How much are gas permeable contact lenses?

How much gas permeable contact lenses cost will depend on your prescription and the brand you choose. If you are not sure if gas permeable lenses are right for you, contact your optician.

Gas permeable contact lenses are rigid lenses that transmit oxygen to the eye. Gas permeable lenses are also known as:

• GP lenses
• RGP lenses
• Oxygen permeable lenses

While all these are rigid lenses, they must not be confused with the old-fashioned hard contact lenses, which are now hardly ever used.

Gas permeable contact lenses let in oxygen, which is essential to eye health and means they can be worn when doing sports and other activities.

One of the major benefits of gas permeable contact lenses is that it is possible to have multiple prescriptions, meaning they are ideal if you have the following eye issues:

• Astigmatism
• Eye conditions that cause the eye to be irregular in shape
• Wearers of soft contact lenses who don’t find their vision sharp enough
• Presbyopia

Gas permeable contact lenses do tend to be more durable and can usually be worn for longer periods of time than soft contacts. It is common for them to be worn daily and only need to be replaced every six to twelve months. Some people who switch from soft to gas permeable contact lenses, also find their vision is sharper when they do.

Disadvantages include:

• They can take a while for the wearer to adjust to them
• As gas permeable contact lenses are designed to move on the eye when the wearer blinks, this does mean there is a higher risk (compared with soft lenses) of dust and debris getting in under the lens
• They require a higher level of care than soft lenses

If you find that rigid gas permeable contact lenses are not right for you, there are hybrid lenses also available, which are fitted with both gas permeable and soft lens material.

If you want to speak to your optician regarding gas permeable contact lenses, please contact your nearest Scrivens branch today.