Many people who need visual aid may opt to use contact lenses instead of external glasses. But how exactly do they work and help our eyes see? Read to find out!
The Purpose of Visual Correcting Eyewear
To start off, it's important to understand why some people need visual aid in the first place. Poor vision results from light not being reflected properly onto your retina, a part on the back of the eyeball that is essential to registering images by light and communicating those to the brain to process.
Nearsightedness occurs when your eye focuses light in front of the retina rather than directly on it. Glasses and contact lenses correct this by separating the rays of light to decrease the strength of the eye's focus, and moves the focus point back to the retina in order for the image to focus properly.
On the other hand, farsightedness occurs when your eye's ability to focus light is insufficient, and there is no focus point before light reaches the retina. Therefore, corrective visual aid is used to increase the power of which your eyes focus, moving the focus point forward to reach the retina.
How Contact Lenses Are Different From Glasses
While glasses are, as the name suggests, a glass that rests closely on our faces for our eyes to look through, contact lenses are much smaller and thinner and rest directly on our eyes. Therefore, the "optic zone", also known as the center of the lense comprised of the corrective power, is smaller to only cover the pupil, while the surrounding area on top of the eyeball's peripheral curves do not contain any corrective power.
As light reaches your eye, the contact lens in front of it will adjust and correct your eye's focus, improving your overall vision. It's important to get contact lenses that fit your eyes, so you don't have to worry about them falling out of place or feeling unusual.
Most contact lenses perscribed and used today are easy to wear because they are comfortable, flexible, and have the ability to absorb water, helping increase the flow of oxygen reaching the eyes. The material that makes them up is silicone hydrogel, which enables the eye to keep its moisture.
In addition to corrective contact lenses, you can also wear colored contact lenses that change the appearance of your irises, making them appear a different color while still allowing you to see properly.
How to Use Contact Lenses Safely
Contact lenses can be a more efficient and preferred choice for some people who require visual aid. Many people may opt to invest money in those rather than physically larger eyeglasses, as there are a variety to choose from such as daily disposable ones or multiple-use ones.
Overall, contact lenses very safe and a great alternative! However, when you choose to wear them, remember to handle them properly to make sure they're clean and safe to be in direct contact with your eyes. You can do this by making sure your hands are clean and dry before touching them, taking them out to clean and store in proper solution in the evenings before you sleep, and regularly replacing them as instructed. Make sure the solution you use to store them is changed everyday, and leave your contact case to air-dry properly to disinfect them. Additionally, to make sure it is clean, remember to replace them at least once every 3 months.
There are even other types of contact lenses besides the ones used daily, such as night-wear, which correct your eyesight as you're sleeping so that your eyes can focus properly during the day. If you're thinking of making the switch to contact lenses, make sure to research properly and consult your eye doctor!
References:
Heiting, Gary. “How Do Contact Lenses Work?” All About Vision, 30 July 2021, www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/faq/how-contacts-work.htm.
“How Do Contact Lenses Work? The Science Behind Them.” Lenspure, 12 June 2018, www.lenspure.com/articles/how-do-contact-lenses-work.
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