Hard, soft, extended wear, daily disposable — knowing which contact lens option is right for you can be challenging. Read on to learn the factors to consider when choosing what type of contact lens to wear.

Start with Your Eye Doctor

The best place to start is by working with your eye doctor. They’ll conduct a comprehensive eye exam to assess your vision needs and suitability for contact lenses. They can talk to you about the different types of lenses, how long each type can be worn, and proper care routines. Your eye doctor will also discuss your lifestyle and what you’re looking to get out of wearing contact lenses to determine your best option.

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor 

• How will you wear contacts? Do you want to wear them all day, every day, or will you only wear them for special occasions or activities?
• Do you still plan to wear glasses sometimes, either as an alternative to contact lenses or for activities like reading?
• Are you willing to follow a daily cleaning routine? Are you good at stocking supplies and having them on hand? If not, daily disposable lenses might be a better choice.
• Are you new to wearing contacts? If so, are you okay with how long it may take to get used to wearing them? Your eye doctor will teach you how to put in and take out your contact lenses. Like riding a bike, you may get it quickly, or it may take some time.
• Do you need help seeing just one distance, or do you need bifocals or another kind of multifocal lens?
• Are you prone to dry eye?

These answers can help your doctor guide you to the best recommendation for you.

Choosing the Right Type of Contact Lens

Here are some reasons to consider one type of contact lens over another.

• The occasional wearer: You plan to wear your glasses most of the time and only want to wear contacts occasionallysome text
  • You might choose: Daily disposable lenses.
  • Because: You don’t have to deal with regular cleaning and storage. The cost will be low since you won’t use them often.
• The jet-setter: You travel a lotsome text
  • You might choose: Daily disposable lenses and glasses.
  • Because: You don’t have to worry about lugging around cleaning supplies. Plus, you can use your glasses during airplane travel to nap or adjust to the dry cabin air. 
• The routine-follower: You’re good at keeping up with a nightly cleaning routine (like flossing)some text
  • You might choose: Biweekly or monthly disposable lenses.
  • Because: The extra step of disinfecting and storing your lenses won’t burden you.
• The budget-conscious daily-wearer: You plan to wear contacts every day and want to save some moneysome text
  • You might choose: Biweekly or monthly disposable lenses.
  • Because: You’ll definitely save money by opting for biweeklies or monthlies over dailies of the same brand — as long as you can commit to nightly cleaning and care.
• The snoozer: You’re interested in sleeping in your contactssome text
  • You might choose: Extended-wear contacts.
  • Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons. Most doctors recommend sleeping without contacts as it lowers your risk of eye infection.
• The dry-eye sufferer
  • You might choose: Ask your eye doctor
  • Because: It depends on the severity and cause of your dry eye and how often you plan to wear contact lenses.

Trying Out Your New Lenses

Once you and your eye doctor decide on a type of contact lens, they’ll order trial contact lenses for you to take home. You’ll try them for a few days to see how they work.

Things to keep in mind while testing new contacts:

• Comfort level: How do they feel at the end of the day or when you take them out?
• Visual clarity: Can you see clearly at all distances: far away, intermediate, and near?

Then, you’ll follow up with your eye doctor and make any necessary adjustments. Especially if you are new to wearing contact lenses, it may take a bit of trial and error to find the type of lens that works for you.

Remember, technology keeps advancing. Periodically check in with your doctor to see if something is better for you. Always reach out to your eye doctor immediately if your lenses cause any problems.

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