Contact lenses were probably a strange concept at the time when they were developed. Today, however, they are all the rage!

Not only are they affordable and convenient for people who wish to look their best at all times, but they also are available in a wide range of types so that there’s something for everyone.

Types of Contact Lenses

When classified according to replacement times, there are a few broad categories. These are:

Daily Disposable

Daily disposable lenses, as the word suggests are recommended for use for a day only. After this they are to be discarded. The daily disposable lenses are especially useful for occasions such as Halloween when you can buy a crazy looking pair of lenses from the one day Halloween contact lenses category and just discard them when you have used them for the intended occasion.

Weekly Disposable

Weekly disposable lenses can be worn for up to two weeks. There’s also an extended wear option available for weekly disposable lenses which allow for the wearer to keep them on for more days. This is a huge convenience of course when compared with other types of lenses which must be removed and cleaned every day as well as soaked in the solution for a prescribed number of hours.

Monthly Disposable 

As is evident from the name itself, monthly disposable lenses can be used for a period of one month.

Comparison of Daily Disposable and Monthly Contact Lenses

• The wear time of both lenses differs significantly. Daily disposable contacts are meant to be worn for a period of one day only. This means you have to open a fresh pack every day and dispose of it whenever you take them off. Monthly contacts can be worn for a period of a month.
• Monthly disposable lenses have a great option for extended wear. These lenses can be worn up to 6 days at a time. There are even some FDA approved varieties that can be worn for 30 days. Can you imagine the freedom? Instead of grappling for your glasses every morning, then going through the entire process of thoroughly washing hands and applying lenses and taking them off every night, just pop on your lenses and forget about them for a month! Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?
  
• An important comparison point between daily disposable and monthly contact lenses is that of maintenance and upkeep. With daily disposal contacts, there’s minimal effort required in terms of maintenance and upkeep. They do not need to be soaked in the clean solution, neither do they need to be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis since they are used for a day only!
  
  Further, the risk of any contaminants remaining in your contacts is also eradicated as you are using a fresh pair of contacts every single day. So, for instance, you use an especially unique pair of one day Halloween contact lenses, you just throw them when you’re done with the day! In comparison, monthly disposable lenses do need to be cleaned and disinfected carefully in routine to avoid the chances of contracting infections and general discomfort.
  
• Both daily wear and monthly contact lenses help you avoid all the problems associated with wearing glasses. Forget your glasses fogging up every time you leave the air-conditioned room. Say goodbye to being ultra-cautious when you’re playing sports for fear of smashing your glasses. There will be no smudges in your vision and what’s great on frame lines in the line of your sight!
  
  Lenses are generally really helpful for people with active lifestyles and after an initial period of adjustment, you’ll literally just forget they’re even in your eye!
  
• Both kinds of contacts are available with tints and in bifocals as well.

Daily disposable contact lenses, as well as monthly lenses, offer advantages in different areas. For instance, daily disposables require minimal upkeep and maintenance, but on the other hand, the monthly disposal kind especially the extended wear variety offers an entirely elevated level of convenience.

That being said, it really comes down to personal choices, preferences, and lifestyle of an individual. The great thing with contacts is you can try them out, if you think you aren’t very comfortable with the daily kind, you can always go for the monthly ones!

In order to have a long and healthy relationship with your contacts, it is essential that you religiously follow the general guidelines for their use. These include always washing your hands thoroughly prior to using contacts, and following all the procedures for cleaning and disinfecting them. One important tip is to always get a solution that has a disinfectant in it, otherwise, you’re really just storing them in saline water which isn’t doing anything to rid your contacts of any germs they may have come into contact with.