Q: Are there advantages to single-use contact lenses? What are they?
Yes – there are many advantages to single-use contact lenses! Daily disposables offer the most convenient way to wear contact lenses; patients do not have to utilize disinfecting solutions or contact lens cases since the lenses are thrown away after one use.
In my experience, patients that wear single-use contact lenses benefit from a more comfortable wearing experience. Their lenses feel better throughout the day since they have a fresh, sterile lens every day. Additionally, I rarely see a patient that wears daily disposable lenses have an eye infection.
Daily disposable lenses are the easiest way to wear contact lenses. Patients don’t have to keep track of how old their lenses are, they don’t have to clean the lenses every night, and they don’t have to carry contact lens solution with them when they travel.
Q: What do you find in particular, most exciting about single-use contact lenses? What causes you to recommend them to the patients in your care?
What I find most exciting is to see the positive impact daily disposables have on my patients. Oftentimes, patients are experiencing some irritation with traditional contact lenses; the lenses can get dry and uncomfortable as the day wears on and cause the vision to be less sharp. Daily disposables typically solve both of these concerns and patients experience clearer vision and more comfortable wear.
Both Dr. Viker and I wear daily disposables ourselves and believe that they are the best and safest way to wear contact lenses.
Q: Do you find that your patients express positive feedback about daily disposables, and what is it that they are most happy with?
Daily disposables are far and away the type of contact I get the most positive feedback on from patients. I’ve had many patients over the years that gave up on wearing contact lenses years ago. When they try the new generation of single use contact lenses and succeed it enhances their lifestyle – sometimes it is an appearance change they desire or the ability to play sports without the hassle of glasses. More than once I have heard the phrase “these lenses changed my life” about single-use contact lenses.
Q: Will it be more expensive for me if I need to use a new pair of contacts every day?
Daily disposables typically cost more than reusable contacts but oftentimes it isn’t nearly as much as patients expect. There are many different daily disposables with varying price points but a good rule of thumb is that they cost about $1-2 per day to wear; so less than a morning cup of coffee. For someone wearing a leading two week disposable contact lens and using solution, dailies would cost about $8 more per month.
Many times when patients experience the comfort and convenience of dailies it becomes an investment worth making. I always work with my patients to find the lens that will work best for all of their needs.
Q: Are there certain conditions of the eye, or any other reason why you would specifically recommend to a patient the use of single use contact lenses?
Yes, most definitely. Patients that have seasonal allergies are great candidates for single-use lenses. Patients who have experienced eye infections or eye inflammation previously are also excellent candidates for daily disposables. Patients who have diabetes are more at risk for infection, so single-use contact lenses are the best option for them.
Many patients get frustrated with keeping track of when to dispose their contact lenses on a 2 week or 4 week schedule, so dailies eliminate that inconvenience. I prescribe daily disposable lenses for the majority of my patients that are students. Students have busy schedules and can overlook when it is time to dispose of reusable contacts, or they may not clean them properly and daily disposables solve both of these issues.
Q: What further information should patients know about daily disposables vs. traditional, or reusable contacts?
I think any patient that qualifies to try daily disposables should test them out and experience the benefits firsthand. The convenience, comfort, and safety of daily disposables make them the best option for most patients. If patients have been told they couldn’t wear contacts because of astigmatism or needing reading glasses, we now have daily disposables for them. Also, if patients gave up using contact lenses due to the hassle, single-use contact lenses would be a great match for them.