Contact lens updates, fitting, and sustainability:
Technology and sustainability are evolving in contact lenses. There is expansion in the range of prescriptions and materials available, as well as types of contacts. Having your contact lenses fitted by an eye care professional is important. Sustainability in contact lens manufacturing is improving as well as options for recycling them.
Ready-to-order power ranges for contacts now include between about +10.00D to -20.00D for spherical lenses and up to -5.75D for astigmatism. If you are outside of these ranges or have an irregularly shaped cornea, custom order contact lenses are obtainable.
Contacts that simultaneously correct your vision and help treat or protect against certain eye diseases are available. For example, contacts that release antihistamine to help users dealing with allergies, and those for children to help reduce the speed their myopia progresses. For outdoor sports, transition contact lenses provide shade and UV protection.
As contact lenses are a medical device, proper fitting and hygiene practices are vital. Improperly fitting contacts or those with inadequate oxygen permeability can lead to increased risk of corneal complications such as infections and neovascularization. These can cause damage to your eye and vision long term. Newer materials have increased oxygen permeability, improved comfort, increased resistance to bacterial and lipid deposits and improved vision with aspheric designs.
Sustainability is also trending. Different contact lens companies have admirable sustainability targets including using renewable energy sources, having zero waste to landfill sites, producing net plastic neutral contacts, recycling products, and goals of global carbon neutrality by 2030.
Notably, B&L’s One by One and Biotrue Eye Care Recycling programs allow you to properly recycle contacts, their blister packs and foils, and solution bottle tops. Armstrong optometry has a box at our office where you can drop off your contacts and their packaging. Proper recycling avoids these items going to landfills or ending up as microplastics in our water systems, allowing them to be made into post-consumer products instead.
Doing a contact lens fitting at your local optometry office will help you find the best contacts for your needs. Stay tuned as technology and sustainability continue to evolve.
Dr. Talisa Dennis, OD