Contact lenses are optical accessories which are placed directly on the cornea. They are similar to glasses because the task they have is the same: to provide better vision. There is a difference however: a contact lens is a lot more comfortable than the classical glasses and provides a more natural vision. Like spectacles, contact lenses are devices which help those with eye affections to see better; but instead of having to wear those uncomfortable objects on your nose and ears all day long you just wear a contact lens instead and everything’s better. This way you eliminate one of the glasses’ biggest inconveniences like distortion (caused by side vision and eye-lens distance). The eye-lens distance causes the objects to look smaller or bigger, depending on the eye problem the wearer has. The peripheral sight is blocked by the frame of the eyeglasses, because you are outside the perimeter of the lens, but this problem can be history because the contact lens covers the entire eye and there is no eye-lens distance. Another plus for the contact lenses is that they are resistant to fogging, so you will be able to wear them even on a rainy day without having any problems, your eye-sight being perfect. There is also another difference between lenses and glasses, not a medical difference or a utilitarian difference, but a personal one. There is a huge difference when you look in someone’s eyes through a piece of glass and when you look through a contact lens. When you look through that piece of glass you feel like something stands between the two of you, but when you’re looking through a contact lens it’s just like looking in the eyes of a person who doesn’t wear spectacles. So, if you care for your personal image and private life you should get contacts. There are other persons who should wear contact lenses instead of glasses: sports persons, riders, acrobats because the only thing a pair of glasses will do when they are in the middle of a physical activity is bother them. Even if a person prefers wearing glasses, one should wear lenses when being in the middle of some soliciting activity and swap them with glasses in the spare time. Basically there are two kinds of contact lenses: the soft contact lenses and the rigid gas permeable contact lenses. Both types of lenses can be used to correct any type of vision problem. The soft lenses are easier to wear and a lot more comfortable. The rigid gas permeable lenses are recommended only for constant wear over a long period of time. This is the reason why most people who use and have used contact lenses, approximately 80%, tend to choose the soft ones. If you’re thinking about getting contact lenses you should first check with your ophthalmologist. You should tell the ophthalmologist that you intend to use contact lenses instead of glasses so he can inspect you properly and pay attention to some other details as well. There are some ophthalmologists that don’t recommend contacts unless you ask for a pair. After you get your contact lens you should be aware of some rules and follow some advices to keep your lens in good shape for the maximum effect. First of all you should get the lenses that the doctors say fit your eyes best and no cheap imitations. Before you put on a contact lens you should clean it. This has to be done every time using the special solution you bought together with the items. When you’re not wearing the lens, they should be kept in that solution. Never use the same solution twice. If you have soft lenses you should never let the contact lens dry because that will permanently damage it and you’ll have to throw it away. The doctors say that if you have a cold it’s not advised to wear contacts because you can get the germs in your eyes easier. If you are a woman, you should put the make-up on after you’ve put the contact lenses into place. You shouldn’t wear contacts in a dusty or smoky room because the lenses gather every tiny particle. The effect will be an unpleasant one making your eyes feel uncomfortable and irritated. As a result you will have to take them off. A golden rule is not to sleep with your contacts on because when you wake up your eyes will hurt terribly. During night time, the contact lens blocks the oxygen flow to the eye. There are some lenses which make an exception, like Acuvue contact lenses which are designed for continuous use, but, unless you have lens specially designed for night time use, you will have to take them off. Acuvue contact lenses are said to be some of the best contacts ever made. At the origin they are soft lenses, but they are designed for continuous use, meaning they can be worn day and night without any cleaning or taking off. The Acuvue contact lenses are designed to be worn only for eye color change also. Another purpose of the contact lenses is not related to any medical fact as there is a special type used only to change the pigment of the eyes. So, if you have brown eyes and you’ve always liked green eyes, it is now possible to make the change. Acuvue contact lenses are the best in this area too. If you like having a certain color all the time, you can get the coloring continuously wear lenses. So if you’re thinking of getting contact lenses you should check with your ophthalmologist first and then go out and buy the perfect ones. You should be mentally prepared because it’s a whole different experience when wearing contacts than when wearing spectacles.