In the late 1970 improved rigid materials which were also oxygen-permeable were developed. These lenses were referred as RGP lenses. In effect, the lens is able to replace the natural shape of the cornea with a new refracting surface and provides good level of vision in people wgo have astigmatism or distorted corneal shapes as with keratoconus. The principle breakthrough in soft lenses made by Otto Wichterle led to the launch of the first soft lenses in the 1980's. Soft lenses are immediately comfortable, while RGP lenses require a period of adaptation. The polymers from which soft lenses are manufactured improved over the next 25 years, primarily in terms of increasing the oxygen permeability. In 199, silicone hydrogels became availabkle. Silicone lenses have extremely high oxygen permeability and were advocate primarily for extended(overnight) wear. A daily wear lenses is designed to be removed prior to sleeping. An extended wear(EW) lenses is designed for continuous overnight wear, typically for 6 or more consecutive nights. Newer materials such as silicone hydrogels allow for even longer periods of up to 30 consecutive nights, these lenses were referred as continuous wear(CW). The various soft contact lenses available are often categorized by their replacement schedule.More commonly contact lenses are prescribed to be disposed of on a two week or monthly basis. Quarterly or annual lenses, which are used to be very common, have lost favor because a more frequent disposal schedule allows for thinner and limits deposits. Complecations due to contact lenses wear affect roughly 5% of contact lens wearers each year. Excessive wear of contact lens, particularly overnight wear. Problems associated with contact lens may affect the eyelid, conjunctiva and the v
|