Contact lenses are great for many different reasons: they look nice, are handy for sport and they are easy to look after. Whether it's a lifestyle choice or a necessity, we can help you find the right contact lenses.

The advancements in manufacturing technology over the past decade has seen a huge increase in the number of contact lens wearers. Now with proper fitting and continued aftercare from Richard Morwood Optometrists there are very few people who cannot successfully wear contact lenses on either a part-time or full-time basis.

Of the two basic categories of contact lenses, rigid and soft, the soft disposable lenses have seen the biggest increase in popularity over the past few years. Rigid lenses (“GPs” or “hard”) have also benefitted from modern technology with newer, healthier, more comfortable materials, clearer designs and multifocal options all becoming more commonplace.

The range of lens options available is huge with lenses for astigmatism, multifocal lenses and coloured lenses becoming more and more popular. Almost all eyesight conditions can be corrected with contact lenses and new manufacturing technology has made them more affordable and comfortable than ever.

We have a few different options:

• Daily disposable - These soft lenses are worn for a day and then thrown away – there is no need for solutions to clean and store them.
• Two-weekly/monthly replacement soft lenses - Wear every day and change every two weeks to a month. Store in solution at night.
• Extended/continuous wear soft lenses - Contact lenses that can be left in the eye for up to a month without removal, and with minimal lens handling and cleaning, are another simple and convenient way of correcting your eyesight.
• Gas permeable lenses - Used for daily wear, require diligent cleaning and storing. Gas permeable lenses are easy to handle and are suitable for most lifestyles although soft lenses are usually preferred for sport.

There’s no minimum age for wearing contact lenses and the most important consideration is whether the child is mature and motivated enough to wear and care for their lenses properly. It involves a little more effort than wearing glasses as contact lenses need proper hygiene and care. But the results can certainly be worth it!

• Better vision for sports and leisure activities where children often remove their glasses for fear of breaking them
• Improved appearance and social acceptance, especially with high levels of short sight (myopia) or long sight (hyperopia)
• Greater self-confidence, self-esteem and satisfaction
• Avoid frequent breakages of glasses
• Full time vision correction – particularly important in children with squint, astigmatism and poor vision in one eye to ensure the eyes work properly together and to avoid a 'lazy eye'
• Easily updated when eyesight is changing frequently.