When it comes to contact lenses, most folks think that there is only one game in town – soft contact lenses. But there are other materials that are used to make the lens that lives with the idea of helping you see better if maybe just a bit lesser-known. This article provides information about RGB contact lenses.
The rigid glass permeable contact is a lens of many names. Also known as RGP contact lenses, oxygen permeable contacts and GP lenses, the lenses made of rigid glass permeable have been professionally cited as being easier to care for than the more mainstream soft contact lenses. That’s because RGP contact lenses are typically made up of a sturdy combination of silicone and fluorine-two elements that aren’t as friendly to picking up proteins and other sticky deposits that can plague soft lens wearers. Not to mention the RGP cleaning process removes dirt and makes the lenses all the more comfortable to wear. Get ready to learn a little more about RGP contact lenses for your next visit to the optometrist.
How Did RGP Lenses Get Their Start?
Rigid permeable contact lenses were first introduced in the late 1970s, just a few years following the revolutionary introduction of the soft contact in 1971. One of the more distinct differences between soft contact lenses and RGP contact lenses was the deviation in size; RGPs are smaller in diameter than their soft counterparts. But the differences didn’t end there. Due to their partial silicone makeup, RGP contact lenses are sturdy but a lot more flexible than traditional hard contact lenses, known in the eye world as PMMAs. Historically, silicone has also helped RGP contacts allow more oxygen to pass through the contact lens itself and into the eye. After all, silicone is known as being oxygen permeable, you know. In the long run, that few extra bits of oxygen amount to better long-term eye health and increased comfort while the lenses are in the eye.
In 2005, the Food and Drug Administration approved the so-called hybrid rigid permeable contact lens for consumer use under the brand name of SynergEyes. SynergEyes, which features all of the classic elements of RGP contact lenses with the compromise of a soft contact lens-like center, has marked a new age for oxygen permeable contact.
Things To Remember About RGP Contact Lenses
Before you take your annual shopping trip for new accessories, there are a few things that you should keep in mind about oxygen permeable contact lenses – starting with the things that really “work” with these lenses. RGP contact lenses can provide stronger vision, are durable and are substantially more resistant to dirt and other “sticky” substances than their competitors on the market. In the long run, they can even be less expensive, especially considering the RGPs are built for use over a long period of time. And check out some of the other features of rigid permeable contact lenses:
Do not lose shape when you blink thanks to stiff material.
RGP lenses cannot be torn easily.
Do not contain water – feel free to cry again!
Oxygen permeable contact lenses can last for years.
On the other hand, the oxygen permeable lens can require a period of adjustment, part of which requires regular use. Unlike soft contact lenses, if you don’t wear your oxygen permeable for a week or so, they may be a bit uncomfortable on returning to them. Some RGP users have reported experiencing “spectacle blur,” a condition in which vision is blurry (even while wearing glasses) after taking out their contact lenses. And you may not take to the idea of “rubbing”, which can characterize an RGP cleaning session.