Opinions on RGP Contact Lenses : All Over the Map

If you've been researching the different contact lens types that are available to you as you decide to start wearing contacts, or to replace the contacts you already have, you have probably wondered whether to go with Rigid Gas Permeable contact lenses (RGP), or with soft lenses. In making the decision, it helps if you study the reviews of contact lens wearers who've had experience with both types of lenses, so you can learn from what they've found to be the good points and bad points of both types of lenses. To help you out, here's a brief summary of some of the more common reviews that have come from many contact lens wearers.

THE REVIEWS

Q: Which type of contact lenses are better; soft or RGP?

A: Soft are better. They're way more comfortable. It takes longer to get used to RGP lenses when you first start using them. With soft lenses, you're comfortable right away when you put them in for the first time. If you stop using RGP lenses for a little while, you have to get used to them all over again when you re-start.

A: RGP lenses are a lot better. When you handle soft contacts for awhile, they tear and break really easy. Even if they don't break, they wear out a lot faster. You end up having to pay and pay. With Rigid Gas Permeable contact lenses, you can wear them for years without wearing them out, so they come out a lot cheaper.

A: I like soft lenses a lot better, because I hate to hassle with cleaning and soaking all the time. I just throw my soft disposable lenses in the trash every night, and put some new ones in the next morning. You can't do that with RGP lenses.

A: RGP lenses are definitely the way to go. I'm a pilot, so I have to see perfectly at all times. I can't take any chances with soft contacts because they flex and change while you're wearing them, so my vision can fluctuate. Sometimes, with soft contacts, you have to blink or move your eyes to get them to adjust. With RGP lenses, I don't have to worry about it. They're so firm, my vision never changes. It's always consistently excellent. I don't have to worry about my vision getting fuzzy at a critical moment.

A: Soft lenses are the best now, because they have all the same options as other lenses. It used to be that you couldn't use soft lenses if you had astigmatism. But now, with the Toric lenses they invented, even people with astigmatism can wear soft lenses.

A: RGP lenses are the best, because I have astigmatism, and there are a lot more choices in RGP lenses for astigmatism, than there are soft lenses for astigmatism.

A: I've heard soft lenses are best, because they let in oxygen, which is much healthier for your eyes than the old hard contacts, that didn't let enough oxygen through.

A: RGP lenses are definitely best to keep your eyes healthy. They're made of a material that lets a lot more oxygen reach your eye than soft contacts, and they're a lot more resistant to bacteria than soft lenses.

A: Soft contacts are best because they can mold to the shape of my own eye, since they're so flexible.

A: RGP contacts are a necessity, because I have "keratoconus". My corneas are an odd shape, so my lenses have to be specially designed to match the shape of by eyes. Only RGP's are stiff enough to hold the custom shape. Soft lenses just don't cut it.

CONCLUSION

As you can see, the reviews are all over the map. Most of the opinions that seem to be expressed are accurate. The fact is that RGP contact lenses simply have good points and bad points, depending on what you're needs are. Hopefully, at least, these reviews will help you understand the basic differences that you should take into account when deciding if Rigid Gas Permeable contact lenses are right for you. Just remember, before you make a final decision, consult with a good eye doctor. Ask him or her about these pros and cons, and together you'll be able to make an informed decision about what's best for you.