What are RGP or hard contact lenses?
Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses, or RGP, are a hard type of contact lens made from rigid but highly breathable materials. While many people associate hard lenses as being an older style of contact lens, they are in fact highly sophisticated in design and manufacture.
Our clinic's RGP lenses are custom-designed individually for each patient using precise corneal topographical maps and advanced 3D simulations to ensure the optimum vision and lens fit is achieved. Unlike regular soft contact lenses which are mass produced and mostly adopt a one-size-fits-all approach, RGP lenses can be tailored and fine-tuned to unique prescriptions and eye shapes.
Higher levels of astigmatism, or an irregular corneal surface, are better corrected with RGP lenses than with soft contact lenses.
Advantages of hard contact lenses.
SHARPER VISION
The optical quality of a hard contact lens is far superior to a soft lens, providing excellent visual acuity and contrast.
LESS DRYNESS
Hard contact lenses do not require constant moistening from the tear layer of the eye, meaning less evaporation and reduced dry eye symptoms during the day.
HIGH OXYGEN LENSES
RGP lenses are made from special breathable materials for healthy lens wear. Menicon Z is one of the highest oxygen permeable lens materials in any contact lens and FDA-approved for continuous wear up to 30 days.
CORRECTS COMPLEX PRESCRIPTIONS
As hard contact lenses are custom made, they can be ordered in any prescription no matter how high or how complex.
TAILORED FITTING
A hard contact lens is designed specifically for your individual eye shape, ensuring the perfect fit for your eyes.
EASIER TO INSERT & REMOVE
Rigid lens material and smaller size than a soft lens makes hard lenses easier to insert and remove, even for children.
ECONOMICAL
With good care and maintenance a hard contact lens can last 12-18 months, making them an economical choice in the long term.
A full range of hard contact lenses are available at our clinic.
· Spherical RGP lenses — for correction of short-sightedness, long-sightedness & mild astigmatism.
· Toric RGP lenses — for correction of moderate to high levels of astigmatism.
· Keratoconus RGP lenses — for keratoconus & irregular corneas.
· Bifocal/multifocal RGP lenses — for correction of both far distance and close-up vision.
· Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) lenses — night-time corneal reshaping lenses worn during sleep to restore clear vision.
· Hybrid contact lenses — SynergEyes hybrid lenses provide sharp vision of an RGP lens with comfort of a soft lens.
· Scleral lenses — large-diameter lenses for irregular corneas, post-graft & severe dry eye conditions.
Are hard contact lenses easy to use?
Yes. Even young children can wear them successfully. We fit many hard contact lenses for both adults and children. As hard lenses are unable to flip or fold over, and are physically smaller in size, they can be placed on the eye with relative ease. To remove them, the easiest method is to use a lens suction plunger, or alternatively using the blink technique. Hard contact lenses are very safe to wear and cannot be lost in the eye,
Hard contact lens care solutions & accessories available in-store.
· AO Sept Plus hydrogen peroxide daily lens cleaner.
· MeniCare Plus RGP multipurpose lens cleaner.
· MeniCare Progent RGP deep cleaner & protein remover.
· RGP/Ortho-K lens suction plunger.
· Scleral lens suction plunger.
