Daily Contact Lenses

Daily disposable lenses are convenient. You don’t need to worry about the hassle of cleaning your lenses and storing them after each wear, they’re quicker to insert and remove and are more hygienic. If you don’t necessarily want to wear your lenses every day and prefer to wear them for special occasions or for sport, for example, then daily lenses are a more cost-effective option that gives you flexibility.

Daily lenses are popular with people who travel as there’s no need to travel with contact lens containers and solution. Plus, if you’re someone who works out regularly or likes to exercise after work, having disposable lenses that you can insert quickly without needing to worry about storing them afterwards can be beneficial.

There are several reasons why you may want to choose daily contact lenses over bi-weekly or monthlies. Not only are daily lenses more convenient than weekly or monthly lenses, but they can also help to promote healthier eyes and reduce the risk of eye infections since you are limiting the chance of bacteria building up on the surface of your lenses. As we’ve discussed, if you don’t wear your lenses every day or want more flexibility, daily lenses can be a more cost-effective and affordable option that maximises your lens use.

Daily disposable lenses vary in price and depending on how often you wear your lenses, they can work out to be a very cost-effective option or be more expensive. The cost, however, is often outweighed by the convenience and flexibility they offer, since there’s no ongoing care routine with these lenses. As a guide, you can expect to pay the following for your lenses:

• Standard lenses for short or long-sightedness – Pack of 30 - £11-£21
• Toric daily lenses – Pack of 30 - £18-£26
• Multifocal lenses – Pack of 30 - £22-£36

Daily lenses need to be replaced after every wear. This means that you remove them at the end of the day and dispose of them, getting a new pair the next time you want to wear your lenses. Daily lenses tend to be cheaper to buy online than from an optician, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting lower quality. You can still order your lenses from leading manufacturers to provide you with the quality you want.

Daily lenses differ in several ways between other contact lenses, such as two weekly or monthly lenses. There are four key areas where lenses differ – maintenance, cost, convenience and frequency of wear.

Maintenance – Daily lenses don’t come with an ongoing care routine, as you simply open a new pack each morning you want to wear your lenses and then throw them away at the end of the day. This makes them easier to manage and also healthier for your eyes. With two weekly or monthly lenses, you’ll need to clean your lenses after each wear and store them in contact lens solution to keep them hydrated and clean, for either two weeks or 30 days depending on the type of lens you have. After this time, they will need to be thrown away.

Daily lenses can be slightly more expensive in the long-run as you need to use a new pair every day. If you want to wear lenses every day, monthly or bi-weekly lenses could be more affordable. However, if you switch between lenses and glasses, dailies might be a more cost-effective option.

Frequency of wear plays an important part in which type of lenses you choose. Since dailies are fresh and sterile, they’re great for promoting good eye health and are ideal for occasional wear as you can just open a new pack and insert them without worrying about bacteria. But if you’re wearing them every day, or most days, choosing monthlies or bi-weeklies are likely to be a better option for you.

Finally, convenience is also a consideration. In this regard, dailies are the most popular option although monthly or two weekly lenses aren’t bothersome, but simply require a few more steps compared to dailies.

Luckily, daily lenses don’t require any ongoing maintenance which makes them a popular choice for many people. However, you may need some help with inserting and removing your lenses if you’re new to wearing them.

The first step is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, and dry them before opening the contact lens blister pack. Lift the lens out using your index finger and check for any tears or dirt on the surface of the lens. Once you’re sure it’s clean and not damaged, make sure it’s the correct way up and not inside out. Use your other hand to gently lift your eyelid up towards your brow and pull your lower lid down, placing the lens over your iris. Let it settle into place by looking up and down a few times and blinking.

When you’re ready to remove the lens, wash and dry your hands again and look into a mirror, tilting your head down and pulling your lower eyelid gently so you can move the lens to the white of your eye to pinch it gently and remove it from your eye. It can then be disposed of.

You shouldn’t wear your lenses more than once, but most people are able to wear them for an entire day without any issues or irritation. The exact number of hours will vary from person to person, as well as depending on their optician’s recommendations, so seek their advice. If you have dry or sensitive eyes, you may want to avoid leaving your lenses in for longer periods as this can exacerbate your symptoms.

The benefit of daily lenses is that they don’t need to be stored, as you can throw them away after each wear. Each set of new lenses comes in its own blister pack which has a small amount of solution inside to keep the lens soft and hydrated.