Common Contact Lens Questions
This Web site is for general information only, and is not a substitute for the expert advice of an eye doctor. Call 1-800-TWO-PAIR to schedule an appointment with a doctor of optometry.What is bestcontacts.com?
What is a contact lens?
Should I get contact lenses?
What types of contact lenses are there?
What if I decide that contact lenses aren't right for me?
Can contact lenses hurt my eyes?
What is bestcontacts.com?BestContacts.com is the online contact lens store from America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Inc., the country's fourth largest provider of contact lenses, prescription eyewear and related optical products. Founded in 1978 as a family owned business, the company today operates over 108 stores in 21 states as well as a full-service state-of-the-art optical laboratory in the greater Philadelphia area.
The company's strategy is, and has always been, to be the nation's low-cost provider of eyecare & eyewear. This is reflected in our Mission Statement:
"To deliver The Best value in quality eyecare and eyewear at the low prices America deserves... Every Day."
What is a contact lens?A contact lens is a very thin piece of sterile, specially formed material which is placed on the eye as a method of correcting vision. It actually makes contact with the eye, and so it's called a "contact lens".
When the contact lens is placed on the eye, it changes the way that light is focused in your eye, and this change in focus corrects your vision.
The material which is used in the contact lens is carefully produced to allow as much oxygen as possible to get to the surface of your eye, as well as to be as comfortable and safe as possible.
Should I get contact lenses?Many people who currently wear glasses can wear contact lenses. When you come in for your appointment, one of the Doctors of Optometry can help you decide whether contact lenses are right for you.
Contact lenses have several advantages over eyeglasses. Here are some of them:
- Contacts allow some people to see more clearly than with eyeglasses, because more of your field of vision is corrected.
- Contacts are not visible to others, and do not interfere with your appearance.
- Contacts can be more convenient than eyeglasses because they are always "on you".
However, contact lenses take more time and require more responsibility. For example:
- Contact lenses do need to be carefully cleaned and maintained according to your Doctor's and lens manufacturer's instructions.
- Contact lenses have a maximum wearing life, and need to be replaced regularly.
Still not sure? Try them out first!
At America's Best, we really want to help you make the "Best" decision about contact lenses. Call 1-800-TWO-PAIR and make an appointment to come in for your eye exam with a Doctor of Optometry. Each of our stores has a separate contact lens fitting area. After your eye exam, you can sit down in our fitting room, and a trained technician will bring in sealed "trial" contact lenses and help you try on the lens. "Trial" lenses are specifically made by contact lens manufacturers for this purpose. Here, you can decide if contact lenses are right for you.
At America's Best, we've helped millions of people find the contact lenses which were just right for them. We'll try our "Best" to do the same for you.
What types of contact lenses are there?There are two different ways of categorizing contact lenses. One is by wear type, and the other is by tint type. Most wear types come in most tint types, and vice versa. We carry hundreds of different contact lenses, so you'll find just what you want at America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses.
Wear Type Characteristics
Disposable
Disposable lenses are the most highly recommended lens at America's Best. This type of lens offers far more benefits than any other lens type. Disposable lenses are worn and discarded every one to two weeks. The lenses require less care than Daily Wear Soft, as they are replaced more often. Doctors believe frequent replacement reduces the risk of infection. Visual acuity also increases as new lenses are being placed in the eye more frequently. These lenses are usually prescribed to be worn daily and removed at night. Depending on the patient, the doctor may prescribe an extended wear schedule.
Daily Wear Soft
These lenses are worn on a daily basis and are removed nightly to be cleaned. One pair of Daily Wear lenses will last six months to one year, depending on the Optometrist's prescribed wearing schedule. These lenses are handled more frequently, which can result in lost or torn lenses. Toric lenses are also available, for patients who need a correction for astigmatism.
Extended Wear Soft
These lenses are more oxygen permeable and can sometimes be worn longer than Daily Wear lenses. Some patients may be able to occasionally sleep in these lenses, but this is determined by the Optometrist only. The Optometrist will set standards for the patients as to how long they should be worn before being removed and cleaned. Since the lenses are handled less frequently, the risk of losing or tearing a lens is somewhat reduced. The lenses, however, are thinner than DWS, thus must be handled more gently.
Programmed Replacement Soft
These lenses are also called Frequent Replacement Lenses. They are worn on a daily basis and thrown away after one to three months of wear, as instructed by the Optometrist.
Gas Permeable
Gas permeable contact lenses are most often prescribed to patients with astigmatism. The lenses may, however, be prescribed for spherical patients. These lenses are made of a semi-rigid, silicon based plastic that allows oxygen to pass through the lens and into the cornea. The gas permeable contact lens is more difficult to adjust to due to the rigidity of the lens. It takes about three weeks of wear to become comfortable with the feel of the lens on the eye.
Tint Type Characteristics
Clear
Contact Lens is completely clear and can be difficult to see when cleaning, handling and placing in eyes.
Visibility Tint, also called Handling Tint
Contact lens has a very light tint (usually blue), to make the lens easier to see when handling it, cleaning it, putting it in your eyes. This tint is very light - it does not "tint" your vision and will not change the color of your eyes.
Enhancing Tint
Lens has a tint which enhances the color of a similarly colored eye. For example, if you have light blue eyes, a blue enhancing tint contact lens will make your eyes appear a darker and more intense blue. Your vision is not tinted - the central part of the lens that you see through (the pupil) is kept clear. If the lens is chosen well, it is usually difficult for others to notice that you are wearing an enhancing tint contact lens. An enhancing tint cannot change eye color to a different hue; for example, from brown eyes to blue. For that, you need an opaque lens.
Opaque
It's called an "opaque" tint, but of course the lens is not completely opaque. In an opaque tinted contact lens, the part of the lens which covers the colored area of your eye (the iris) is tinted with color so deeply that it blocks out, or opaques, the natural color of your eye. This type of lens can change, for example, brown eyes to blue. Your vision is not tinted - the central part of the lens that you see through (the pupil) is kept clear.
What if I decide that contact lenses aren't right for me?At America's Best, your vision and your satisfaction with us are our primary concerns. We want you to be happy with your experience with us.
We have over twenty years' experience in successfully instructing patients on how to wear contact lenses. As with everything else, motivation is a key factor.
All people experience some difficulty upon their first "contact" with contact lenses. This is normal -- after all, you're putting something in your eye! Trained professionals will help you every step of the way with a number of easy insertion techniques. We can have you enjoying your new contacts the very same day, in most cases.
Its unlikely, but you might decide that contact lenses aren't right for you. If that happens, we'll return the cost of the lenses minus the exam fee (if applicable). There are some restrictions to what you can return, so ask for details at the store or call us at 1-800-999-4758.
E-mail, call or stop in at one of our many locations to get more information, or to make an appointment. We'll be glad to help you.
Can contact lenses hurt my eyes?What's more important than your eyes? At America's Best, the health of your eyes is our number one priority. We will work closely with you to help ensure your good eye health and vision.
You, too, have to remember how important your eyes are, and have to follow the wearing, cleaning, and replacement plan of your contact lenses carefully. Properly used and cared for contact lenses are generally safe for your eyes. Contact lenses are made of special materials which are very gentle to the surface of the eye.
Not following your maintenance plan, such as wearing your contact lenses for too long, not washing your hands before cleaning them, and/or improperly cleaning lenses can result in eye irritation or infection.
For more information about any concerns or questions you may have, give us a call to make an appointment with the Doctor of Optometry. They will take time to answer your questions so that you can decide if contact lenses are right for you.
on orders of:
- $50 or more
- Four+ boxes of contacts
- All autoship orders
to order contacts by phone
WELCOME
click here for more info
Call 1-800-TWO-PAIR or click here to schedule an appointment online.
In some states eye exams performed by an Independent Doctor of Optometry.
