Some of the trade-offs include deposit problems and greater lens flexure. This is the reason why you need to protein clean your gas permeable lenses while the older Hard lenses that did not allow for oxygen transmission, did not need to be protein cleaned. Research has shown that this lens is safer then the soft lens since it associated with a rate of infection that is far less than that of the soft lens. There is also less solution allergy or toxicity problems. Admitedly, the adaptation period is greater for this lens when compared to the soft lens, which can be quite comfortable from the start, however once you are fully adapted, most patients are not aware of their lenses.
Dust can be a problem for gas permeable wearers in dusty environments.
Good visual stability can be expected from this lens because of its rigid nature and its good optical quality. The lens will also nutralise any astigmatism that is associated with the cornea, any remaining astigmatism that is associated with the rest of the eye's optical system will not be neutralized and will manifest itself in what we call resudual astigmatism. The good news is however, that most astigmatism is associated with the cornea. If a significant amount of residual astigmatism is present, it can be corrected with a Toric design. Investigators in Singapore are doing clinical trails on school children to scientifically establish that Gas Permeable lenses helps to stabalise Myopia or short sight.