Contact Lenses ABC

 

contact lensesFAQs of RGPs Whats the Deal with Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses?

To help you understand what Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses are, below are several Frequently Asked Questions and their answers.

What are Rigid Gas Permeable lenses?

Rigid Gas Permeable lenses, otherwise known as RGP, are the newest hard contact lenses. Unlike hard lenses of the past that were made of PMMA (think Plexiglas), RGP lenses are made of an oxygen permeable plastic. A healthy eye needs plenty of oxygen. RGP lenses not only give more oxygen to the eye, they are also more comfortable to wear.

Why are RGP lenses different?

Introduced in the 1980s, RGP lenses are newer than soft lenses. RGPs have silicone incorporated in their design. Silicone is oxygen permeable, so therefore your eyes will receive plenty of oxygen. In fact, RGPs deliver more oxygen to your eyes than most soft
lenses.

RGP lenses are generally easier to clean and tend to last much longer than soft lenses. This makes them less expensive in the long run. They also provide better vision, clarity and are more resistant to deposit buildup.

Why arent RGPs more popular?

RGPs are made of a harder material than soft lenses. This means it will take longer for your eyes to adjust to wearing them. Since the adjustment period can last for a few days, many people prefer the almost immediate comfort of soft lenses. That is the main reason why they are not as popular as soft lenses.

What are some of the benefits of RGP lenses?

RGP lenses are custom made specifically for you. Your eye care professional will measure the shape of your cornea and prescribe lenses with the exact size, curvature and prescription that your eyes need.

RGPs are durable. If taken care of properly, they wont need to be replaced for several years, assuming your prescription does not change. It is difficult to damage the lenses, unless they are stepped on or scratched. They dont tear easily like soft lenses do.

RGP lenses can be polished by a trained eye care professional to extend the life of the lenses. Some eye care professionals argue that it is better to just replace worn out lenses, but the option is there.

Another benefit is better vision. Since the lenses retain their shape when you blink, your vision will be crisper. In addition, RGPs do not absorb water so they do not pull moisture away from your eye. This helps your eyes to stay hydrated and not get dried out and irritated.

If you are uncomfortable with how soft lenses are removed from the eye, the traditional pinching of the lenses with your fingers, RGPs may be for you. They simply pop out by pulling on the corner of the eye.

Who should wear RGP lenses?

If you have a hard time getting acceptable vision from soft lenses, or are fussy about your visual clarity, you would be a good candidate for RGPs. They are also good for people with astigmatism.

RGP bifocal contact lenses for people with presbyopia are an excellent choice. The lenses can be made several different ways to fit your visual needs. Most people find that they receive the best visual acuity with RGP bifocals.

RGPs can be used to reshape the cornea, either to be worn during sleep as part of a program to improve vision or to help people with keratoconus. There are some studies that suggest fitting children with RGP lenses in an effort to slow down the progression of nearsightedness.

What are the drawbacks to RGP lenses?

RGP lenses need to be worn daily for maximum comfort. If you do not wear them for a week or more, your eyes will probably need to take time to readjust. Some people do not experience this, but most do. Soft lenses are comfortable even if they are not worn for a week or more at a time.

Some contact lens wearers do not like the idea of taking time each night to rub the RGP lenses with cleaning solution. While this takes but a minute or two, it is less convenient than soft lenses with no-rub solutions or disposables. RGP lenses are now available in an extended wear version, which would eliminate the daily rubbing.

Uses for Cosmetic Contact Lenses
Cosmetic contact lenses are designed to alter the appearance of the eye, instead of improving vision as is the case with corrective contact lenses. The first cosmetic lenses were designed for a Playboy model posing in a Halloween edition of the...

Eye Exams Explained What the Doctors are Looking for
Do you get nervous when you think about going to the eye doctor? Most people think that compared to a general practitioner visit, a trip to the eye doctor is a piece of cake. However, there are some people and children who get a little freaked out...

Near and Far How to Know Which Sight You Have
You may be well aware that your vision is less than perfect. You may not know however whether you are nearsighted or farsighted. Although most people just trust that their eye care professionals are great with paper work and note the correct...

Picking Lenses Who Knew There Were So Many!
The most time consuming part about shopping for eyeglasses is choosing the perfect lenses and frame. While you may think this should be the easiest part of the whole ordeal, it can often take hours to choose the best lenses and frame for your...

Guidelines for Choosing your Contacts
When you have vision problems the first thing that comes to mind is eyeglasses. This is the most common solution to the eye vision problems. On the other end of the eye treatment spectrum there is laser surgery for those who qualify and have the...

 

Eight Things to Consider when Handling your Contacts
20/20 - Not Just another Number
A Science Lesson in How Contacts Correct Vision Problems
Anti-Reflective Coatings for Glasses Necessary or Not
Are Reading Glasses Right for You?
Brief Background on Contacts and why they are so popular
Computer Vision Syndrome: Contacts or Glasses a Solution?
Contact and Glasses Prescriptions are not Created Equal
Contact Lens Maintenance Products What Do They Really Do?
Contact Lens Options for People with Astigmatism
Contacts for Kids Is It An Option?
Eye Exams Explained What the Doctors are Looking for
Eye Solutions for Near-Sighted Seers
Eyeglass Options - Are Those Extras Really Necessary?
Family Eye Exams Knowing When the Deed Should Be Done
FAQs of RGPs Whats the Deal with Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses?
Far Out! Corrective Steps for Far-Sighted Seers
Five Advantages of Contacts over Glasses
Five Benefits from Wearing Sunglasses
Five Factors in Choosing your Eyeglass Frames
Five Questions to Ask your Eye Doctor during an Exam
Getting Chummy with the Eye Chart What It Means to your Vision
Glasses and Contacts Make Quite a Team When You Use Them Together
Guidelines for Choosing your Contacts
Hard vs. Soft Contact Lenses Whats the Difference?
How Lens Color Could Alter Your Sunglasses Benefits
Is Contacts Right For Me? Some Basic Tips that Help You Decide
Making the Switch The Adjustment Process from Glasses to Contacts
Near and Far How to Know Which Sight You Have
Ophthalmologist vs. Optometrist - Differences and Similarities
Over the Counter or Prescription Reading Glasses Revisited
Picking Lenses Who Knew There Were So Many!
Popping Peepers How your Contacts Can Accentuate your Eyes
Prepping Protocol for Eye Exams What You Should Do Before Your Office Visit
Prescription Polarized Sunglasses What Are The Benefits?
Pros and Cons of Daily Contact Lenses vs. Extended Wear Contact Lenses
Protein Poses Problems to Contact Wearers
Reflections of the Way Our Sight Used to Be Why Our Eyesight Changes over Time
Selecting Safety Eyeglasses for Work
The Basics of Lazy Eye Problems and Solutions for this Affliction
The Differences between Vision and Eyesight
The Drawbacks of Wearing Contact Lenses
The Finger Factor Hints and Tips for Inserting Your Contact Lenses
The Latest and Greatest in Vision Correction
The Scoop on Bifocal Contacts
Tips on How to Choose Your Prescription Sunglasses
Transitions - Advantages these Glasses over Normal Prescription
Uses for Cosmetic Contact Lenses
Whats Presbyopia and What Eye Care Options are Available?
Why Sticking with Contacts is the Better Option over LASIK