A soft contact lens.
A contact lens is a corrective or cosmetic lens placed on the cornea of the eye atop the iris.

Contact lenses were invented in 1887 by the German physiologist Adolf Eugen Fick (1829-1901).

Made of various kinds of plastic, contact lenses come in a number of varieties, including hard and soft (although soft is by far more common now), and disposable and extended-wear. The specific dioptre needed to treat the patient's condition can be prescribed by an optometrist and provided by an oculist.

Tinted contacts, which may or may not be prescription but are tinted to change the colour of the iris, are used for cosmetic reasons.

Toric lenses

People with myopia or astigmatism who have been told they are not suitable for regular contact lenses may be able to use Toric lenses. Toric lenses are made from the same materials as regular contact lenses but have a couple of extra characteristics:

  • they have two powers in them, one for myopia and the other for astigmatism.
  • they are weighted to keep the lens in a stable position regardless of eye movement. Typically, the lens is weighted more at the bottom and is marked by tiny striations so the wearer can insert them in the correct position.

Cleaning & Disinfecting Products

Contact lenses need regular cleaning and disinfecting to retain the clear vision and prevent infections. There are a number of products that can be used to perform these important tasks:

  • Saline Solution - used for rinsing the lens after cleaning and preparing it for insertion.
  • Daily Cleaner - used to clean lenses on a daily basis. Usually one puts a few drops of cleaner on the lens and rubs for about 20 seconds (check directions) on each side. One must be extra careful in this step if they have long fingernails.
  • Multipurpose Solution - used for rinsing, disinfecting, cleaning and storing the lenses. Many people typically only use it for disinfection and storage, relying on other products for rinsing (e.g. saline) and cleaning (e.g. daily cleaner).
  • Hydrogen Peroxide Solution - used for disinfecting the lenses. One must ensure they rinse any lens taken out of hydrogen peroxide with another solution such as saline.
  • Enzymatic Cleaner - used for cleaning the protein off of lenses, usually on a weekly basis. Typically, this cleaner is in tablet form. Using only the daily cleaner is not sufficient to prevent protein deposits, making the lens very uncomfortable and possibly leading to eye damage.

Some products may contain preservatives such as thimerosal. However, about 10% of contact lens wearers had problems with these products so many brands no longer use it. Such thimerosal-free products are sometimes labelled "for sensitive eyes". Products that do not contain any preservatives usually have expiration dates. For example, non-aerosol preservative-free saline solution typically only last two weeks once opened.