Contact Lens Fittings & Full Eye Care Services in St. Charles, MO
Rigid, gas permeable (GP or RGP) lenses of today are not the old-fashioned, hard contacts of yesteryear! At present, they are growing in popularity as an advanced alternative to soft lenses.
Many people associate hard lenses with pain and discomfort, yet that’s no longer the case. At Overland Optical Family Eye Care, we will perform a thorough eye exam and contact lens fitting in our St. Charles, MO, office. Depending upon your ocular condition, our experienced eye doctors will recommend the best contact lenses to provide you with excellent vision and healthy, comfortable wearing. To learn more about gas permeable (GP) contacts and whether they are a suitable option for you, please contact us to reserve an appointment!
Pros of Modern GP Lenses
Nowadays, gas permeable lenses are constructed from a durable plastic that incorporates silicone, which makes them highly breathable for oxygen. Years ago, hard lenses didn’t allow any oxygen to pass through, which led to a design that had a gap between the edge of the lens and the cornea. This often caused uncomfortable wearing, or incidences when the hard lenses suddenly popped out of the eye! In contrast, modern gas permeable lenses are thinner and allow more oxygen to permeate and reach the cornea than many soft lenses on the market.
Some specific benefits of GP lenses include:
- Sharper vision, as the firm material holds its shape when you blink
- Easy care and handling
- Very durable and cannot be torn easily
- Resistant to deposits of natural lipids and proteins from your tears
- Longer-lasting wear, which gives more value for the cost
- Good correction for presbyopia, as they come in many bifocal and multifocal designs
- Treatment for keratoconus, where the cornea has a cone shape
Cons of GP lenses
Gas permeable lenses can take longer to get used to than soft lenses, which many people find discouraging. In addition, if you don’t wear them for an extended period of time (even a week), your eyes may have to adjust to them all over again. For maximum comfort, GP lenses should be worn regularly.
The smaller diameter of rigid GP lenses raises the risk of them getting dislodged from your eye while playing sports or engaging in any lively activities. Additionally, there is an increased chance of debris or dust slipping under the lenses when you blink, since they move more on the eye than soft lenses. This can cause uncomfortable sensations, or possibly scratch your cornea.
Do you want to learn more about rigid, gas permeable lenses?
Contact our St. Charles office to schedule your eye exam today.
After our optometrists evaluate your eyes and vision, we’ll discuss if GP lenses are ideal for your needs!
