Contact Lenses

Premium Contact Lenses Selection

Millions of people wear contact lenses to help them see clearly. We’ve seen many advancements in lens materials and designs over the years. If you have tried contacts in the past but stopped due to discomfort or poor quality, it may be time to try again. Our optician will help you select the best option for your eyes! We have various options for your specific type of prescription correction, tear production, lifestyle, and more. Belchertown Eye Care and Sunglass Shop in Belchertown, MA, can be reached at 413-323-1196.

There are many different types of contact lenses available, including:

  • DISPOSABLE LENSES THAT CAN BE USED ON DAILY, WEEKLY, BI-WEEKLY, OR MONTHLY BASIS
  • EXTENDED WEAR
  • SCLERAL LENSES
  • RIGID GAS PERMEABLE
  • MULTIFOCAL
  • TORIC LENSES FOR ASTIGMATISM
  • TINTED OR COSMETIC LENSES



Contact Lenses — Belchertown, MA — Belchertown Eye Care and Sunglass Shop

Soft Contact Lenses

Soft contacts are the most common type of contact lenses and account for over 85% of contact lenses dispensed. Traditional soft contact lenses consist of soft plastic polymers and water. They allow oxygen to permeate through the lens material to the cornea. Most people find soft contact lenses comfortable. One advantage of soft contact is that people assimilate with them immediately. Depending on your budget and needs, soft lenses come in different prescriptions and designs. Some prescriptions offer different visual acuity than gas-permeable lenses or glasses. Our doctors will help you determine which design is best for you.

Disposable Contact Lenses

Disposable contact lenses are soft lenses that are discarded daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. With regular replacement, protein deposits do not build up. Deposits can affect vision, comfort, and the health of the eyes. These lenses are convenient and have low maintenance compared to traditional soft lenses. As suggested, it is important to replace disposable contacts to avoid eye infections. Disposable lenses are available in most prescriptions.

Disposable Contact Lenses — Belchertown, MA — Belchertown Eye Care and Sunglass Shop

Extended Wear Contact Lenses


Extended-wear contact lenses are gas-permeable or soft lenses designed for up to 30 days of continuous safe wear. They offer the convenience of not having to take them out at night, but there are risks. Sleeping in them poses a higher risk of infection, corneal ulcers, and abnormal blood vessel growth in the cornea. These lenses need more frequent follow-ups. Some doctors will not recommend extended-wear lenses for these reasons.

Tinted or Cosmetic Contact Lenses

Tinted contact lenses are soft lenses that enable some patients to change the color of their iris (the colored part of the eye). These lenses are available in exciting colors and patterns. They can provide a subtle or dramatic change in the appearance of your eyes. They are not available for all prescriptions or suggested for everyday wear.

Cosmetic Contact Lenses — Belchertown, MA — Belchertown Eye Care and Sunglass Shop

Hard Contact Lenses

Hard polymethyl methacrylate contact lenses were standard before introducing soft contact lenses. They did not allow oxygen transfer to the cornea, which often caused it to swell. For this reason, hard contact lenses are obsolete.

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) or just Gas Permeable (GP) lenses are sometimes mistaken for old-fashioned lenses. The old hard contact lenses that people know are rarely used today. RGP lenses are more pliable and comfortable, allowing oxygen to the cornea. Gas-permeable lenses also allow more oxygen to the cornea than traditional soft contact lenses. They are rigid and do not change their shape when you blink or move your eyes. This means they offer sharper vision than soft contacts. They are much more durable than soft lenses. Because they do not contain water, proteins, and lipids, they do not adhere to them as they can do with soft lenses. RGP lenses also come in many bifocal and multifocal designs.

The most significant disadvantage of RGP lenses is that patients need to get used to them. They are only sometimes comfortable, like soft lenses. RGP lenses take three to four days for patients to adapt to them. They must be worn regularly (although only for some days) to achieve optimal comfort. They are smaller, so they can dislodge from the eye more easily than soft lenses.

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses — Belchertown, MA — Belchertown Eye Care and Sunglass Shop

Toric Contact Lenses

Toric contact lenses help correct astigmatism. They are available in both soft and gas-permeable designs. These lenses have one power that is vertical and another that is horizontal. A weight at the bottom allows the lenses to center correctly on the eye. Toric lenses are more difficult to fit. They generally require more time from the patient to determine their comfort. They may need additional fitting help from the doctor.

Bifocal Contact Lenses

Bifocal contact lenses, like bifocal glasses, have more than one power. This allows an individual to have clear vision in near and far fields. These lenses are available in both soft and gas-permeable designs. Another alternative to bifocal contacts is monovision correction. These lenses use one eye for distance and the other for near or reading vision. Both lens types require more time from the doctor to fit them. Patients need to adapt to using one eye, depending on their viewing distance.

There are now more choices for contact lenses than ever before. While some individuals wear contact lenses without trouble, others must try different types to find their perfect pair. Call our office today to schedule an appointment!

Bifocal Contact Lenses — Belchertown, MA — Belchertown Eye Care and Sunglass Shop
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