What to Look for When Choosing Contact Lenses

Published in

The Wink

7 min readAug 17, 2021

Not all contact lenses are created equal.

When choosing contact lenses, you probably already have at least a few requirements in mind. At the very least, you want your contacts to fit properly, be comfortable, and improve your vision.

But there’s more to choosing contact lenses than these basics. The material of and technology in manufacturing the lenses can make a big difference in their comfort and safety.

Let’s take a look at a few things you should consider when choosing contact lenses.

1. Lens material

First things first: the material of your contact lenses. The lens material is one of the most significant contributors to your vision, comfort, and eye health.

Soft contact lenses vs. rigid gas permeable lenses

Contact lenses can be divided into two major categories: soft lenses or rigid gas permeable lenses (RGP). RGP lenses are hard contact lenses made of silicone-containing compounds that allow oxygen to pass through them. While there are certain benefits to RGP lenses — such as their ability to retain their shape — soft contact lenses are, in general, more popular than RGP lenses.

Different types of soft contact lenses

Soft contact lenses can be further divided into hydrogel and silicone hydrogel lenses. Among hydrogel lenses, there are also different types such as etafilcon, methafilcon, and omafilcon (used for Aveo lenses).

Hydrogel lenses can be either ionic or non-ionic, and have high or low water content. Both of these things can affect the comfort and safety of the contact lenses.

Ionic lenses have a negatively-charged surface and therefore may attract positively-charged proteins in the tear film. Non-ionic hydrogels are treated to reduce this negative surface charge and therefore may be less prone to attract protein deposits.

Methafilcon and etafilcon are both ionic lenses with a high water content. We use omafilcon A for Aveo Hello and Joy lenses, because its non-ionic properties repel buildup and help keep them cleaner and healthier for your eyes. The high water content of Aveo lenses, paired with our AquaLock technology, results in comfort and hydration that lasts all day.

Water content

The higher the water content, the softer and more comfortable the lens! Methafilcon A, an older lens material, has a water content of 55%, and etafilcon A has a water content of 58%. Aveo lenses use omafilcon A, which has a water content of 58%, and that moisture is retained with our unique AquaLock technology.

The high water content of omafilcon A combined with AquaLock — an innovative, moisture-locking lens technology — also makes it the best option for people with mild to moderate dry eyes. AquaLock creates a water barrier around the lens and attracts water to bind it both within and on the lens surface. These water-binding properties give the lens high water retention of 96% — even after 12 hours of wear! And because it’s integrated within the lens, it won’t dissipate or wear off, allowing for longer-wearing, more comfortable lenses.

Oxygen transmissibility

Oxygen transmissibility is also an essential quality to look at when choosing contact lenses. Decreased oxygen to your eyes doesn’t just cause irritation or discomfort, it can also lead to serious eye conditions such as neovascularization, which can threaten your vision.

Dk/t refers to the transmissibility of the lens material and how easily oxygen can pass through it. High oxygen transmissibility is essential, as it allows for better eye health. Our omafilcon lenses provide best-in-class oxygen transmissibility (Dk/t) of 37; by contrast, etafilcon has a Dk/t of 25, while methafilcon’s is only 18. A minimum Dk/t of 24 is recommended to avoid potential harm to the eye.

Natural biocompatibility & cleanliness

Omafilcon A, when paired with our AquaLock technology, is biomimetic and non-ionic, which makes Aveo lenses naturally biocompatible and helps them repel proteins and lipids that can accumulate on other lenses.

Bio-buildup refers to the proteins, lipids, and even allergens that can adhere to the surface of the contact lens. Even if you rinse your contact lenses every day, it’s impossible to get rid of all the bio-buildup accumulated on your lenses. Over time, this buildup can pose a risk to your eye health and safety.

Other lens materials, such as methafilcon and etafilcon, can accumulate bio-buildup that can affect both your comfort and vision.

2. UV protection

When you go to the beach on a sunny day, you probably slather on sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays (at least you should!). Your eyes need that same UV protection that you give to your skin.

UV damage to your eyes is just as serious as a sunburn on your skin. Although you may not experience the same immediate discomfort, it doesn’t mean that damage isn’t happening. People often discover the effects of a lifetime of UV damage around their 50s or 60s when they develop a more dire condition.

Such conditions can include:

Photokeratitis: Just like the rest of your skin, the cornea (the clear outer covering on your eye) and the conjunctiva (the white part of your eye) can get sunburned, causing painful inflammation.
Cataracts: Cataracts are a clouding of the eye’s natural lens that can affect your vision. UV exposure can accelerate the development of cataracts.
Macular degeneration: Age-related macular degeneration occurs when part of the retina, called the macula, is damaged. It is the leading cause of vision loss in people 50 years or older and can result from accumulated UV exposure.

Learn more about UV protection and contact lenses.

Wearing sunglasses for UV protection is always a good idea, and wearing contact lenses that include UV protection can offer an added layer of safety for your eyes. Aveo lenses have built-in Class II UV blockers that protect your eyes from approximately 97% of UVB and 87% of UVA radiation, whether it’s coming from the sun or a mobile device screen.

3. Cutting-edge technology

A contact lens is a pretty basic object. There can’t be too many differences between different brands, right? Wrong.

Aveo lenses feature a variety of proprietary technologies that make them stand out from other brands. Let’s take a look at a few:

AquaLock

Dry eyes are one of the main causes of contact lens discomfort. Aveo lenses include AquaLock, which mimics a hydrophilic molecule that occurs naturally in your eyes. AquaLock creates a cushion of hydration against the surface of your eye and keeps your contacts 96% hydrated even after 12 hours of wear — and it’s integrated right into the lens, so it won’t wear off or dissipate like a coating.

BlissEdge

Oxygen and moisture are essential for making your contact lenses as comfortable as they can be. Aveo lenses feature BlissEdge, a dual-tapered edge design that allows the lens to sit comfortably on your eye with no friction or drag. And everytime you blink, our BlissEdge design swaps water and oxygen under the lens for fresh moisture and oxygen from the air, so that it feels like you aren’t wearing any lens at all.

SteadyView

If you have astigmatism, it’s important for your lens to remain in place in order to keep your vision clear. Aveo lenses offer SteadyView, a unique toric design that helps reposition the lens correctly in your eye with every blink. SteadyView results in thin, comfortable lenses that stay in place, feel better, and provides crystal-clear HD optics.

4. Convenience

Finding lenses that are safe and comfortable for your eyes is the first step; the next is choosing contact lenses that will be a convenient and affordable part of your daily routine. Daily contacts are not only the best for eye safety and comfort, but they’re also more convenient and sustainable.

With daily contacts, you can pop in fresh ones each morning, giving your eyes new, clean lenses and avoiding the hassle of contact lens solution. You can get your Aveo contacts delivered directly to your door, on your customizable schedule.

5. Manufacturing

You might have thought about the quality of the contact lenses themselves, but have you thought about how they are made?

Most direct-to-consumer contact lens brands source their lenses from third-party manufacturers and white-label them. This means that they may not have control over the lens material, quality, or manufacturing processes that go into creating their lenses. It also means that you pay not only for the lenses, but also for the additional markups that they incur.

Aveo, on the other hand, is the only subscription brand with in-house manufacturing. This doesn’t only help keep our lenses affordable, it also means that we control the entire process — from creating innovative lens technology to ensuring our contacts are made sustainably, so that you get contact lenses that are good for you and the planet.

6. Sustainability

Contact lenses that are good for your eyes are the bare minimum — choosing contact lenses that are good for the environment too? Now that’s the important part.

Aveo contact lenses use up to 20 times less water to manufacture than other brands. Our manufacturing facilities use renewable biomass energy for heat and power, and our distribution center is LEED Gold-certified. Even the molds used to make each Aveo contact lens get reused — we send them to recycling plants to be made into new products.

The packaging that your Aveo contact lenses arrive in is 100% recyclable, with inserts printed using soy-based inks.

All things considered

There’s a lot to consider when choosing the right contact lenses for your eyes, and all the information can sometimes feel overwhelming. Thankfully, Aveo makes it easy. We’re always transparent about our lenses, and at the end of the day, we want the safest, most comfortable, and most affordable option for you.