Choosing the right contact lenses can be a bit confusing, especially with so many options available today. If you’re debating daily contacts vs. monthly, you’re not alone.
Daily single use contact lenses offer the epitome of comfort and convenience with no cleaning required, great vision, and unparalleled comfort. Monthly contact lenses may be used daily for 30 days with proper care and cleaning. However the comfort and vision through the lenses degrades over the course of the month as your tears naturally deposit proteins on the lenses.
Understanding the difference between daily and monthly contacts is important for making an informed decision that suits your lifestyle, comfort, and eye health.
Let's examine what sets daily and monthly contacts apart, their pros and cons, and how to determine which is best for you.
What are Daily Contacts?
Daily contacts, or daily disposables, are designed for one-time use. You wear them for a single day and discard them at night. No cleaning or storage is necessary—just open a fresh pair each morning. Easy!
Daily contacts are typically made from thinner materials that contain a high water content, promoting comfort throughout the day. However, they are not intended for extended wear.
Advantages of Daily Contacts
- Convenience: Simply insert them in the morning and toss them out at night.
- Reduced Risk of Infection: Using a fresh pair of lenses each day significantly reduces the chance of bacterial and fungi contamination.
- Ideal for Active Lifestyles: If you're involved in sports or outdoor activities, your daily lenses can be easily replaced if they get dirty or damaged.
- Ideal for Children: Easy care and reduced risk of infection make single use contact lenses the ideal choice for kids. Myopia control contact lenses for children are only available in the single use modality.
- Ideal for Travel: No more worries about losing a lens or toting a ton of solutions.
- Ideal for Dry Eye Sufferers: Daily replacement eliminates the problems that arise from protein build up that exacerbates dry eye. High water gradient lenses are extremely comfortable.
- Ideal for Myopia Control: The “myopic creep” (continually increasing prescription) experienced by nearsighted people who wear contact lenses is significantly reduced with daily replacement contact lenses.
- Ideal for those working in dirty and smoky environments: Kitchen workers, casino workers, construction workers, firefighters, plumbers, people who work with animals: these are just a few of the professions that genuinely benefit from the health aspect of daily disposable contacts.
- Ideal for patients who like to wear their contacts for more than 12 hours at a time: Putting your lenses in at 6 am and not getting them out at 6 pm? Dailies are for you!
Disadvantages? of Daily Contacts
- Cost? At first glance, daily contacts can seem more expensive since you need a new pair each day. However, depending on the type of lens, higher rebates available, and the elimination of the need for rewetting drops and contact lens solutions, often the cost difference truly equates to just pennies per day.
- Less Eco-Friendly? Again at first glance, daily disposables can appear to generate more waste. However, at Vision Source Rio, we participate in a program called Teracycle. Simply collect the plastic and foils from the contact lens packaging and drop them off at our office. We will make sure they get to Teracycle to be recycled. We’ll even give you an eco-friendly bag to collect them! And CooperVision contacts are both carbon neutral and plastic neutral. For every contact lens generated by CooperVision they pay to pull an equal amount of plastic out of our oceans. Good vibes all around!
What are Monthly Contacts?
Monthly contacts are designed to be worn for up to 30 days with proper care. These lenses are thicker than daily disposables, allowing for multiple uses before needing replacement, however they are less comfortable than high water content daily contact lenses.
Monthly lenses require daily cleaning and proper storage to maintain eye health.
Advantages? of Monthly Contacts
- Cost-Effective? for Regular Use: If you wear contacts every day, monthly lenses can seem more economical up front since you buy fewer pairs annually. However keep in mind you will still be purchasing contact lens solutions and rewetting drops which can cost upwards of $200 per year. Monthly lenses also have lower rebate amounts available. Some have no rebates at all.
- Durability: Made from thicker materials, they can be more resistant to tearing. However this also makes them less comfortable.
- Variety of Options: Monthly lenses are available in more prescription parameters. Higher amounts of astigmatism can be corrected in monthly contact lenses.
Disadvantages of Monthly Contacts
- Maintenance Required: You must clean and store them properly each night to avoid infections.
- Comfort Issues Over Time: As they build up protein deposits from your tears, their comfort level decreases toward the end of their wear cycle.
- Vision degradation throughout the month is real and accounted for by warping of the lenses over time as well as protein deposits from your tears.
Daily Contacts Vs. Monthly: Factors to Consider
- Your Lifestyle: If you prioritize comfort and convenience, daily single use contact lenses are for you!
- Eye Health Needs: Consult your eye care provider about your specific needs. Some individuals may require more frequent replacement due to sensitive eyes or work environments that are not as “cleanly-friendly”.
- Prescription Requirements: Some prescriptions are only available in monthly replacement or specialty modalities.
- Comfort Level: Everyone's eyes are different. Most people find dailies more comfortable due to their high water content and fresh feel each day.
Which Type is Best for You?
The choice between daily and monthly contacts largely depends on your lifestyle, prescription and personal preference. To make the best decision, consider the following:
- Do you have a high astigmatic prescription or require specialty contact lenses?
If so, daily contact lenses are not an option for you.
- Are you diligent with cleaning routines? Monthly contacts definitely require maintenance. If you don’t love cleaning your contacts, dailies are the way to go.
- Do you have sensitive eyes? Dailies are recommended for those prone to allergies or eye infections because they minimize the buildup of protein deposits that can accumulate over days on a monthly contact lens.
- Is budget really a concern? When pondering the cost of monthly vs daily contact lenses, be sure to consider all the costs, including the cost of contact lens solutions and rewetting drops. On average this hidden cost of monthly lenses typically runs roughly $200 per year. Couple that with the fact that rebates on an annual supply of daily contacts can run as high as $350 while some monthly lenses have no rebates at all (highest is currently $60), and now you may be looking at a cost difference of merely pennies per day for 30 times more lenses! Now THAT is a bargain!
A professional eye exam is the place to start. At Vision Source Rio, our team can assist you in choosing the contacts best suited to your specific needs.
Vision Source Rio Services That Support You
Vision Source Rio offers various comprehensive services to ensure your eyes receive the best possible care, whether you wear daily, monthly or specialty contact lenses. Services include:
- Comprehensive Eye Exams
- Contact Lens Fittings including Corneal Topography
- Specialty Contact Lenses
- Education on Contact Lens Hygiene, Insertion and Removal
Ready to Find Your Perfect Contact Lenses?
Ultimately, there's no one-size-fits-all answer when we choose between daily, monthly and specialty contacts. It's about finding what works best for your unique vision and lifestyle. Vision Source Rio Eyecare is here to make that choice more accessible by offering personalized recommendations and expert guidance.
Ready to start seeing clearly and comfortably? Book an appointment with Vision Source Rio today to find your perfect contact lenses. Our team is here to answer all your questions and provide top-notch eye care services tailored just for you.
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