Nov
8
Contacts: From Hard to Soft
November 8, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Before contact lenses were pressed from super-permeable polymers, they were made of exceptionally thin — and brittle — glass. Alarming? Perhaps. Were they comfortable? Well, one early victim — I mean test subject — likened the sensation to chewing aluminum foil. Every time he blinked he though his eye lids were going to fall off. Not a great testimonial.
From glass to polymers to lasers, the vision industry has kept up with the times. Me, I prefer to keep lasers away from my eyeballs. I like soft contacts. I like the process of cleaning them, storing them, putting them on. It’s become something of a moving meditation. Clear your mind, put on your contacts. I’m not sure this would have made a great selling point to the early contact lens pioneers 100 year ago, but they probably never heard the word “meditation.”
William Feinbloom would change all that. Sort of. He perfected the PMMA lens, also known as the Perspex or Plexiglas lens. That’s right, Plexiglas lenses. They were marginally more comfortable than glass lenses, but not by much. No, it wouldn’t be until the invention of soft contacts by Otto Wichterle, in the 1960’s, that contacts became the flimsy, super-comfortable lenses they are today.
In 1971, the FDA approved these new soft lenses and the market went wild. Now, it’s not just the super-soft polymers that make soft contacts what they are. The gas-permeability of the polymer lenses allows more oxygen to reach the pupil. That’s right, your eyeballs need oxygen as badly as your lungs do. OK, maybe not that badly, but still.
In a twist of fate that plagues all great inventions, the very trait that makes them so comfortable can also make them extremely irritable. The oxygen that passes through the lens could carry pollen, smoke, and even dust particles. If you’re particularly sensitive to any of these pollutants, be forewarned. Consult with an eye care specialist before you take the plunge.
Short of costly lasers, nothing compares to the comfort of disposable lenses. Do yourself — and your hectic lifestyle — a favor and find an eye care specialist who can fit you for a pair of disposable lenses.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.