RGP vs. Soft Contact Lenses - Which Is Best for You?
Posted: Monday, June 20, 2005
by Tanya Turner
When asked "what would you prefer - soft contact lenses or rigid?", most people would say "soft, of course". The idea of having a hard object in your eyes scares people and eye doctors know about this, so they tend to prescribe soft lenses for their patients. But which type provides more benefits for your eye health and gives you better comfort and vision? The answer isn’t as obvious as you might think it is.
Both high quality soft and RGP contact lenses provide good vision. However, studies have shown that properly fitted RGP lenses provide better vision. This is important for people who rely on their eyes in their jobs - truck drivers, pilots - and for certain sports, like shooting.
Also, many soft lens wearers report that their contacts feel funny in the dark and their vision decreases. RGP don’t have this problem.
Eye health comparison
Two important factors determine how healthy a contact lens is for your eyes - oxygen permeability and resistance to protein build-up.
RGP lenses let through 2-4 times more oxygen than soft contact lens. Therefore the risk of corneal inflammation is much lower. The only soft lenses that have oxygen permeability comparable to RGP lenses are silicon hydrogel contacts, like Focus Night and Day or Acuvue Advance
Soft lenses are more prone to protein build-up than RGP contacts. Of course, if you wear daily disposable soft lenses, this is not an issue. But if you use monthly or quarterly replacement lenses, by the end of its life the lens is covered with proteins no matter how carefully you clean it. RGP are made from totally different material - plainly said proteins and other secretions don’t stick to them.
Use as color contacts to change your eye color
Here RGP lenses can’t compete with soft contacts. All color contact lenses are soft - an RGP lens is smaller than the iris (the colored part of your eye), so it can’t change your eye color effectively. See more information about soft color contacts
Which is more expensive - RGP or soft lenses?
Soft lenses cost per pair is lower than RGP lenses. But considering that RGP lenses are usually good for at least 2 years, the picture turns the other way around. Lets say you wear Acuvue 2 week disposable contacts and buy them at $15 (6 lenses per box). 2 years supply would cost you $ 240. This is definitely more than you would pay for RGP contact lenses, if you know where to buy discount contact lens..
On the other hand, RGP lenses can break and are easy to lose. So if you think that in two years you might loose your lens a couple times, soft disposable lenses are more cost effective for you.
Comfort comparison
Many people think that rigid lenses aren’t comfortable. This is nothing but a misconception. People who wear RGP lenses usually don’t feel any discomfort in fact, they don’t feel the lens at all.
However, soft lenses feel good from the first time you put them in, while RGP require a 5-7 days adjustment period. They feel strange initially but, after a week, most people adjust to them quite well.
If you aren’t happy with the soft lenses you currently wear, ask your doctor if RGP contacts would be better for you. If your optometrist knows that you aren’t afraid of the word "rigid", he or she might suggest that RGP lenses would suit your better.
This Article has been viewed 10,981 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (10 total)i like this info.
I just got RGPs yesterday, I hope they get comfortable after 5-7 days! Thanks for the info.
i have been wearing rgp for the past three weeks, and i can still feel them in my eye, i guess im still adjusting to them. near and far is excellent! 10/19/07anonymous.I wore soft lenses for 15 years, and they were very uncomfortable and the clarity was terrible, due to my astigmatism. Not one doctor ever informed me that with the level of astigmatism I had, I needed hard lenses,... until one day. One day, I decided to try a new doctor, who informed me that I could not wear soft lenses, and that I should be wearing the hard lens or the hybrid. So, I tried the RGP (hard lens). It took me over a month to get used to them. I thought for sure I would not get used to them ! Once I started wearing them consistently every day, one day I couldn't feel them at all anymore. I thought "How could this be that a hard lens is more comfortable than a soft lens?" My whole life was spent settling for the soft lens and I had extreme discomfort with the soft lens, which is kind of unusual. The trick is that you must wear your hard lenses all the time and just stick it out, one day you won't feel them, trust me ! The hard lens also reshaped my cornea, and I found myself back in the doctor's office getting a new prescription for my eye glasses 9the prescription had decreased. The doctor informed me that I must wear them religiously or else it will take me time to get used to them again, just like when I first tried them on. I swear I thought he was crazy and I could barely open my eyes when I tried them on the first time, but I had NOTHING to lose, so I stuck it out like a soldier. Yes, I can truly say that I had no idea what I was missing, the clarity and quality of life has been dramatically improved for me. I am so greatful for my hard lenses, and I hope if you are trying them for the first time, that you give them over a month of consistently wearing them everyday. The first week you start out by wearing them for 2 hours a day, the second week you wear them for 4 hours a day. Then the 3rd and forth week, I would try wearing them all day until I got home or until I went to bed. one day out of no where, you won't feel them, it's amazing. Greatest invention, I am so pleased.
I'm so excited to get RGP. Hopefully they'll give me really sharp vision! More Americans should try RGP. I think I read that half of asian contact wearers do RGP.
I've been wearing RGP lenses for almost 7 years now, and they're great. They even prevent my eyes from getting worse; I would be almost blind by now if I hadn't worn RGP's. However, since my eyesight changes a lot, I've had to get new RGP's every year... Don't be afraid of RGP's. If an 11 year old can do it for 7 years, you could at least try it on.
So Ive worn RGP lenses off and on for years now and I never really got used to them Im changing up to the soft lenses they sound way more comfortable! I hope for the best..you should hope for me too!!
I have kertoconus and LOVE my RGP contacts! I was annoyed by them at first, but after 3 weeks, I can't feel them. I actually have better than 20/20 vision, something that I could never even come close to with soft contacts or glasses. I am now a HUGE RGP fan!wow i have keratoconus too. lol sometimes i feel alone because none of my friends or family know what that is. the rgp lenses are really expensive but they really do help my vision.
I got RGP when I was in the 7th grade. I wore them with ease for 12 years and then decided to try the soft. My vision with the soft lenses was no where near the crispness that I had with the RGP so I switched back. It takes time to get comfortable with the RGP but after the initial acclimation period they are just as comfortable as the soft.
Thank you, if gave be a very good explanation on RGP vs. Soft Contact Lenses. Thanks again
Thanks for this discussion. I am a photographer testing out contacts for the first time. I am miffed that my doctor didn't steer me to RGP first. I want sharpness. With the soft extended wear version i have on, everything looks like it was shot with cheap camera lens. Everything is in focus, just not cut glass sharp.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.