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Contact lenses

Main Types of Contact Lenses
There are three main types of contact lenses: hard lenses, soft lenses and GP (gas/oxygen permeable). Hard lenses are made from a material called Plexiglass or Lucite, and are only used for rare vision ailments. Soft lenses are the most common and are made from a gel-like plastic that is cut so it's slightly larger than the iris. GP lenses are made from a waterless plastic material and are normally used for people who suffer from presbyopia, a reduced capacity for the eye to focus on objects as they move closer, or severe astigmatism.

The design and shape of the contact lens is what allows them to properly focus light back to your retina and improve your vision. Some of the most common designs for contact lenses include:

• Spherical - rounded contact lenses that correct farsightedness and nearsightedness.
• Bifocal - contact lenses that have different zones on them (like bifocal glasses), so wearers can see both near and far depending on where they are looking.
• Corneal Reshaping - contact lenses designed to reshape your cornea while you sleep to help correct nearsightedness.
• Toric - contact lenses used to correct astigmatism as well as farsightedness and nearsightedness.