RGP Contact Lenses

RGP contact lenses, or rigid gas permeable contact lenses, are the newest type of "hard" contact lenses.

RGP lenses are made of a rigid silicone material that creates a more flexible plastic than the hard contact lenses of the past. The silicone makes RGP contact lenses oxygen permeable (which is why they are sometimes called gas permeable or oxygen permeable lenses), allowing oxygen to pass through to the cornea, resulting in better eye health and superior comfort.

Advantages
When compared to soft contact lenses, RGP lenses offer many advantages. Aside from the obvious fact that they are easier to handle and more durable than soft contacts, the rigidity of RGP contact lenses allows them to maintain their shape and position when you blink, providing better visual clarity than soft contact lenses. This is especially important for patients requiring astigmatism contact lens products, since they need a lens that stays in place on the eye for optimal visual precision. Also, because the materials used to create RGP contact lenses do not contain water, deposits from proteins and lipids found in your tears do not accumulate as easily as they do with soft contact lenses (the proteins and lipids are attracted to water). As such, the chance of infection is reduced and, with proper care and without a change in prescription, RGP lenses can last for several years. In fact, RGP lenses can even be polished to prolong their use.

Disadvantages
There are also several disadvantages to RGP contact lenses. For one, they are initially less comfortable than soft contact lenses and a period of adjustment is required before they will feel comfortable in the eye. And to maintain comfort once it is achieved, they must be worn every day. If you don't wear them for an extended period of time, a period of readjustment is required before they are comfortable again, as opposed to soft contact lenses that are comfortable from start. Also, people involved in contact sport are not good candidates for rigid gas permeable lenses that are more inclined to fall out of the eye than soft contacts.

Problem Eyes
As mentioned above, the rigidity of RGP lenses make them the desirable lens for astigmatic patients as they keep their shape and placement on the eye. But rigid gas permeable lenses are also the treatment of choice for several other eye conditions that make contact lens wear a challenge.

For example, people with keratoconus are usually prescribed RGPs as the tears between the lens and the cornea help to smooth out the irregularities of the cornea. Presbyopia patients also find that the best visual acuity is achieved with RGP bifocals and multifocals. And if you have been diagnosed with dry eyes, RGP lenses may be prescribed as they don't attract deposits as easily as soft lenses.

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