{"id":1812,"date":"2026-10-20T08:52:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T08:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/eye-glossary\/contact-lens-types\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:56:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:56:34","slug":"contact-lens-types","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/en\/eye-glossary\/contact-lens-types\/","title":{"rendered":"Contact Lenses: Types, Materials and Which One to Choose"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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  1. Home<\/a><\/li>
  2. Knowledge centre<\/a><\/li>
  3. Eye glossary A\u2013Z<\/a><\/li>
  4. Contact Lenses: Types, Materials and Which One to Choose<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\t\t\t

    Contact Lenses: Types, Materials and Which One to Choose<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Medically reviewed by {{surgeon}}<\/span><\/strong>, {{surgeon’s title and specialty}}<\/span>, on {{review date}}<\/span>. Last updated {{date}}<\/span>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    \"Intraocular<\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
    \n\t\t<\/svg>Definition<\/span>\n\t\t\t

    Contact lenses<\/strong> (noun; singular contact lens)<\/em>: thin, curved lenses placed directly on the front of the eye to correct short-sightedness, long-sightedness, astigmatism or reading difficulty, or to treat or protect the cornea. They are medical devices, so they need a fitting and a prescription from an eye care professional, even when they are purely decorative.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

    Quick answer:<\/strong> the main contact lens types are soft lenses (daily disposable, two-weekly, monthly or extended wear), rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, hybrid lenses and large scleral lenses. Special designs correct astigmatism (toric) or reading vision (multifocal, monovision), slow short-sightedness in children, or change eye colour. Your optician or eye doctor picks the type from your prescription, your corneal shape and how you live.<\/p><\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    Contact lens types: key facts<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    <\/svg>Two main families<\/span><\/dt>
    Soft lenses (flexible, most people’s first choice) and rigid gas permeable lenses (firm, very sharp vision)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Two further families<\/span><\/dt>
    Hybrid lenses (rigid centre, soft rim) and scleral lenses (large, resting on the white of the eye)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Wear schedules<\/span><\/dt>
    Daily disposable (worn once and thrown away), two-weekly, monthly or quarterly replacement, and extended wear (overnight, from 1\u20136 nights up to 30 days for approved lenses)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Special designs<\/span><\/dt>
    Toric (astigmatism), multifocal and monovision (presbyopia), orthokeratology (overnight reshaping), myopia-control, bandage and coloured lenses<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Who prescribes them<\/span><\/dt>
    An optician or optometrist, or an ophthalmologist, after a fitting; the FDA says all contact lenses, including decorative ones, need a prescription<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Biggest risk<\/span><\/dt>
    Eye infection and corneal ulcer, which can develop very quickly and, in uncommon cases, lead to vision loss (FDA)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Check-ups<\/span><\/dt>
    Visit your eye care provider yearly, or whenever you have concerns (CDC)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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    What are the types of contact lenses?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

    Contact lenses differ in what they are made of, how long you wear them and what they are for. Each physical kind (soft, rigid, hybrid, scleral) can then come in different wear schedules and optical designs, so it helps to ask three questions: what is it made of, how long do I wear it, and what is it for?<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Contact lens types by material<\/h3>
    Type<\/th>What it is<\/th>Strengths<\/th>Limits<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Soft hydrogel lenses<\/strong><\/th>Flexible, water-containing plastic (many are based on a material called HEMA)<\/td>Comfortable from the first days; inexpensive; many options<\/td>Let less oxygen through than silicone hydrogel<\/td><\/tr>
    Silicone hydrogel lenses<\/strong><\/th>Soft lenses with silicone added so more oxygen reaches the cornea<\/td>The most common soft lens today, with higher oxygen permeability<\/td>Still need proper cleaning and replacement on schedule<\/td><\/tr>
    Rigid gas permeable (RGP, or GP) lenses<\/strong><\/th>Firm, durable plastic that holds its shape yet lets oxygen through<\/td>Clearer, crisper vision than soft lenses; durable and resistant to deposits; often cheaper over time because they last longer<\/td>Need an adjustment period of several weeks (soft lenses take a few days)<\/td><\/tr>
    Hybrid lenses<\/strong><\/th>A rigid centre surrounded by a soft outer ring<\/td>The sharp vision of a hard lens with more of a soft lens’s comfort; used for irregular corneas<\/td>Specialist fitting<\/td><\/tr>
    Scleral lenses<\/strong><\/th>Large gas permeable lenses that vault over the cornea and rest on the sclera (the white of the eye)<\/td>Correct vision problems from an irregularly shaped cornea; can be more comfortable than a standard rigid lens<\/td>Specialist fitting and handling<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

    The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) notes that most people choose soft lenses because they tend to be more comfortable and come in many options. RGP lenses are the “hard contact lenses” of everyday speech, and they are particularly useful for moderate to severe astigmatism and keratoconus, where the cornea’s curve is uneven.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    Contact lens types by wear schedule<\/h3>
    Schedule<\/th>How it works<\/th>Things to know<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Daily disposable<\/strong><\/th>A fresh pair each morning; the lens is used once and discarded<\/td>The FDA defines “disposable” as used once and thrown away<\/td><\/tr>
    Frequent replacement<\/strong> (weekly, two-weekly, monthly, quarterly)<\/th>Removed every night, cleaned, stored in fresh solution and reused until the replacement date<\/td>The FDA points out that many lenses sold as “disposable” are really frequent-replacement lenses, so follow your lens’s replacement date<\/td><\/tr>
    Extended wear<\/strong><\/th>Approved for sleeping in, from 1\u20136 nights up to 30 days depending on the lens<\/td>Most are soft; a small number of rigid lenses are approved for overnight wear; the eye needs at least one night without lenses after each scheduled removal; the AAO says fewer eye doctors recommend them because of the higher infection risk<\/td><\/tr>
    Orthokeratology (ortho-k)<\/strong><\/th>Specially designed rigid lenses worn overnight to reshape the cornea temporarily, so you can see without lenses or glasses by day<\/td>The correction is temporary: the cornea returns to its original shape if you stop wearing them<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>
    Glossary: Orthokeratology <\/svg><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    Contact lens types by purpose<\/h3>