The History and Future of Contact Lenses

The History and Future of Contact Lenses

Have you ever wondered exactly how contact lenses help you see
better? How did they begin and what changes have been made?


HOW DO CONTACTS CORRECT VISION?


Your vision depends on light beams hitting the retina (the back
of your eyeball) at the same point. When the light does not meet
at the same point, vision becomes blurred.


To correct this vision problem a lens needs to be placed in
front of the eye to compensate. The lens then becomes a
'perfect' eye and light beams converge together at the retina.


While eye glasses have long provided the needed correction for
vision problems, contact lenses were a marvel of science
allowing individuals the freedom to forgo the hassle of
slipping, fogging and distracting eye glasses. The inside
surface of the contact lens is fitted to the shape of your eye
so it stays in place. The outer surface is shaped to the
corrected curve (as in eye glasses).


HOW HAVE CONTACTS CHANGED?


Originally these contacts were made of hard plastic that
required saline solution drops on a regular basis to keep moist.
They were also prone to 'popping' out and causing discomfort
when blinking.


Thankfully contact lenses have come a long way from the original
ones available years ago. Newer contacts are made from a soft
plastic that allows the eye to 'breathe'. They are much more
comfortable to wear and because of the high water content of the
material they require less maintenance during use. Soft contacts
cling to the layer of tears covering the cornea and move
slightly with each blink. This ensures that the eye stays moist
and foreign materials can be safely washed out.


Contact lenses used to only correct common vision problems like
short-sightedness (myopia - when a person can focus on objects
close to them but not far away) and far-sightedness (hyperopia -
where the individual can see well at a distance but has trouble
focusing clearly on print and other close objects). Now even
individuals with astigmatism (where the shape of the cornea is
elongated) or presbyopia (an age related condition that used to
require bi-focals) can find contact lenses to suit their unique
needs.


NEW CONVENIENCE CONTACTS AND COLOR CONTACTS


There is an endless supply of new products on the market so
every contact lens wearer can find the perfect solution.


Contacts are now available in a disposable variety that means no
cleaning is required. There are also contacts that can be worn
for a week or even a month without being removed and cleaned -
great for those who hate the daily hassle.


Many contact lens wearers are experimenting with changing the
color of their eyes. While older versions produced harsh colors,
new versions of color contacts (which can even be worn by
individuals who have no vision problems) can be found in subtle
shades and can even change dark eyes to light.


More advances are sure to be made to contacts; there is even
talk of contacts created to prevent conditions like myopia from
developing in children. Whatever happens, those with vision
problems can count on new solutions being added to the currently
available options all the time.


About the author:


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Whether you�re a professional athlete, or a spirited player of many outdoor activities, a sport tinted contact lens will finally give you that competitive edge you have been looking for in protective eyewear!

Bausch & Lomb and Nike have combined forces to introduce a sport-tinted contact lens called MAXSIGHT�, and this evolutionary soft contact lens product offers two glare-resisting tints available in prescription, and non-prescription lenses. Their purpose is to help improve the athlete�s and recreational wearer's vision performance in bright distracting lights, and allow them to focus more on their game or activity that requires a clear field of vision.

Whether you�re playing rugby, baseball, golf, or even outdoor basketball, there are times when wearing sunglasses become an inconvenience. I�m sure you would agree with me that as the game gets physical, you will always have in the back of your mind that your sunglass frames may go flying off at any moment, fog up, or at the least cause blind spots in your overall peripheral vision. Factor in hot sunny humid days, and the sweat causing your eyewear to slip, not only becomes annoying, but also a disruption to your overall performance!

How Do These Tinted Vision Lenses Work, You Ask?

There is a patented Light Architecture concept that filters certain wavelengths of light, which allows them to visually enhance key elements in the sport activity you�re playing. Whether it is a baseball, or a golf ball, the lenses filter out blue light, and help improve critical details in your sporting environment by manipulating the remaining colors to offer a clear visual range. This is very important when the glare of the sun needs to be reduced for you to properly keep focused during fast paced activity.

Depending on what type of sports you participate in, there are two types of tints that benefit certain sport needs. If you were involved in soccer or tennis for example, where there are fast moving balls in variable light conditions, you would benefit from an amber lens. For people golfing, running, or playing football, the grey-green lens is best for you to prevent the sun's glare, and provide more visual comfort.

Now don�t get these optical performance lenses mixed up with other tinted lens products! The major difference between Nike's tinted lenses is that they cover the entire surface of the contact lens, and in addition the tints are specially formulated to block certain wavelengths of light. Unlike many other soft contacts on the market today, they�re normally a cosmetic tint only, and don�t have maximum eye protection from the elements. To date, this lens is the only commercially available sport-tinted contact lens on the market!

You Need A Vision Prescription For Nike's Tinted Lenses!

If you�re truly serious about improving your vision during your desired sporting activity, then you must contact an eye care professional and get fitted for these lenses! They are available for people that require vision correction, and as well for people who do not need vision correction. Once you purchase your pair, they will be the exact same as daily wear lenses, which will need to be replaced monthly. Of course this can vary depending on how often you wear them, and what your eye doctor recommends in regards to the duration you can wear them.

I�m sure at this time you�re wondering when and where you can get your hands on a pair of these lenses. These tinted lenses have recently been cleared by the FDA on April 26, 2005 and are available to you by many of the large online and retail eye care professionals later this summer. The best way to find out more information is to go directly to Bausch & Lomb�s website at: www.bausch.com/ , however, I�m certain you will know when they're out, by the mass advertising campaigns taking place.

Your vision is a critical element in any sport you participate in, and with technology taking sport lenses to the next level, I�m sure most athletes will welcome this new addition. Keep one thing in mind as you research this product, is that even though they protect you from UVA and UVB at a certain level, they are not a complete substitute for sunglasses. You will find out that these lenses only cover part of your eye, and do not protect your entire eye tissue. This is important information to know before you purchase these tinted lenses.

About the Author

About the author: William is the owner and the author of �Order Contacts Online 1st� available at www.order-contacts-online-1st.com A great source to order Colored Contact Lenses online! Compare contact lens sites, and find all the styles of colored contacts in prescription and non-prescription lenses.