Our Premier Optical opticians and local optometrists are available for contact lens consultation appointments. Through a series of prescription assessments, eye curvature measurements, and testing of eye health, we can then select the most appropriate contact lenses with the greatest wear comfort. Contact Lens wear is a year-round experience with several assessments, All on going assessments are free of charge here at Premier Optical.
Types of Contact Lenses in Waterloo
There are several types of contact lenses available at our contact lens clinic in Waterloo to fit different vision and lifestyle requirements. Remember, not every brand suits everyone. We have explained, the various types of contact lenses available, to help you see which type might be the right one for you. New to contact lenses or unsure how they work? Read more on our blog about How to Insert and Remove contact lenses.
Daily Disposable Lenses
These single-use disposable contact lenses are the most convenient lens choice, to be removed and discarded at the end of each day. Daily disposable contact lenses are convenient as they do not require lens cleaning, but most importantly they are healthy because there are no deposit build-ups and no risk of overnight wear. They are an ideal option for sports use and active lifestyle and are available in sphere, astigmatism, and multifocal powers.
Bi-Weekly Disposable Lenses
These are contact lenses that are replaced every other week. Bi-weekly disposable contact lenses offer a balance between frequent replacement and comfort. They bridge the benefits of daily disposable and monthly contact lenses. They need to be removed every night and cleaned daily with the recommended contact lens solution. Bi-weekly lenses are available in sphere, astigmatism, multifocal powers and colours as well.
Monthly Disposable Lenses
Monthly contacts are simply reusable contacts that can be worn for 30 days. These lenses are a cost-effective and convenient lens option, due to their monthly wear.
They require daily cleaning with contact lens solution and are removed at the end of each day. Monthly contact lenses are unique because of how long they can be worn before disposing. For this reason, It is important to note that more care and upkeep are required. Monthly lenses are available in a wide range of prescriptions and even in colours.
Yearly replacement Lenses
These contact lenses are suitable for prescriptions that are complex or have high astigmatism that are otherwise unable to achieve good vision with disposable contacts. Yearly replacement lenses are the original soft lens modality and are now available in highly breathable materials in disposable lenses. They need to be cleaned every night with a contact lens solution and replaced every year.
Rigid Gas-Permeable (RGP) Lenses
Rigid gas-permeable lenses, also known as RGP or GP, are rigid contact lenses made of oxygen-permeable polymers. RGP lenses are rigid but should not be mistaken for hard old-fashioned contact lenses that are now largely outdated.
Modern RGP lenses have adapted silicone, making them more flexible and allowing more oxygen to reach the cornea. RGP lenses provide better optics, more durability and higher resistance to deposit.
These costume made lenses can accommodate a wide range of prescriptions and are ideal for irregular corneas, keratoconus, and corneal transplant. They are not recommended for sports because there is a higher risk of dislodging from the eye during sports and other activities.
Hybird Lenses
Hybrid contact lenses are made of a rigid gas-permeable lens surrounded by a soft lens skirt. They are considered the best of both worlds because they offer the optics of RGP lenses and the comfort of soft lenses. Hybrid lenses can correct for astigmatism (corneal astigmatism) and are available in multifocal prescriptions. They are also ideal for irregular corneas, keratoconus and corneal transplant.
Scleral Lenses
Scleral Lenses are large in diameter, gas-permeable contact lenses designed specifically to create a tear-filled vault over the entire surface of the cornea and rest on the sclera. These lenses are tailored to the shape of the cornea, offer the best optics, and are extremely comfortable to wear.
Scleral lenses are designed to treat a variety of eye conditions, reduce pain, and light sensitivity in people suffering from a growing number of eye diseases or eye injuries. These lenses are good for correcting regular and irregular astigmatism, ideal for keratoconus, and corneal transplant.