Contact Lenses: Out with the Old/In with the New?

To answer this question: I certainly hope not, at least not always. Without a doubt over the past several years the contact lens industry has brought forth numerous new materials, designs, and modes of contact lens manufacturing. But that should not translate into a universal switch from the “old” to the “new”. I would like to share some specific instances where older lens materials and designs should still have a place in your practice.

Although without a question newer more oxygen permeable rigid gas permeable (RGP) materials have been key to the introduction of such modalities as overnight wear of Ortho keratology lenses, these materials often have some less advantageous attributes. Although we often only consider oxygen permeability (Dk) and lens wettability when selecting a RGP material, one should also consider that such materials often have lower material hardness and greater modulus.