I had a comprehensive exam with Dr. Griffiths at NewView Eye Center. She explained technical medical procedures and terms in a way that laymen can understand. Convenient on-site optometrist.
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Your Complete Guide to Contact Lenses
The Main Types of Contact Lenses
Contact lenses come in several different designs and materials, each suited to different eye conditions and wearing preferences. Your eye doctor will recommend a type based on the shape of your cornea, your prescription, and any conditions affecting your eye surface.
Soft lenses are the most widely worn type. They are made from flexible hydrogel or silicone hydrogel materials that allow oxygen to pass through to the cornea. Most new wearers find them comfortable from the very first day. Soft lenses come in daily disposable, two-week, and monthly replacement schedules. Daily disposables are discarded each night and require no cleaning, making them a simple, hygienic option for many wearers.
Rigid gas permeable lenses, often called RGP lenses, are firmer and smaller than soft lenses. They hold their shape precisely on the eye, which gives many wearers sharper vision than soft lenses can provide. They are especially helpful for people with corneal irregularities or higher prescriptions. RGP lenses do require an adjustment period of a few days to a couple of weeks, but most wearers find them fully comfortable once the eye adapts. They also tend to last longer than soft lenses.
Scleral lenses are large-diameter rigid lenses that vault over the entire cornea and rest on the white part of the eye, called the sclera. The space between the lens and the cornea is filled with a sterile saline solution that bathes and protects the eye surface throughout the day. Scleral lenses are particularly valuable for patients with advanced keratoconus (a progressive corneal condition), severe dry eye, or corneas altered by injury or surgery. They require more steps to insert and remove, but for the right patient, they can restore comfortable, clear vision when other lens types fall short.
Hybrid lenses combine a rigid gas permeable center with a soft outer ring called a skirt. The rigid center provides the sharp optics of an RGP lens, while the soft skirt improves comfort and helps the lens stay centered on the eye. Hybrid lenses are a good option for patients with moderate corneal irregularity who find full RGP lenses uncomfortable or who cannot get sharp enough vision from soft lenses alone.
- Soft lenses are the best starting point for most healthy eyes with regular curvature
- RGP lenses offer sharper vision and durability for more complex prescriptions
- Scleral lenses serve eyes affected by disease, surface damage, or severe dryness
- Hybrid lenses bridge the gap when neither soft nor RGP alone meets the need
Daily Lens Care and Hygiene
Proper lens care is one of the most important parts of wearing contacts safely. Simple daily habits protect your eyes from infection and keep your lenses performing well throughout their replacement cycle.
Every time you remove a reusable lens, rub it gently with fresh solution and rinse it thoroughly before storing it. This rub-and-rinse step lifts protein deposits and debris that solution alone cannot remove, even when the bottle label says no-rub. Multipurpose solution cleans, rinses, disinfects, and stores soft lenses in one step. Hydrogen peroxide systems provide a deeper level of disinfection and are a good choice for people who have sensitivity to preservatives in standard solutions. Always use the solution your eye doctor recommends for your specific lens type.
The lens case is a common source of contamination that many wearers overlook. Harmful bacteria and biofilm (a thin layer of microorganisms) can build up inside the case over time, even when it looks clean. Cases should be replaced at least every three months. Each day, empty out any old solution completely, rinse the case with fresh solution (never tap water), and allow it to air-dry face down on a clean tissue. Never top off old solution with new solution, as this dilutes the disinfecting ability and raises infection risk.
- Empty and rinse the case with fresh solution every day
- Air-dry the case face down on a clean tissue between uses
- Replace your lens case at least every three months
- Never top off old solution with new solution
- Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling lenses
Tap water should never come in contact with your lenses or your lens case. Tap water can carry a microscopic organism called Acanthamoeba that causes a serious and painful corneal infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis. This warning applies equally to bottled water, well water, pool water, lake water, and hot tubs. Lenses should always be removed before showering, swimming, or soaking in any body of water. If water exposure is unavoidable, daily disposable lenses combined with well-fitted goggles are the lower-risk choice.
Risks and Possible Complications
Contact lens wear is safe for most people when guidelines are followed consistently. Being aware of what can go wrong, and what to do about it, helps you protect your vision over the long term.
Minor issues such as occasional dryness, mild redness, and temporary irritation are among the most frequently reported lens-related problems. These often improve with better hygiene habits, a different lens material, or rewetting drops. More serious complications include bacterial, fungal, and amoebic infections of the cornea (keratitis). Left untreated, corneal infections can progress quickly and may result in lasting vision damage. Prompt care at the first sign of trouble is always the right call.
Most contact lens complications are linked to specific behaviors that can be changed. Sleeping in lenses without your eye doctor's approval reduces the oxygen available to the cornea and significantly raises infection risk. Extending a monthly lens past its recommended replacement date allows deposits to build up on the surface and restricts oxygen flow further. Using tap water on lenses or cases introduces dangerous microorganisms. Nearly all of these risks are avoidable with consistent, correct habits.
With proper instruction and parental support, children and teens can wear contact lenses safely. Daily disposable lenses are often the best starting option for younger wearers because they eliminate the case-cleaning routine and reduce the chance of hygiene mistakes. Parents should be actively involved in building good habits early, especially around handwashing, insertion technique, and knowing when to remove a lens. Annual lens exams confirm that the eye is tolerating wear well and that the prescription remains accurate.
When to See an Eye Doctor
Knowing when to seek care promptly can make a meaningful difference in how a problem resolves. Some warning signs require same-day attention, while others call for a routine visit before they develop into something more serious.
If you experience pain, increasing redness, sensitivity to light, discharge, or blurred vision while wearing contacts, remove the lens right away. These symptoms should be evaluated by an eye doctor the same day. Bacterial keratitis (a corneal infection caused by bacteria) can progress to a serious corneal ulcer within hours, so waiting is never the right choice. Eye care offices make time for urgent lens-related visits, and catching an infection early makes it far easier to treat effectively.
- Pain or significant redness while wearing or after removing lenses
- Light sensitivity that starts suddenly
- Vision that does not clear after removing the lens
- Discharge or a persistent sensation that something is stuck in the eye
Even when your lenses feel comfortable and your vision seems unchanged, yearly contact lens exams are essential. Your eye doctor checks the fit of the lens on your cornea, the health of your tear film, and the condition of your eyelids at every visit. Eyes change shape over time, and a lens that fit well a few years ago may no longer fit correctly. Catching subtle changes early prevents them from causing larger problems down the road.
Eye problems do not always happen during business hours. Keep the contact information for your eye care office saved so you can reach their after-hours line quickly when you need it. If pain, sudden vision loss, or a chemical exposure occurs, remove the lens immediately and call for guidance. Bring your lens case, solution, and a copy of your prescription to any urgent or emergency visit, as this information helps the treating provider make the right decisions quickly.
Specialty Lenses and Advances in Contact Lens Care
Contact lens technology continues to advance, offering more options for patients who were once told lenses would not work for them. Understanding what is now available may open up choices you did not know existed.
Advances in rigid lens materials now allow more oxygen to reach the cornea through large-diameter scleral lenses. Improved corneal mapping tools help eye doctors design custom-fitted lenses with much greater precision than was previously possible. Patients with advanced keratoconus or severe chronic dry eye who had few good options in the past can often now wear scleral lenses comfortably for a full day. This has made a real difference in quality of life for people with complex corneal conditions.
Daily disposable lenses for astigmatism (toric lenses) and multifocal lenses for presbyopia have both improved significantly. Wearers who once needed to settle for glasses because of their prescription now have more lens options to consider. Specialty soft lens materials also address moderate keratoconus and eyes that have had prior surgery, conditions that once required rigid lenses exclusively. The result is that fewer patients are true contact lens candidates today than ever before.
Some specially designed contact lenses are intended to slow the progression of myopia (nearsightedness) in children. This growing field is called myopia management. Lenses used for this purpose come in soft daily-wear designs and overnight orthokeratology (OrthoK) designs that gently reshape the cornea while the child sleeps. Parents who are concerned about a child's worsening vision should ask our eye doctors whether myopia management is an appropriate option.
Building Healthy Contact Lens Habits
The safest contact lens wearers are those who build reliable daily routines and stick to them. A few consistent habits protect your eyes over years of wear.
Wash and dry your hands before touching your lenses. Insert lenses before applying eye makeup, and remove them before washing your face at night. Replace lenses on the schedule recommended for your type, whether that is daily, every two weeks, or monthly. Do not sleep in lenses unless your eye doctor has specifically cleared you for overnight or extended wear. Daily disposables simplify the routine and are especially practical on travel days or irregular schedules.
Smoking raises infection risk for contact lens wearers. Long hours in front of screens reduce blink rate and dry the eye surface, which can make lenses feel uncomfortable. Taking short breaks during screen-heavy work, blinking intentionally, and using rewetting drops can help. A diet that supports overall health also supports tear quality. Keeping your annual eye exams on the calendar is the most reliable way to catch early changes before they become problems.
- Follow your replacement schedule for both lenses and the case
- Take regular breaks during extended screen use
- Use rewetting drops when your eyes feel dry during the day
- Avoid sleeping in lenses unless your eye doctor has approved it
- Replace any lens that feels gritty, painful, or gives blurry vision
Air travel can dry out lenses more quickly than usual because cabin air has low humidity. Pack a backup pair of lenses, a sealed bottle of solution, and your glasses in your carry-on so you always have options. For beach or pool trips, daily disposables worn with snug goggles are the safest approach. For sports and active wear, a wraparound frame over daily disposables can offer both security and convenience. Planning small details in advance prevents shortcuts that carry real risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers are meant to add practical guidance on common situations that come up between appointments.
The best lens for you depends on a combination of factors that can only be assessed through a proper fitting exam, including your corneal shape, prescription, tear film quality, and any existing eye conditions. Soft daily disposables are a reasonable starting point for many people with straightforward prescriptions and healthy eyes. If your first lens does not feel right or does not give you clear enough vision, that is important feedback for your eye doctor. Lens fitting is sometimes a process of refinement rather than a one-time decision.
Most contact lenses are not approved for overnight wear, and falling asleep in them occasionally still increases infection risk even if no problem occurs. The cornea relies on oxygen from the air, not from blood vessels, and a lens worn during sleep significantly reduces that supply. If you do fall asleep in your lenses, remove them as soon as you wake up, use rewetting drops if the eye feels dry, and watch carefully for redness, pain, or blurred vision throughout the day. If any of those symptoms appear, contact your eye doctor promptly.
Contact lenses themselves do not cause changes in your underlying refractive error. Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can all progress over time regardless of whether you wear contacts, glasses, or nothing at all. Progression is driven by the natural changes in the eye, not by the correction method you choose. The one notable exception is myopia management in children, where specialty lenses are used intentionally to slow that progression.
Mild occasional discomfort at the end of a long wear day can sometimes be addressed with a short break and rewetting drops. However, redness that comes on suddenly, pain that does not ease when you remove the lens, light sensitivity, or any discharge are warning signs that need same-day evaluation. The key distinction is whether symptoms resolve quickly once the lens is out. If they do not, or if they are significant even before you remove the lens, that warrants a call to your eye doctor right away rather than a wait-and-see approach.
If you lose a lens and have no replacement available, wearing your glasses is always the safest fallback. Wearing a lens from an old box or a different prescription to bridge the gap may seem practical, but it can cause eye strain and carries risks if the fit is off. Contacting your eye care office for an emergency supply or an urgent appointment is a better option. Keeping a current pair of glasses and a small backup supply of lenses on hand prevents this situation from becoming a problem in the first place.
A contact lens fitting goes beyond a standard glasses prescription exam. Your eye doctor will measure the curvature of your cornea, the size of your pupil, and the quality and quantity of your tear film. Corneal imaging may also be used to map the surface of the eye in detail. A trial lens is then placed on the eye and evaluated at the slit lamp (a specialized microscope used in eye exams) to confirm fit, centration, and movement. A follow-up visit is usually scheduled to verify that comfort and vision are holding up under real-world wearing conditions before the final prescription is issued.
Contact Lens Care at NewView Eye Center
Whether you are new to contacts, thinking about switching lens types, or just due for your annual fitting exam, our team is here to help you wear lenses comfortably and safely. We fit a full range of soft, RGP, scleral, and hybrid lenses and offer guidance for wearers of all ages across Northern Virginia. We look forward to helping you find the lens and routine that works best for your eyes and your life.
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