Gas permeable contact lenses replaced the use of hard contact lenses. Hard contact lenses, developed during the 1960s, did not allow oxygen to reach the cornea of the eye. Gas permeable contact lenses, however, allow oxygen to reach the cornea because they contain silicone and other breathable materials. While certain people can wear these lenses without any issues, there are some problems associated with gas permeable contacts.
Inconvenience
Gas permeable lenses require more care than other types of lenses. If you wear these contact lenses, you need to clean, disinfect and store them properly to reduce your risk of eye infection and extend the life of your lenses, according to AllAboutVision.com. Options include one bottle of multi-purpose solution that performs all of these functions, or separate solutions for cleaning and disinfecting your lenses. Because bacteria in tap water increase your risk for eye infections, you shouldn't rinse these lenses under water from a sink. The extra care required to maintain gas permeable lenses makes them an inconvenient option for people who travel extensively or who don't have the time to perform these tasks.
Lens-Related Allergies
Using gas permeable contact lenses increases your risk for lens-related allergies, according to the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. Protein builds up on the lenses, resulting in discomfort, blurry vision and an inability to continue wearing the contacts. If protein builds up on your lenses, you can use special cleaning solutions to dissolve the deposits.
Discomfort
Even if you don't wear soft contact lenses every day, they feel comfortable when you put them in your eyes. However, if you don't wear gas permeable lenses regularly, you may experience some discomfort when you put them in; it may take time for you to get used to them again. You need to wear gas permeable lenses regularly to prevent this discomfort.
Spectacle Blur
People who wear gas permeable contact lenses may experience a condition known as spectacle blur. This means they have blurry vision once they remove their gas permeable contacts. This blurry vision occurs even while wearing eyeglasses. This problem may make it necessary to wear your gas permeable contact lenses all the time.
Activity Restriction
People who play contact sports may not be able to wear gas permeable contact lenses. Because these lenses have a smaller diameter than other lenses, they could fall out during a football tackle or a rough game of ice hockey. If this happens regularly, an ophthalmologist will recommend larger gas permeable lenses that reduce this risk.
