Corneal RGP lens (AT202)

กรกฎาคม 10, 2020
10:11 am

Corneal RGP lens

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) or Gas Permeable (GP)

Contact lenses are an alternative to soft contact lenses and are made from a hard, oxygen-permeable material. GP lenses are currently less popular than soft lenses, but they offer a number of advantages and continue to improve as research and technology advance.

GP contacts are made of a firm plastic material that allows oxygen to pass through the lens to your cornea and the front surface of your eye—essentially allowing your eye to “breathe.” This increases comfort, health, and safety during contact lens wear.

Benefits of GP or RGP Contact Lenses

Because of their strong material and ability to diffuse oxygen, GP lenses offer several advantages over soft contact lenses.

Health and Hygiene Benefits

Unlike soft lenses, GP lenses don’t contain water, which makes them less likely to attract and breed bacteria that can cause eye infections. Additionally, protein deposits won’t build up on the lens, keeping them cleaner and healthier.

Because they are made from a strong, durable material, GP lenses won’t tear and are easy to clean and disinfect. RGP lenses maintain their firm shape and will not dehydrate. Furthermore, GP lenses last longer than soft lenses; when cared for properly, a pair can last a year or more.

Comfort

GP contact lenses are custom-made for each patient based on the eye’s individual curvature, size, and corneal shape. Their ability to transmit oxygen reduces eye problems such as dry eyes, which are common with many brands of soft lenses or hard (non-GP) lenses.

GP lenses have a smaller diameter than soft contacts, meaning they cover less of the surface of your eye. While this may take some time to get used to initially, many ultimately find that they are just as, if not more, comfortable than soft contacts.

Gas permeable contact lenses are rigid lenses that float on a layer of tears and typically cover about 75 percent of the cornea.

Better Vision

Due to their rigid material, GP lenses have a smooth surface and maintain their shape, moving with the eye to stay in place. This provides sharp and stable vision. Furthermore, they do not dehydrate, which is often a cause of reduced vision with other lenses.

Cost

Because they last so long, GP lenses are much more cost-effective than soft lenses, especially disposable ones that require a constant supply. Since they are made to order, there is an initial cost investment, and it may take up to a week to manufacture a replacement pair if needed.

GPs for Astigmatism

GP lenses are ideal for individuals with astigmatism who may have been told that they cannot wear soft contacts. Because of the rigid nature of the lens, they maintain their shape on the eye, allowing for clearer and more stable vision correction.

Adapting to GP lenses

One of the downsides of GP contact lenses is that they require an adaptation period, particularly if you are used to soft lenses with a larger diameter. One of the major differences is the experience of “lens awareness,” in which you feel the edge of the lens when you blink. It may take up to a few weeks to get used to the lenses, but many people report that after this initial period, they find that GP lenses are just as comfortable, if not more so, than soft lens varieties.