Hard (RGP) VS Soft Contact Lenses - Pros and Cons!
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- āđāļāļĒāđāļāļĢāđāđāļĄāļ·āđāļ 12 āļ.āļ. 2024
- What are the benefits of hard contact lenses (rgp's) vs soft contact lenses? Let's go over the pros and cons of each so you can know with one may be best for you.
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IN THIS VIDEO:
The majority of contact lens wearers these days wear soft contact lenses. They can be more comfortable and convenient for both the patient and the doctor to prescribe them. In other ways, hard contacts and specialty hard contacts can have benefits that can make them better in certain situations.
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What is discussed in this video:
0:00 Intro
0:23 More Common?
1:22 Comfort
2:06 Handling
3:09 Cleaning
3:22 Durability
4:20 Convenience
6:15 Safer?
7:46 Price
8:55 Customizability
11:16 Vision
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Totally agree with vision clarity/rigid gas permeable lens over soft lens. Itâs worth the extra effort to get over the break in phase.
I started out with hard contacts. Now I wear soft lenses. But honestly I prefer the hard lenses. Many of the points u make regarding safety with hard contacts such as not sleeping in them n not leaving them in too long as well as better clarity are factors apply to me. But because I had eye correction done 10+ years ago, nowadays I only wear contacts for sports etc as the power in my right eye has gone up very slightly so soft contacts make the most sense. Still prefer the hard contacts.
Hard lenses are a little harder to get used to initially, but as Dr. EyeGuy says, that discomfort disappears. I bought my first pair in 1972. My prescription was a powerful toric lens. The fit could have been better, but very accurate. Over time modern advancements provided a more snug and comfortable fit. I love that they last for years with proper care, and modern hard lenses are gas perm so the eye can breathe. After a surgical procedure, I now wear glasses. The glare is horrific, and clarity is just not there. I am considering asking my doctor if he thinks hard lenses would be a choice he would approve. I hope he agrees because I forgot how much I wouldn't say I like glasses.
I wear ultra permeable multifocal rgp's and I loooovem! It's pretty amazing what 2 tiny plastic discs can do!âĪ Ive worn them in perfect comfort all day everyday averaging 12-18hrs...sometimes longer if I'm playing video games. With zero adverse effects. Ive worn rgp's for the past 30+years, and multifocal rgp for the past three due to presbyopia.
Due to my keratoconus' scleral lenses are my only option. Taking care of them and inserting them are not easy by no means. But the vision they give is phenomenal.
Great video!! I learned a lot!!
Thank you so much!!
I started with hard contacts in my late teens, and I still wear them 30 years later! Back then, my doctor said my vision was deteriorating year after year and recommended moving away from glasses to wearing hard contacts. I love them, except when I get something in my eye (lint, pollen, an eyelash). It's especially uncomfortable when I don't position the contact correctly on the iris and the contact ends up under my eye, but I eventually reposition the contact and everything's good again. I recently developed floaters in my left eye. I wish hard contacts would correct those!
Thank you for sharing your experience! A lot of people that have started with hard contacts, keep going with hard contacts.
a good trick for floaters is to grab something like a needle or something pointy and focus on it for several seconds and then look away. while it wont remove the floaters, they end up looking a whole lot smaller and less noticeable
I feel your pain with hard lenses - used to wear them myself it was so uncomfortable with debris my eyes would stream so bad.
@@DrEyeGuythis video was so good. Do they also make those hard lenses (ortho k,hybrid etc or larger sceral lenses) for people who need progressive glasses (-3.5 & +1.5 & astigmatism) ?
Thank you so much in advance
@@IntegrityMeansAll Yes they do. They have Multifocal designs for hybrid, RGP, and scleral lenses. Not for Ortho K though.
Love your videos
Thank you!
Thanks for explanation. I had an eye injury and a cornea transplant because of that. Started with a soft lens, but since the eye changed the shape a little bit (not visible) the soft lens kept having small bubbles of air inside which was bothering me and I couldnât get the full potential.
Now Iâve been using the semi-hard lens for 6 months and Iâm satisfied. I was afraid I couldnât get used to it, but actually it was all fine on the first try! :)
I have a hard scleral lens for my left eye & a soft lens on my right eye. I prefer scleral lenses over soft lenses because they are easier, for me, to insert & remove.
I tried hard contact lenses for the first time a few days ago, and I was amazed how good my vision became. They are a uncomfortable and I'm still getting them fitted but it's definitely something I should have tried years ago.
@DrEyeGuy thanks for the video. i had tried RGPs a few years ago, but never got over the initial discomfort period. :( been wearing mostly soft. then got chronic dry eyes. i blame the soft contacts. i want to try RGP again and see if i can get over the initial hump? but the complicating thing is i need progressives. iâm a +1.5. do you recommend i try a hybrid for the comfort factor? how about bifocal RGP vs mono-vision prescription? what would you recommend?? thank you!
I wore RGP (hard) lenses for years, as apparently back then that was the only option for me in my prescription. I was amazed when I was finally told I could switch to soft lenses! Then I went into soft contacts, and still wear them to this day. I got on fine with hard lenses, but awareness was always there and if I got any stubborn debris on the lens it hurt so bad. My optician recently advised me to switch to another brand as the right eye which is an XR lens is due to be discontinued, so I'm now wearing CooperVison Biofinity Toric. I am a little concerned though as I think I have early stages of presbyopia, so I'm not sure how that will turn out with my high prescription with astigmatism.
I have been wearing semi soft contact lenses for almost a week now. Its very uncomfortable to wear since am a beginner, its way too small and slips down my eyes again and again
I have -4.25L -4.25R astigmatism and wishing to see how it worksout for me. Amazing video!
A question, please? If I do get used to RGPs, will my corneas run the risk of getting scars? Thanks, Dr.
Thank you for this analysis and the term "chair time". I've been wearing "hard" lenses or rigid gas permeable lenses for years. I have a strong prescription but with the hard lenses I can see 20=20 or better.
I have always worn RGP lenses (45 years!) with no issues. No plan to switch. I doubt I would be happy with the acuity or correction of a soft lens.
I wear both glasses and contacts and have dry eyes. I was told to get preservative free eye drops. Do I need 2 separate drops? 1 specifically for my contacts and 1 for when I wear my glasses?
If your drops are labeled/approved for contact lens wear, or they are preservative free, then you can use the same drops with and without contacts.
They gave me soft and I love them despite some difficulties, but the difficulty is not constant. I follow the instructions and keep everything clean. I got eye drops for rewetting and that helps with any dryness.
My only gripe with RGPs is that sometimes they can dislodge rather easily, the CVA in my left eye is 6/4 and this is only possible through RGPs.
I have a question! And I keep looking all over for an answer and I can't find it. What colleges offer prerequisite courses for optometry? (In California)
Most colleges offer the prerequisite classes. If you look up optometry schools, they will have a list of the prerequisite classes you need, so you can check with your college to see if they offer everything. A lot of times if you major in Biology, it will cover a lot of your prerequisites, but you don't have to major in that if you don't want to.
Iâve been wearing soft lenses for years. Many dry my eyes out Biofinty isnât very stable in my eye with me having astigmatism i find my vision fluctuates. Iâm currently wearing Acuvue oasys 2 weekly and they have been great for years! but unfortunately they have discontinued the axis range from 120 to 150 and my axis is 130ð. Iâm in the UK and not many lenses come in 130 axis which is very frustrating! iâm also in +3.00. Iâve recently tried rgp lenses but my lid was pulling the lenses up so had a re fit and things are a little better but not perfect. I am still finding them uncomfortable but vision is better than soft lenses. Is it normal for these lenses to sit higher in the eye rather than centre of the eye? it seems that i can still see the edge of the lenses but not sure my optician is very experienced with the rgp lenses
it's supposed to go up when you blink but also come back down and recenter onto your pupil, that's one of the key features of the RGP so it gets fresh fluids with oxygen into your eye
I wear gas perm bifocals. I love them but have a hard time finding a back up spare set.
I have them also. I bought a box of soft lenses just so I have something to wear in the interim if something happens to my RGP lenses. Itâs not ideal, but at least I know I have a backup if thereâs a problem. I like to wear the soft ones if we go to the pool or the beach too. Other than that I much prefer the RGP lenses.
Having tried both types, its still hard for me to decide which I like better. The only real downside for RGP contacts for me is they can fall out sometimes, especially in a sport environment or if you're driving around on a scooter without sunglasses/visor on. I like soft contacts for the initial comfort and sports applications, its extremely rare for them to fall out on me unless im driving a scooter for a few hours, they tend to dry out with the wind blowing on me constantly. In a way I prefer the hard contacts, i seem to be able to wear them longer and with comfort but soft contacts are a close second. If im stateside and in non aggressive environments, I prefer the RGP but if Im travelling, doing sports or camping/hiking I prefer the soft contacts. I often have a prescription for both, and use each type according to my plans for that day
How were they when you first tried them on? Did they feel like sand in your eye or are people exaggerating?
Did It take time to get used to?
@@Hallelujah3r in a way it depends how accurate your doctor was when you try on the initial set. My very first set, it was pretty dang brutal, my eyes started tearing up and there was something straight up in my eye. So I'd say no, people were not exaggerating. It took about a week or so for me to get used to them and it started becoming less noticeable. I lost a lens while traveling so I stopped wearing them for awhile. I recently tried again this year with a different doctor and basically it wasn't nearly as brutal as my first time. I adapted pretty quickly and hardly notice them. But I had to make some adjustments still, I guess they were too flat or something. Now I finally have a pair that fit me perfectly well and I love them. If you can, try to get menicon z, it's the only rgp rated for sleeping in. Otherwise I would recommend Boston xo2, it has a pretty high DK value. I went to lenscrafter, the doc did me a solid and asked the lab for me if they can get the menicon stuff. One pair cost me 120 bucks, and they can easily last 2 years, if not much longer if you aren't too rough on them when you clean them. It's a tough call as far as saying they're worth it, I just happen to like the idea of RGP lenses and stuck with it. I still use daily soft contacts, but I usually use them for traveling or sports.
@@johnkeo358 got it. Thanks for replying that was pretty informative ð
Hey, I need your advice
Yesterday was my first day wearing lenses and last night I found taking the lense out of the left eye really hard. I was trying like 20 minutes and finally succeeded but my eye now hurts anytime it meets the solution when I try to put the lense again today. Supposedly, I should wait until the irritation fades away, will I be able to put my lenses again then? ð
That would make sense that the eye could be tender or inflamed from trying to get the lens out. To be sure, it would be best to get your eyes checked by your eye doc if you still have the inflammation.
@@DrEyeGuy Thank you for your answer. Anyway, I donât think itâs serious because I donât feel it unless I try to put the contact in and itâs not even red. I will just wait a few days but I canât wait, I loved to be able to see without glasses ð
I hated my glasses when I was like 8years old nd my mother didnt allow contactlensens before my 12.
When I was 12 (im now 37 so long time ago) i tried hard contacts first in the store nd it felt like sand in my eyes. 5min later I tried soft nd that felt comfortable!
But in my twenties i noticed that I couldnt wear my contacts as long anymore.. maybe for 3 or 4 hours max nd then my eye began to dry out. And the older I get the worser it get. So I stopped wearing contacts nd Im wearing glasses for the last 15yrs.
Now Im thinking to try hard contacts nd hope that this will work when im getting used to it. Contacts are better to work with. Cause my glasses always slipping down my nose in the summer when its warm.
Question.. when you wear hard contacts nd you use it with responsebility.. can it still cause any damage to my eyes?
If you are responsible, practice good hygiene with them, and have a good fit and you follow up with your eye doctor, then they can work great ð.
I had rgp once. Took me 1 month to order, another month to adapt, yet i got lost my left one since i had one eye lash pointing into the eyeball, so it might pushed the rgp out without me knowing it. Rgp gave me much more clear vision, although it felt so hirt whenever dust get stuck between rgp and eye. Softlenses tends to stick to my eyes despite of dry eyes i had
I wear the hard ones, dont have an option. Dr. Please tell me why technology/medicine seems to be so slow for people like me with -18 ?
How is your myopia going? Im -15 L and R
are u wearing the hard lens now
All in all 30 yrs on soft contacts mostly; on and off on RGPs, my eye are a bit dry and oily, that means they get either foggy or greasy :/ but their crispiness is unmatchable. I wear -3.50 nowadays.
Just came back from eye exam and talked about rgp to the dr. because Iâm really interested in those. And she said they are super inconfortable and told me to try with the âfitting kitâ they have and that I would know right away itâs not for me. She recommended scleral lenses instead. My question is when I go back to try rgp lense, what can I expect as a feel with the âfitting kitâ compare to the custom fit I will get when my lenses are made for my eye? Basically, is she right I will discard them right away?
What did you end up doing?
@@GizelleQuant we are still working to find a good fitting pair, I will receive my 3rd set hopefully next week. Itâs a few weeks between every evaluation or delivery so time adds up. Few touch up for prescription and fitting so far. Next set they say will cost more but will very likely have a perfect fit !
I have blue eyes and they come with a blue tint by default in them and I ask to have grey ish tint so my eye color doesnât look fake.
I have worn both types for much of my life. Currently sporting multifocal gas perms and feel the crisper vision, better tear exchange and oxygen permeability is superior. Also like that since they contain no water bacteria donât adhere to them like to soft. Even though I realize daily disposables mitigate much of that issue. Will never go back to soft though. Too much dryness for me personally. Despite trying multiple brands meant to not dry out.
Both of my eyes increased by 0.25 diopters in my latest exam. Recently I have been doing more than usual near work and don't go on daily walks like I used to. Is 0.25 increase likely due to eye strain or has my myopia started to progress again?
I am 26 year old and my prescription has been stable for 4 years as a high myope (-6.00).
I have been wearing contacts maybe once a month.
I actually get this question a lot. It's really hard to pin point what could possible cause a small change like that, or if it's part of a natural fluctuation. I've had people get worse by 0.25 one year, and then better the next year.
@@DrEyeGuy Thank you. Good to know it may have just been due to tired eyes recently. Although the refraction increased by 0.25 my optometrist decided not to update my prescription. Nonetheless it has pushed me to better behaviour/habits for next years test ð
Please someone, are the RGP lenses supposed to move around when you look to the left, right, up or down? It is making everything blurry until they shift make to the center. Itâs freaking horrid and Iâm very new to them so Iâm just trying to figure it out.
Hi, great video, thumbs up. I am 40 and have a glass eye, I was hoping to get contacts for the good eye, do you think I should or is there too much risk?
It depends on the person. I have some patients that mainly have one better eye that they use, and they have contacts. But they are strict on cleaning, and replacing them, taking breaks. It would be worth discussing with your doctor about it.
Thanks so much, I live in Vietnam and I went to an optometrist and she said it should be fine. Thanks so much for your advice :)@@DrEyeGuy
What is more âhealthierâ for the eye?
It can depend on the person. People tend to get less infections and complications with RGP lenses. But RGP's can cause issues as well.
RGP
Which is more oxygen permeable?
Rgp
I've been wearing contacts since the 1970s and am an early adopter, first starting with hard lenses. Those lenses were somewhat primitive to what is available today. However, I quickly adapted to those early lenses within 2-3 days and could wear them all day without discomfort. In the 80s, the technology had advanced, with more options, and I switched to soft lenses for a while, mostly because they were more gas-permeable and better for the eyes. However, by the '90s, the reverse was true, with hard lenses becoming more gas-permeable, and I switched back to hard lenses. Also, by then, I was beginning to suffer from presbyopia, and I was already pretty nearsighted with astigmatism, and multi-focal hard lenses became available. I wear multi-focal hard lenses from when I get up until I retire in the evening. I see much better with them and the soft lenses or prescription glasses. I'm very careful to remove & clean them every evening, and except for an occasional short afternoon nap, I never sleep in them. I'm aging and will require cataract surgery in the not-too-distant future. I plan on getting prescription multi-focal lenses when the time comes to replace my cataract lenses, and my long relationship with contacts will end.
Thank you for sharing your experience
Would love to hear your thoughts and experience with multi-focal RGP lenses! I am dealing with that issue now, and getting tired of wearing reading glasses ð
@@LeslieMallard I have e worn rgp lenses now for the past 30+years. Only until recent 5years got upgraded to multifocal rgp:s,they are amazing.....never used nor need reading glasses.
I have been through them all. Started wearing hard lenses in 1965, then in 1972 I went to the Bausch & Lomb SoftLens that required the Gallon of Distilled Water, salt tablets, and heated sterilizing unit!! They were WAY more expensive, but more comfortable. I later had a Doc talk me into the RGP for a short time, but went back to the soft lens at the time they had exploded in colors, lower prices, pre-mixed solutions, and no heating unit needed. I wore those for years, and then got talked into having the RK surgery done, my biggest regret in eye care. My vision was great for about 6 years, but then it started to changing. Before the RK, I was nearsighted @ -3.50 & -3.75, however, 6 years later I was farsighted @ +3.50 & +325. A few years later, I developed early âcataracts,â secondary to a steroidal allergy nasal spray. Now, after my bilateral cataract surgery, I am wearing Dailies Total 1 with an OS +50 & OD +125. So, I guess the sclera lenses are the only ones I have missed. ð
I wear soft contacts and haven't tried hard contacts.
I once went from RGPs to Soft contacts, it was a very noticeable downgrade.
Essas lentes nÃĢo dao certo pra todo mundo, eu mesma tive uma pÃĐssima adaptaçÃĢo com elas.
RGP
I have keratoconus. So I don't have a choice
Iâm going on 4 years with my 2 week disposables. One pair are clear oasis 2, the others are colored. My clear ones have finally built up enough protein that wonât come off so canât I canât use them. So glad I got vision insurance that doesnât pay for a fucking eye exam. My colored contacts make me almost blind at night because of the haze I get. I have very large pupilsâĶ
You have vision insurance that doesn't contribute towards an eye exam? Do you have glasses?
@@DrEyeGuy no I just got vision insurance back, I work at Walmart so I made an appointment for the eye place in store and was told the dr doesnât take my insurance or any for eye exams. And I canât swing 130 bucks right now so o had to cancel my appointment. Iâm going to try to look into it tomorrow. I can only wear my colored contacts now and itâs unreal how much they move with every blink. They almost go up I to my eyelid and then slowly slide down. The glare I have at night is unreal. Even with using 10 dollar lubricating drops
I have no choice but to wear bitoric RGPs ..but this last pair ..I think the fit is off. Seriously dry eye's. Im.a former optician. I love your channel
I finally have scleral lenses for both my eyes & I will never use soft lenses again
I have tried soft contact lenses years ago and they had little weights in the bottom to keep them stable due to my eye shape, Iâm now wanting to try hard lenses because technology and customization seem to have evolved. My question is wonder how long I can wear them safely once I get used to them. I work long hours 12-14hr shift and need them on for that time. Should even consider or not?
A lot of people are able to wear RGP lenses that long. It would be worth looking into with your doctor.
I can wear mine round the clock with zero adverse effects as the oxygen flow is very high. They have ultra permeable rgp materials now.
I've worn contacts for a couple decades, but always soft lenses. I've heard great things about acuity with RGP lenses, but my prescription isn't that high, and I already get GREAT clarity from soft lenses, so it's probably not worth the bother of switching.
Correct, with those lower prescriptions, soft contacts can be awesome. Thank you for commenting!
for migraine attacks should we wear red glasses or green glasses
This can depend on the person. FL 41 and avulux lenses are usually worn be people that have migraines. These lenses usually let more green light through and block the other light. Some studies show green light could be helpful actually.
Hi I. I got a new hard lens and in the first 24 hours it had a negative effect on my eyes, that is, it has become weaker, what should I do, please guide me, thank you
Are you saying your vision got worse? I would definitely follow up with your doctor... could be a fit issue.
soft conracts are better if you play sports
This is great. Iâm going for a hard contact lens appointment and Iâm nervous. I tried it 20 years ago and hated it but I have a condition now and have no choice.
Iâve been wearing soft lenses for 15 years with no issues but now have to switch to hard lenses as Iâm getting dry eyes, I have an astigmatism and getting blurry vision from contacts and they make my eyes so tired. Iâm just so worried about the hard lenses moving in my eye and having to take them out by pushing them to the corner of the eye to remove, can anyone give me any advice on the best way to remove hard lenses please? Are they really difficult to get out? And do they move that much in the eye?
Im having the exact same issues. Iâm waiting on my RPGS at the moment.
Iâve tried soft contact lenses (multiple brands) for years and they always dry out on me, blur and make my eye red and itchy. Iâm going to my optometrist today to get fitted for RGP lenses. I know they can be really uncomfortable but I was going to ask about a coating called Tangible Hydra-Peg. Apparently it makes RGPs so much more comfortable.
U don't need that.....most current high O2 materials are naturally wettable!