First-rate experience with Dr. Griffiths! Within days of my call, I had PRK surgery instead of LASIK. She was warm and poised, and 5 days later I have 20/20 vision with minimal discomfort.
Imani Greene
Daily vs. Monthly Contact Lenses
Choosing the Right Contact Lens for Your Lifestyle
The best contact lens for you depends on more than just your prescription. How often you wear contacts, your hobbies, your eye health history, and your willingness to follow a nightly care routine all play a role in the decision. Our team takes all of these factors into account during your fitting.
If you wear contacts only a few times a week, daily lenses are often the more practical and hygienic choice. Because you never store or reuse them, there is no risk of solution contamination or lens degradation between uses.
- People with seasonal allergies, since fresh lenses prevent pollen buildup and avoid exposure to solution preservatives that can worsen symptoms
- Anyone who dislikes handling cleaning solutions or managing nightly storage routines
- Travelers who prefer to pack light without bottles and cases
- Those with unpredictable schedules who cannot commit to consistent nightly lens care
- Athletes and outdoor enthusiasts who want a simple, disposable option after activity
If you wear contact lenses every day from morning until bedtime, monthly replacement lenses often become the more economical choice. The per-box cost is higher upfront, but the cost per day drops significantly when used consistently.
- Full-time lens wearers who need contacts every single day
- Patients with higher or more complex prescriptions that are not always available in daily formats
- Those who are comfortable with and committed to a nightly cleaning and storage routine
- People who need specialty designs that are only available on monthly replacement schedules
Certain eye conditions may respond better to one lens type over the other, and our eye doctors consider your full ocular health history when making a recommendation. For example, some patients with dry eye syndrome find that daily lenses improve comfort because they avoid the preservatives in multipurpose solutions and start each day with a clean lens surface.
However, dry eye is a complex condition, and other patients may need concurrent treatment such as artificial tears, lid hygiene therapy, or prescription therapies regardless of lens type. Patients with irregular corneas or high astigmatism may require custom or specialty monthly replacement lenses that provide better stability and sharper vision than what is available in daily formats. In some cases, neither soft daily nor monthly lenses may be the right answer, and our team will discuss alternatives with you.
Your daily environment matters when selecting a lens. Office workers in air-conditioned spaces may benefit from monthly replacement lenses with added moisture-supporting technology, while people who spend long hours outdoors might prefer the fresh-lens convenience of daily disposables.
If your job involves exposure to chemicals, fumes, or airborne debris, daily lenses help reduce the risk of contaminants accumulating on the lens surface over time. For swimmers and anyone in humid conditions, it is important to remove lenses before any water exposure, since contact with water carries a significant risk of serious eye infection regardless of lens type. Prescription swim goggles are a safe alternative for those who need vision correction in the water.
Contact Lens Fitting and Prescription
Selecting a contact lens is not as simple as filling a glasses prescription. A proper contact lens fitting involves a series of measurements and evaluations to ensure the lens fits your cornea correctly, moves smoothly with each blink, and supports your long-term eye health. Our team takes the time to get this right from the start.
Your contact lens exam begins with a comprehensive eye health evaluation. We check your vision, measure your prescription, and examine both the front and back surfaces of your eyes using a slit lamp microscope.
We also discuss your lifestyle, how often you plan to wear lenses, and any history of dryness, irritation, or previous lens issues. This conversation helps us narrow down whether daily or monthly replacement lenses align better with your habits and eye health.
We measure the curvature of your cornea using an instrument called a keratometer, which helps us match the base curve of the lens to the shape of your eye. We also assess the size of your iris and the position of your eyelids to ensure the lens centers correctly and moves smoothly with each blink.
- Corneal curvature to select the appropriate lens base curve
- Pupil and iris diameter for proper lens sizing
- Tear film quality to predict comfort and wearing time
- Eyelid tension to assess how the lens will settle and move on your eye
After selecting candidate lenses based on your measurements and prescription, we place trial lenses on your eyes to evaluate fit, vision quality, and comfort in real time. We observe how the lens moves and whether it provides clear, stable vision at various distances.
We may ask you to walk around or read at different distances to simulate everyday conditions. If the trial lens feels uncomfortable or vision is not sharp, we adjust the parameters or try a different brand until we find the right match. Our NewView Optical team in Reston can assist in finalizing your lens selection once a fit is confirmed.
We schedule a follow-up visit within one to two weeks of your initial fitting to check for any early signs of redness, corneal swelling, or irritation that may not have been obvious at first. These early visits are an important part of making sure your lenses are truly working for your eyes, not just on day one but over time.
You will also share feedback about comfort throughout the day and any difficulty with insertion or removal. These check-ins allow us to fine-tune your lens choice or care routine before small issues become larger problems.
Caring for Your Contact Lenses
Proper lens care is not optional. It is the foundation of safe contact lens wear. Whether you choose daily or monthly replacement lenses, following the correct insertion, cleaning, and disposal routines protects your eyes and helps you get the most out of every pair. Our team will walk you through the specific steps for your lens type at your fitting appointment.
Each morning, wash and dry your hands thoroughly before opening a fresh blister pack. Place the lens on your fingertip, confirm it is not inside out, and gently insert it onto your eye.
Wear the lens throughout the day as directed by your eye doctor. At bedtime, remove each lens and discard it immediately. Never attempt to rinse, clean, or reuse a daily disposable lens, even if it was only worn for a short time.
Remove your monthly lenses each night and place one lens in the palm of your clean, dry hand. Apply several drops of multipurpose solution and gently rub the lens with your fingertip for about 20 seconds on each side, even if your solution label says no-rub. Rubbing physically removes deposits and improves disinfection.
- Rinse the lens thoroughly with fresh solution to wash away loosened debris
- Place the lens in a clean case filled with fresh solution
- Repeat the process for the other lens
- Allow the lenses to soak for at least four to six hours, or overnight
- Never top off old solution, use expired solution, or use tap water or saliva at any point
Some patients use hydrogen peroxide disinfection systems, which require a full neutralization cycle before lens insertion. Never put hydrogen peroxide solution directly in your eye, as it will cause immediate and severe pain and can damage ocular tissue.
Use a contact lens case that is compatible with your solution type and replace the case every one to three months. After inserting your lenses each morning, empty the old solution from the case, rinse with fresh solution, and let it air dry upside down on a clean tissue. Never rinse the case with tap water.
Daily lenses must be discarded after a single day of wear regardless of how many hours they were actually worn. Monthly replacement lenses last up to 30 days from the date you first open the blister pack, not 30 individual wears. Follow the specific replacement interval prescribed for your lens type and mark your calendar so you always know when to start a fresh pair.
One of the most dangerous habits is sleeping in lenses not specifically approved for overnight wear. This limits oxygen flow to your cornea and significantly raises your risk of serious infection, including corneal ulcers that can permanently affect vision.
- Wearing lenses beyond their recommended replacement schedule
- Using tap water, saliva, or homemade saline to rinse or store lenses
- Skipping the rub step when cleaning monthly replacement lenses
- Swimming, showering, or using a hot tub while wearing any contact lenses
If your lenses come into contact with water, remove them immediately. Discard daily lenses right away and thoroughly clean and disinfect reusable lenses. Monitor your eyes closely for pain, redness, or light sensitivity, and seek same-day care if any of these symptoms develop.
Recognizing and Preventing Contact Lens Problems
Even with the best care routine, contact lens complications can occur. Knowing the early warning signs allows you to act quickly and avoid lasting damage. Our team is always available to help you determine whether a symptom warrants an urgent visit or a routine follow-up.
Persistent blurry vision even after blinking a few times may indicate that your lens prescription or fit needs adjustment. Fluctuating vision throughout the day can point to lens dehydration or poor centration on the eye.
Chronic redness, itching, or a gritty sensation suggests your eyes may not be tolerating the current lens material or replacement schedule. Contact our office so we can evaluate whether adjusting your lens type, material, or care routine would resolve the issue.
Eye infections linked to contact lens wear can develop quickly and cause lasting damage if not treated promptly. Be alert to sudden eye pain, intense redness, light sensitivity, or any discharge that appears white, yellow, or green.
- Rapid onset of blurred or cloudy vision that does not clear with blinking
- Severe tearing that does not subside on its own
- A persistent feeling that something is stuck in your eye
- Swelling of the eyelid or the white part of the eye
If you suspect an infection, stop wearing your lenses immediately and keep the lenses, case, and solution to bring to your appointment. Do not reinsert any lenses until an eye doctor confirms it is safe to do so.
Remove your lenses immediately if you experience sharp or stabbing pain, a sudden increase in redness, or halos around lights. These symptoms may signal a corneal abrasion, a foreign body under the lens, or the early stages of an infection.
After removing your lenses, switch to glasses and contact our office. Do not reinsert the lenses until your eyes have been examined and cleared for wear by one of our eye doctors.
Good hand hygiene is your first and most important line of defense. Always wash your hands with soap and water and dry them with a lint-free towel before touching your lenses or your eyes.
Follow the exact replacement schedule for your specific lens type and never extend wear beyond the recommended time frame. Regular follow-up exams allow us to catch early changes, such as corneal swelling or new blood vessel growth into the cornea, before they threaten your vision.
Contact our office right away if you develop sudden vision loss, severe eye pain that does not improve after removing your lenses, or thick discharge accompanied by significant redness. These symptoms can indicate a sight-threatening infection such as microbial keratitis or a corneal ulcer, both of which require prompt diagnosis and treatment.
If you cannot reach our office and your symptoms are severe, go to an emergency department, preferably one with ophthalmology coverage, or seek a same-day ophthalmology urgent visit. Early treatment for corneal infections is critical, as delays can result in permanent vision impairment.
Frequently Asked Questions
We hear many of the same questions from patients who are considering or transitioning between contact lens types. Here are answers to some of the most common ones, with guidance to help you make informed decisions.
The answer depends on how often you wear contacts. If you wear lenses every single day, monthly replacement lenses typically cost less per day once you account for the boxes used over the year. However, daily lens wearers save on multipurpose solution, storage cases, and case replacements, which can narrow the price gap considerably. If you only wear lenses a few times per week, daily lenses may actually end up costing less overall since you would go through monthly replacement boxes very slowly while still paying for solution and cases. Our team can help you estimate the real-world cost based on your wearing schedule during your visit.
Most daily disposable and monthly replacement lenses are not approved for overnight wear and should be removed before sleep. Even occasional naps in unapproved lenses meaningfully increase your risk of complications, including corneal infections and oxygen deprivation to the cornea. A limited number of specialty lenses carry clearance for extended wear, but our eye doctors recommend overnight use only when there is a clear clinical reason and under close monitoring. If you find yourself frequently falling asleep in lenses, talk with our team about whether an extended-wear option or a different vision correction approach might suit your lifestyle better.
It is important to consult our eye doctors before switching lens types on your own. Daily and monthly versions of similar lenses may have different base curves, diameters, or materials, meaning a lens that fits well in one category may not fit correctly in the other even if the prescription numbers are identical. An improper fit can cause discomfort, blurry vision, or subtle damage to the front surface of your eye that builds up over time. A brief fitting evaluation can confirm whether a new lens is appropriate before you commit to a supply.
Discard the lenses as soon as you realize the mistake and do not wear them again. If your eyes feel irritated or appear red, give them a rest day in glasses and allow the ocular surface to recover. Daily lenses are thinner and less durable than monthly lenses, and the protein and lipid deposits that accumulate over extended wear can trigger inflammation or increase infection risk. If redness or discomfort persists after removing the lenses and resting your eyes, contact our office for an evaluation before resuming lens wear.
Many patients with seasonal or environmental allergies report noticeable improvement in comfort when they switch to daily lenses. Because each pair is worn for only one day, pollen, dust, and other allergens have minimal time to accumulate on the lens surface. You also avoid the preservatives found in multipurpose solutions, which can sometimes compound allergic symptoms. That said, lens type is just one part of managing ocular allergy symptoms. Our eye doctors can discuss additional treatments, such as prescription antihistamine eye drops or lid hygiene therapy, that may be used alongside daily lenses for better overall relief.
There are additional options available for patients whose eyes do not respond well to standard soft lenses. Rigid gas permeable lenses, scleral lenses (which vault over the cornea and are filled with saline), and orthokeratology lenses worn overnight to reshape the cornea are all alternatives our team can evaluate. For patients with keratoconus or other corneal irregularities, specialty lens designs often provide sharper and more stable vision than any soft lens. We will take the time to understand why current lenses are not working and explore every appropriate option to help you achieve comfortable, clear vision.
Schedule a Contact Lens Fitting at NewView Eye Center
Finding the right contact lens takes the right expertise, and our team at NewView Eye Center is committed to personalized eye care that puts your comfort and long-term vision health first. We serve patients throughout Northern Virginia with thorough contact lens fittings, follow-up care, and access to a wide range of lens options through our in-house NewView Optical in Reston. We look forward to helping you see clearly and comfortably every day.
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