a lot more time, but they do require upkeep to clean and keep sterile. You have to store them in a case and change the solution on a regular basis (depending on the brand and model). It’s very important to stay on top of these routines in order to keep your eyes safe—and the internet is rife with horror stories of what happens when you don’t. Normally, the cost will be lower for these than for dailies, but that will also depend on the brand, model, and even the store. You’ll also need to take into account the cost of saline solution to store and clean your lenses.
Monthlies
Monthlies represent pretty much the same advantages and disadvantages as weekly or bi-weekly contact lenses, but they tend to be even cheaper. Remember, though, the longer you keep a pair of contact lenses, the higher the risk of exposure to bacteria from your surroundings.
Extended wear
Normally, you shouldn’t sleep with your contact lenses on, but with extended wear contacts you can. These are designed precisely for wearing for prolonged periods of time without having to worry about upkeep. However, they are not for everybody, and just like with weeklies and monthlies, there are risks. The longer you keep a contact lens on, the higher the possibility of bacterial infection. Although some are designed to be worn for up to 30 days, it’s good to give your eyes time to breathe before then.
Rigid Gas Permeables (RGP)
As the name implies, RGPs are rigid contact lenses, as opposed to their soft hydrogel counterparts (the most popular option nowadays). They were the standard up until the 1970’s, and some people may feel they are outdated. However, due to their design, they still provide better vision correction and allow more oxygen to get into the eye. A notable drawback is that, due to that same rigidity, they are uncomfortable and move around the eye more frequently. There are also studies that suggest change in the shape of the cornea, such as flattening, with the use of RGP’s, although it tends to go back to its original shape.
Hybrids
In an attempt to give consumers the best of both worlds, hybrid contact lenses have a rigid center that delivers RGP-level correction. Their advantage is that they have a soft hydrogel border for more comfort, in contrast to what’s probably the rigid contact lens greatest drawback. Still, they’re not perfect. Hybrid contact lenses are pricier, are still more uncomfortable than soft lenses, and can affect the shape of the cornea just like RGP’s.
Toric
Toric lenses are meant to correct astigmatism. To the naked eye, they mostly differ from regular lenses in their oval shape. The expert description you’ll find almost everywhere will refer to it as the slice of the side of a donut, instead of a slice from a ball (which represents a regular, “circular” lens). This is so that they won’t rotate when you blink, since they have different corrective characteristics across their body.
Scleral
Scleral lenses were specifically designed for people suffering from keratoconus, a condition in which “the cornea becomes thinner, distorted and scarred,” according to Dr. Jan Bergmanson. He explains that although people with keratoconus don’t actually feel the deformation of the cornea, this distorts the vision in particular ways, and it does make the fitting more difficult in a more advanced stage. That’s where the scleral lens comes in. They’re hard, RGP lenses that cover the entire cornea and part of the sclera (the white part of the eye) in order to work around the protuberance.
Custom-made
Although less common, custom lenses are definitely an option, and they can be soft, rigid, and even toric. They are ideal for practically everybody, as no eye is the same, but they are especially recommended for people whose shape is noticeably different or whose vision requires very specific corrections. In order to make custom contacts, the eye is tested more thoroughly. While a regular eye test uses a keratometer and only measures three areas in the surface of the eye, the process for making custom lenses analyzes thousands of points in order to manufacture the most precise lens possible for your particular vision.
Contact Lens Maintenance
While a lot of people are deterred from using contact lenses due to fear, Dr. Andre Stanberry, who has experience in both private practice and hospital-based optometry, says that “most complications are going to occur because of contact lens misuse.” According to Dr. Stanberry, other issues are rare, and both current and future users should focus more on what they can do to ensure their own safety. He emphasizes not wearing lenses for longer than they’re meant for, which he cites as a frequent cause of discomfort and infection. He also mentions not bathing or swimming with your contacts on, as well as avoiding sleeping with them in. Although extended wear contact lenses are meant for overnight use, he says that “sleeping with any lenses in does increase the risk of infection,” so keep that in mind, and consider giving your eyes time to breathe by not reaching the exact limit on the prescription.
When we contacted Dr. Jan Bergmanson, a leading researcher on keratoconus and eye shape, both he and Dr. Stanberry agreed on the importance of correct measurements before buying contact lenses. Dr. Stanberry says that using non-prescribed contact lenses “significantly increases the risk of infection and other complications.” Bergmanson explained: “if a lens does not provide a proper physiological fit that allows for normal breathing, then you can have a number of things happen to the eye.” Not only will it affect oxygen access, but a bad fit can actually damage the surface of the eye and, if left untreated, lead to microbial keratitis, an infection of the cornea.
Even though these situations may feel distant or unlikely, there is no reason to take chances when it comes to something as essential as your vision. Keep in mind the serious consequences that can result from not following your doctor’s guidelines all the time.
Contact Lenses Do's and Don'ts
DO | DON’Ts |
Dispose of your daily contact lenses on a daily basis. | Don’t wear your contact lenses to bed, unless you have extended-wear contact lenses approved by your doctor. |
Replace your case at least quarterly (every three months). | Don’t use contact lenses over their approved period. Every product has a lifespan, and you should respect it, especially when it goes directly on your eye. |
Use the recommended amount of solution to care for your weeklies and monthlies. | Don’t use expired contact lenses, because of the same reason cited above. Why risk it? |
Get checked and measured periodically by a licensed optometrist. | Don’t ever clean your contact lenses with your mouth, this is an easy route to infection. |
Follow all of your doctor’s instructions. | Don’t clean them with tap water either, use the approved solution. |
The Environmental Impact of Contact Lenses
Disposable lenses have been in the crossfire of environmental debates for some time, and with good reason. It’s a tiny piece of silicone that you throw in the garbage or down the drain on a daily basis. The big question is: how to reduce that environmental impact? The answer is complicated. Every type of eye correction pollutes the earth in a different way. Dailies, for example, are thrown into the trash every day, and sometimes down the drain. This waste ends up in landfills, and turns into microplastics that harm marine life or helps form sludge that affects bodies of water.
Biweeklies and monthlies, on the other hand, affect the environment even more due to their use of saline solution. While dailies are packed in their cases with liquid, once you use them, they don’t need to be re-soaked. That means you don’t need a couple of plastic bottles full of chemicals every month. The effect of these plastic bottles is very similar to the effect of daily contacts as a whole, and some solution itself is rather toxic due to the use of glycerine. Even though contact lenses represent 0.5% of personal pollution, it’s still significant, and both users and makers should take responsibility.
Manufacturers have started taking action. CooperVision, for example, has reduced a significant amount of the water used in their manufacturing processes. Bausch + Lomb and Johnson & Johnson created recycling programs to minimize the amount of lenses that go in the trash or down the drain. On the consumer’s part, we should all be aware of the options and separate contacts from the rest of the trash, rather than flushing them down the drain.
