Choosing the right contact lenses can completely transform how you see the world and live your daily life. Because every eye is uniquely shaped, we offer a variety of modern lens technologies tailored to your visual needs, lifestyle, and comfort.

Below is an easy-to-use guide comparing our primary lens options, followed by a detailed breakdown of each type, their pros and cons, and essential wear-and-care tips.

Quick Lens Comparison

1. Soft Contact Lenses (Most Popular)

Soft contact lenses are the global standard for modern vision correction, worn by the vast majority of contact lens patients. They are made from flexible, water-loving hydrogel or silicone hydrogel materials that allow ample oxygen to reach the surface of your eye.

Your Options

• Daily Disposables: You wear a fresh, sterile pair every morning and throw them away at night. This is the healthiest, most convenient option and is highly recommended for allergy sufferers or occasional wearers.

• Frequent Replacement (Bi-weekly or Monthly): You remove, clean, and store these lenses every night, replacing the physical pair with a new one every 2 or 4 weeks.

• Toric Lenses: Specially designed soft lenses that correct astigmatism by staying stably oriented on the eye.

• Multifocal Lenses: Feature gradual transitions for both near and distance vision, allowing patients over 40 to read without reading glasses.

Advantages & Disadvantages

• Pros: Instant, comfortable fit; rarely dislodge during sports or active movement; available in almost every prescription; easy to swap between glasses and contacts.

• Cons: Can dry out in air-conditioned or dusty environments; prone to tearing if handled roughly; absorb debris or environmental proteins over time if not cleaned perfectly.

How to Insert & Remove Soft Lenses

Golden Rule: Always wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and dry them with a lint-free towel before touching your eyes or lenses.

• Insertion: Place the clean lens on the tip of your dominant index finger. Check that it forms a perfect bowl shape (if the edges flare outward like a soup bowl, it is inside out). Look straight ahead, use your other hand to pull your top eyelid up, use your middle finger to pull your lower eyelid down, and gently place the lens on the center of your eye. Blink slowly a few times to let it settle.

• Removal: Look upward. Use your middle finger to pull down your lower eyelid. Gently slide the lens downward onto the white part of your eye using your index finger. Softly pinch the lens between the pads of your thumb and index finger to lift it away.

2. Scleral Lenses (Advanced New Technology)

Scleral lenses represent an exciting leap forward in specialty contact lens technology. Unlike standard hard lenses that sit right on the sensitive cornea, scleral lenses are larger in diameter and vault completely over the cornea, resting safely on the white part of the eye (the sclera).

The space between the lens and your eye is filled with a sterile saline solution, creating a constant reservoir of moisture.

Your Options

• Mini-Scleral Lenses: Slightly smaller designs that offer easy handling while providing the benefits of a vaulted lens.

• Full Scleral Lenses: Larger designs engineered for advanced corneal irregularities or severe ocular surface disease.

  The Raleigh Contact Lens Institute

Advantages & Disadvantages

• Pros: Incredible life-changing vision for irregular corneas; highly stable fit that won’t dislodge; highly effective at relieving severe dry eye symptoms because the cornea stays continuously bathed in fluid.

  Rhode Island Eye Institute

• Cons: Requires a higher upfront investment and custom fitting process; involves a specific handling technique to insert without trapping air bubbles.

  Rhode Island Eye Institute

How to Insert & Remove Scleral Lenses

• Insertion: Balance the lens on a specialized three-pronged stand or a small suction plunger. Fill the bowl of the lens completely to the brim with preservative-free saline. Tuck your chin tightly against your chest so your face is perfectly parallel to the floor. Pull your eyelids wide open, look directly at the lens, and push it straight up onto the eye until the fluid seals against the eye surface.

• Removal: Moisten your eye with a lubricating drop. Use a small removal suction tool, apply it gently to the bottom third of the lens, tilt it slightly forward to break the fluid seal, and lift the lens away.

3. Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses (Traditional Technology)

RGP lenses, often simply called “hard lenses,” are smaller, firm lenses made from durable plastics that allow oxygen to pass through them. While they provide incredibly sharp, crisp vision, they represent an older generation of contact lens technology compared to modern soft and scleral options.

What They Are Used For

RGP lenses are typically used for standard prescriptions or moderate astigmatism where a patient prefers long-lasting durability or has worn hard lenses successfully for many years. Because they are smaller than the cornea, they move slightly with every blink to let natural tears flow underneath.

Advantages & Disadvantages

• Pros: Provide extremely sharp visual acuity; highly durable and cannot tear; long lifespan makes them cost-effective over time.

• Cons: Requires a rigorous 2-to-4-week adaptation period for your eyes to get used to the sensation; can easily be dislodged or knocked off the center of the eye during physical activity; dust or grit can easily slip under the lens, causing immediate irritation.

How to Insert & Remove RGP Lenses

• Insertion: Place the lens on your index finger, pull your eyelids wide apart, and place it directly on the center of your cornea.

• Removal: Open your eyes wide, place a finger at the outer corner of your eyelid, and pull gently toward your ear while blinking. This action pinches the edges of the rigid lens, causing it to pop right out into your cupped hand. (Alternatively, a small RGP suction plunger can be used).

4. Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Orthokeratology is a specialized application of RGP lens technology. Instead of wearing these lenses during the day, you only wear them at night while you sleep.

How It Works

While you sleep, the specially designed, highly breathable Ortho-K lens gently and temporarily reshapes the clear front surface of your eye (the cornea). When you wake up, you remove the lenses and can see sharply throughout the entire day without needing any glasses or daytime contact lenses.

• Primary Uses: Excellent for active individuals and athletes (especially swimmers), people who experience midday dryness from soft lenses, and children experiencing progressive nearsightedness (myopia), as clinical studies show Ortho-K can significantly help slow down the progression of myopia.

  Contact Lens Society of South Africa

Essential Contact Lens Safety Tips

No matter which lens style you choose, your eye health is our top priority. Please keep these core rules in mind:

• Never use tap water to rinse or store your contact lenses or lens cases. Tap water contains microscopic organisms that can cause severe, sight-threatening infections.

• Never sleep in your lenses unless they are explicitly prescribed for overnight use (like Ortho-K).

• Replace your lens case every 3 months to prevent bacterial buildup.

• If in doubt, take them out! If your eyes become unusually red, painful, irritated, or your vision becomes suddenly blurry, remove your lenses immediately and contact our practice.