A contact lens (also known simply as a "contact") is a corrective, cosmetic, or therapeutic lens usually placed on the cornea of the eye. Modern contact lenses were invented by the Czech chemist Otto Wichterle, who also invented the first gel used for their production.
Contact lenses usually serve the same corrective purpose as conventional glasses, but are lightweight and virtually invisible - many commercial lenses are tinted a faint blue to make them more visible when immersed in cleaning and storage solutions. Some cosmetic lenses are deliberately colored for altering the appearance of the eye.
It has been estimated that about 125 million people use contact lenses worldwide (2%), including 28 to 38 million in the United Statesand 13 million in Japan.[3] The types of lenses used and prescribed vary markedly between countries, with rigid lenses accounting for over 20% of currently-prescribed lenses in Japan, Netherlands and Germany but less than 5% in Scandinavia.
People choose to wear contact lenses for various reasons.[4] Many consider their appearance to be more attractive with contact lenses than with glasses. Contact lenses are less affected by wet weather, do not steam up, and provide a wider field of vision. They are more suitable for a number of sporting activities. Additionally, ophthalmological conditions such as keratoconus and aniseikonia may not be accurately corrected with glasses.
Article Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_lens
Decorative contact lenses are otherwise known as Halloween contact lenses and Special effects contact lenses. These kind of decorative lenses are mainly used in films, television, theatres and rock concerts. Nowadays, it is also available to people of all walks of like at a very affordable price. Decorative lenses are available in almost all kinds of colors, shapes and forms, to name a few are red eyed alien, green eyed reptile, zebra stripes, flowers, stars etc. Some of the latest trends and styles include hypnotic spirals, wolf eyes, eagle eyes, flames, all black, bloodshot eyes, all white etc. The decorative contact lenses could provide the perfect finishing touch in bringing out the character of the costume into life.
Decorative contact lenses can completely transform the appearance of the person by either covering the entire sclera or covering just the pupil of the eye. The decorative lenses covering the entire sclera (the entire white part of the eyes) create a fully transformed effect. The styles and designs are timeless and timely.
Decorative lenses can be very harmful to the eye, even leading to permanent eye injury or blindness when they are made out of improper materials or used improperly. Decorative lenses should be purchased after consultation with the doctor to avoid any injuries to the eye. It is advised by the FDA to get such decorative contact lenses from a licensed eye care professional.
Taking care of decorative contact lenses:
Although decorative contact lenses are very similar to that of the ordinary contact lenses, they are used to match the costume for fun and used only for short durations are has to be taken while handling such medical devices as it is worn by the precious part of the body - the eyes.
All that is required to take care of the decorative lenses are a pair of plastic tweezers, case to hold the contact lenses, no rub multipurpose cleaning solution etc. It is always good to wash the hands with mild soap before handling the decorative contact lenses as the hands might carry bacteria or fungus. Tweezers can be used to pick the lenses so that they do not tear. It can be rinsed well with a no rub multipurpose lens solution and then inserted in the eye. After use too the contact lenses should be rinsed with the solution and placed in the case with a fresh lens solution to avoid contamination.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com
Contact lenses, since their invention, have come a long way. From the earlier hard contact lense to soflens to the current disposable contact lens and colored contact lenses. In fact, the new cosmetic contact lenses is the rage among colored contact lense users. Your eyes are one of the most sensitive part of your body, so you should wear contact lens in a proper manner.
You should wear the contact lenses properly without harming your beautiful eyes. Any unbalanced wearing of the contact lenses would lead to adverse effects. Always place the lens on your finger so that it forms a cup and then hold it up in front of your eye so that you are looking at the side of cup. If it forms a 'U' then its correctly fitted but if it forms 'U' with the top edges being flared out then its not properly fitted. Below are some of the guidelines related to contact lens wearing and contact lens removal.
1) First of all, clean your contact lens regularly to prevent the presence of foreign particles. Always use contact lens cleaner for proper contact lens cleaning.
2) It has been reported that youngsters swap their colored lenses now a days which is highly injurious. Do not ever swap or share your lenses with someone else.
3) Always make it a habit of washing your hands before handling the contacts or touching your eyes.
4) Do not put in and take out your lenses frequently throughout the day. Fashion lenses should be used only when they are fitted by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.
5) You should never wear disposable lenses past their expiry dates.
6) It is important for you to not wear your contact lenses overnight as it would prevent the flow of oxygen to reach the cornea. And always carry eye drops while traveling on a plane to lubricate the eye as there is dry air inside the plane.
7) Last but not the least, do not wear cracked or chipped off lenses.
All the above guidelines, if followed, will help in maintaining good health of your lenses as well as your precious eyes. Have you ever wondered as to how the contact lens fits in your eyes. As you know, contact lenses are generally thin and curved plastic disks designed to cover the cornea which is the clear front covering of the eye. Because of surface tension, the similar force that causes a drop of water to cling to the side of a glass, contact lens cling to the film of tears over the cornea which helps focus light entering the eye onto the retina thereby giving clear vision by replacing glasses. In simple words contact lenses are a sort of medical devices which help in improving vision.
Article Source: http://www.contactlenseclub.com
Contact lenses are generally made from a gel like plastic that contains around 38% to 79% water thus providing better comfort and longer life which makes them soft. A contact lens is a very thin optical disc smaller than a dime which is worn directly on the eye. Contact lens basically rests on the cornea. It is comfortably held in place by by eyelid's pressure or by adhering to the tear film that covers the front of the eye.
The contact lens functions as the initial optical element of the eye when in place on the cornea. The optics of the contact lens combine with the optics of the eye to properly focus light on the retina thus resulting in a clear vision. Contact lenses outperform the traditional glasses as they are easy to use and provide excellent peripheral vision without blocking the eyes to look at sides.
New materials and lens care technologies have transformed todays contacts making them comfortable, safer and easier to wear. Today many types of contact lenses are available in the market keeping in mind all the requirements of people with different needs and vision problems. The appropriate type of lens would be determined by your doctor after taking your eye exam.
Contact lenses enjoy the biggest advantage of providing an excellent peripheral vision. It also helps in reducing the image distortion caused by the eyeglasses. Conditions like presbyopia, nearsightedness, farsightedness, and alike can be easily corrected by contact lenses.
Article Source: http://www.contactlenseclub.com