The Best Contact Lenses for You: Top 3 Optometrist Picks & Tips

Picking the right contact lenses can be daunting with the number of options that are available. Whether you have been wearing contact lenses for years or are new to them, there are a handful of factors to take into consideration like ease of use, frequency of replacement, eye health, comfort, cost and convenience.

Ultimately, the best contact lenses for you are heavily tied in with your lifestyle, your daily activities and, of course, personal choice. To help, our optometrists have put together a comprehensive list of the following:

• Best Dailies Contact Lenses
• Best Monthly Contact Lenses
• Best Multifocal Lens
• Best Budget Friendly Options

To get started, ask yourself these questions:

Do You Have Allergies?

Lenses are made from a variety of materials. Modern contacts are made from silicone hydrogel, which is more porous and allows more oxygen to get to the cornea than traditional lenses. They are frequently more comfortable and are likely safer in the long term; however, some people are allergic to silicone, luckily hydrogel lenses are available for these patients. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, Acuvue has a new lens available that slowly releases allergy medication into the eyes to stop those pesky allergy symptoms like redness, tearing and itchiness. Talk to your Optometrist to learn more about the Theravision Acuvue contact lens.

Do You Have Astigmatism?

Astigmatism causes overall blurry vision and requires different types of contact lenses called toric lenses. When the cornea curves or flattens unevenly, it disrupts your focusing ability for near and distant objects. Therefore a toric contact lens is designed to curve or flatten to the shape of your cornea to provide clear vision with excellent comfort.

Does Your Job Require Excellent Vision?

Since contacts sit on your eye, it gives you a wider field of view. This provides less peripheral distortion compared to glasses; however, not all lenses are created equal. If it’s important to have sharp vision for life or your job, consider a contact lens fit with a licensed professional to make sure the correct power and base curve is being used for your lenses.

Are Your Eyes Sensitive?

Your eye doctor will measure the curvature of the More people than you would believe have dry and sensitive eyes. Lenses can be difficult to use for any reasonable length of time if you suffer from dry eyes or are sensitive to things close to or on your eyes.  Also, for those of us not used to wearing lenses, glasses are often a more comfortable and easy option.

Do You Have Dry Eyes?

Monthly contact lenses are thicker and more durable than daily lenses. Daily lenses are thinner, and due to this fact, they are usually more comfortable. Dry eyes can happen for a variety of reasons. It is important to address the reason for your dry eyes and treat it before contacts can be successfully fit. Many contacts are designed to prevent dry eyes because they possess certain coatings or materials to prevent premature tear evaporation. If your eyes do get dry with contacts on, ocular lubrication with preservative artificial tears is recommended with daily lid hygiene.

How Frequently Will You Use Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses can be costly, especially with dailies. Not only in their initial purchase and frequency of repurchase, but the continued need for contact lens solutions, storage containers and artificial tears. Your frequency of use and daily activities will help you select whether dailies, bi-weekly’s, monthly’s or a combination is needed. 

Now that you’ve gotten a better idea on how you need your contacts to work for your eyes, check out our top Optometrist picks below:

Best Daily vs Best Reusable Contact Lenses (Plus Multifocal Options)

Top 3 Contact Lenses (Optometrist Verified Picks)

1. Acuvue Oasys 1-Day 

• Next-Gen Technology: Inspired by the way your tear film works to help reduce the feeling of dry eyes. 
• Aids Eye Diseases: Corrects astigmatism by reshaping the cornea (front surface of the eye) to correct its curvature. When the eyeball surface is shaped like a perfectly round ball, light is able to enter the eye and bend evenly to give you a clear image. 
• Class I UV Blocking: The highest level of UV protection available in a contact lens.*
• Dry Eye Prevention: This contact lens has tear-like properties that work with your natural tear film each day, providing all-day performance and excellent comfort, vision and handling.
• Wide Parameter Range: This provides more successful fits for eyes of all shapes, sizes and powers. 

*Class I UV contacts block >99% of UVB and >90% of UVA. In comparison, Class II UV contacts block >95% UVB and >50% UVA.

2. Acuvue Oasys 2-Week 

• Next-Gen Technology: Inspired by the way your tear film works to help reduce the feeling of dry eyes in a reusable lens option. 
• Wide parameter range: Available with correction for near and farsighted prescriptions.
  • It also is a reusable option that corrects astigmatism.
• Class I UV Blocking: The highest level of UV protection available in a contact lens.
• Eye Breathability: The contacts are extremely breathable so that it feels almost like you’re wearing no lenses at all. Since contacts sit directly on your eyes, it reduces the oxygen flow to your eyes. This may seem inconsequential but having oxygen flow is important in keeping your eyes healthy and providing good comfort. 

3. Dailies Total1

• Exceptional Comfort: 9 out of 10 contact lens wearers agree they’re so comfortable, they forget they’re wearing them due to their very thin lens design.
• Eye Breathability: Water gradient technology creates a cushion of moisture on your eye.
• Dry Eye Prevention: SmarTears® Technology features the release of an ingredient found naturally in your tears that helps stabilize your eye’s tear film. 

Best Contact Solutions for Dry Eyes (Top 2 Optometrist Picks)

1. Best for Infection Prevention: ClearCare Cleaning Solution provides the best cleaning regimen for infection prevention, lens comfort and lens longevity. No rubbing required, simply let the lenses soak in the contact solution overnight in a specialized container. 
2. Multipurpose & Budget Friendly: Opti-free Puremoist is readily available and cost effective. Disinfecting agents get rid of microorganisms that can cause eye infections and create a moisture matrix that surrounds the lenses to provide all-day comfort. To clean, rub the contact lenses to remove deposits and debris, rinse, and then store in the contact solution. 

Real Eyes Optometry provides ACUVUE, Alcon, Bausch & Lomb and Coopervision Brand Contact Lenses. Follow us on IG for promotions on contact lenses.

All of our recommendations are selected independently and we do not earn a commission if you shop through our links.