Contact lenses: Facts and myths

1. I can't wear contact lenses.

Don’t be so sure. Thanks to advances in contact lens technology in recent years, just about everyone can wear contacts.

For example, there are many bifocal contact lenses for people with presbyopia; soft, rigid and hybrid contact lenses that correct astigmatism; and custom contact lenses that can correct even the most challenging prescriptions.

If you've been told you can't wear contacts, it's time to ask again. You may be a better candidate for contact lens wear than you think!

2. A contact lens can get lost behind your eye.

It cannot.  A thin membrane called the conjunctiva covers the white of your eye and connects to the inside of your eyelids, making it impossible for a contact lens to get lost behind your eye.

3. Contact lenses are uncomfortable.

Not true. After a brief adaptation period, most people don't even notice they're wearing contact lenses.

If you experience contact lens discomfort, your eye doctor can almost always determine the cause fix the problem.

4. Contact lenses can get permanently stuck on your eye.

It's true that if a soft contact lens really dries out, it can stick to your eye. But rewetting the lens by applying sterile saline or a multipurpose contact lens solution will get it moving again.

5. Contact lenses are too much trouble to take care of.

If you can’t be bothered with contact lens care, choose daily disposable contact lenses. These lenses are discarded at the end of the day and require no lens care at all.

6. Wearing contact lenses causes eye problems.

It's true that contact lens wear can increase your risk of certain eye problems. But if you follow your eye doctor's instructions regarding how to care for your lenses, how long to wear them, and how frequently you should replace them, wearing contact lenses is very safe.

7. I'll never be able to get them in my eyes.

Applying and removing contacts might seem difficult at first, but with a little patience, nearly anyone can quickly learn how to put contact lenses on and take them off.

8. Contacts can pop out of your eyes.

Today’s contact lenses — including rigid gas permeable (GP) contacts — fit close to the surface of the eye. It's very rare for a contact lens to dislodge from a wearer's eye unexpectedly.

9. Contact lenses are too expensive.

Contacts are quite affordable.

10. I'm too old to wear contact lenses.

With the availability of multifocal contact lenses and contacts for dry eyes, advancing age is no longer the barrier to successful contact lens wear. Ask your eye doctor if you're a good candidate for contacts — the answer might surprise you.

Page published on Friday, 22 March, 2019