If you are wondering if you should switch to daily contact lenses, you have come to the right place. Daily contacts are disposable contact lenses that you remove and throw at the end of the day, putting on a new pair in the morning. In this article we will break down some clear benefits daily contacts carry, but also cover some flaws, trying to be as objective as possible, helping you to decide if they are the right choice for you.
Pro #1: Comfort
When compared to (bi)weekly or monthly contact lenses, dailies are indisputably more comfortable. Daily contacts are the thinnest contact lenses of all, and this will allow your eyes to get as much air as possible. Also, since you throw them away, and put on a new pair each day, nothing will build upon the surface, so nothing to block the airflow. That is good news for people with allergies – no buildup means no allergens on your lenses. If you choose daily contacts, your eyes will e much less dry, even when worn for lengthened periods of time, making them an excellent choice for people who spend much of their days in front of a screen.
If you suffer from dry eyes when wearing contacts, daily disposables are your best option, consider the switch, you will probably have that problem relieved.
Pro #2: Hygiene
The buildup that collects on the lens’ surface is not only causing discomfort; it can also cause severe eye infections. This buildup is usually the stuff found in your tears – protein, calcium, lipids – combined with dust, pollen, and similar particles flying through the air. All of that is a perfect breeding ground for germs. All kinds of microorganisms live on the surface of your contacts, touching your eyes – bacteria, fungi, amoebae and other horrible things. If you maintain proper lens and hands hygiene, you should not be scared, even with monthly contacts. However, that is a huge “If,” life happens, and you can forget, or neglect cleaning the contacts. With daily contacts you do not have to worry about cleaning the case and lenses every day; just put on a new pair every morning, and throw it away the same day. This has another benefit: when you do things every day, you are less likely to forget than when doing them every month or every week/two weeks – daily habits are much stronger and easier to follow once ingrained. It is much harder to remember to change contacts every two weeks, and the risk of potential harm is much higher if you do forget – lenses past the expiration date that are still on are heaven for all those nasty microorganisms that cause eye problems.
You do not want to gamble and mess with the eye hygiene; it is not worth the risk. With daily disposables, you know that you always have the cleanest pair of lenses possible, no headaches.
Pro #3: Convenience
With daily contacts you do not have to worry about keeping the case clean and using disinfecting solutions, dailies require no maintenance. This saves you a lot of time and hassle since you do not have to remember when was the last time you disinfected everything. The fact that there are no bottles makes daily disposable contact lenses a travel-friendly option.
If you are really busy, or prone to forgetting to clean your lenses, get daily disposables, they require much less hassle.
Pro #4: Good for sports and outdoor activities
Sports and outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, biking involve a lot of dust, and the possibility of something unwanted getting stuck underneath your lenses is high. Daily contact lenses solve this issue – you just put on a new pair after the activity. In fact, even if you do not wear dailies regularly, it would be wise to put them on while playing sports. Once you are done, throws them away, and replace them either with a fresh pair of dailies or with the pair you use every day. Moreover, if an accident happens – you get hit with a ball to the face – you can just remove and replace dailies, instantaneously. This is something you will not be able to do with other types of lenses – you would be forced to disinfect them first, something you can not do in a hurry.
Also, if you are usually wearing glasses, but you accidentally broke them, you can get daily contact lenses while you wait for the glasses to get repaired – a convenient option if you do not own a spare pair.
Therefore if you are an active individual that loves sports and outdoor activities, daily contact lenses are definitely for you.
Pro #5: Doctor’s favorite
Daily disposable contact lenses are becoming increasingly popular not just with the users, but with eye doctors too. And considering the four reasons from above, no wonder – reduced infections risk, increased comfort, and convenience, these are all huge pluses, but the deciding factor is this: doctors know that their patients cannot forget to clean their dailies since they require no maintenance. Yes, it is possible to forget to take them off, which can cause issues. Your ophthalmologist can only treat your eye problems, not stupidity. 🙂
Con #1: Not for everyone
So far we have only stated the benefits of daily contact lenses, but unfortunately, some people will not be able to enjoy those. People who have a very complicated diagnosis or the need for toric or multifocal corrections, then daily disposable lenses are not for you. Monthly contact lenses are made from more rigid materials (that is why they are less comfortable) that allow better corrections even at higher or much more complicated and bigger magnifications.
Con #2: Price
Daily disposable lenses cost more, and that is a fact. That is why you should buy them in bigger packages, if available, that way you reduce the cost per day. However, even if purchasing daily disposables for everyday use is too much for your budget, you should have some at hand if you love to play sports. That way you can wear your monthly contact lenses in your day-to-day, and only put on daily disposable contacts when engaging in a sport or outdoor activity.
Conclusion
As you can see, daily disposable lenses are the best option, if your diopter and budget allow it. With increased convenience, comfort and reduced infections risk, it is a no-brainer.
If you are wondering which to buy, we recommend 1-Day Acuvue Oasys Hydraluxe. These lenses have it all, they are top quality, and they come in a budget-friendly 90-pack.
