Because contact lenses are placed in direct contact with the eyes they must be cleaned and disinfected regularly, and contact lens wearers need more frequent eye examinations in order to prevent any problems developing. Soft Soft contact lenses are the most commonly prescribed type of contact lenses. Soft contact lenses are made from soft, flexible plastics, known as hydrogels, which contain water. The water allows oxygen to pass through the lens to the eye. This makes soft lenses suitable for people who do not want to wear their lenses every day, such as a footballer or netballer who only wears their lenses when they are playing.
Soft lenses are particularly suitable for sports, as they are difficult to accidentally dislodge.
Soft lenses are suitable for correcting most refractive errors. Soft lenses can be tinted to enhance or change the colour of the eyes. Rigid Rigid lenses are made from plastics which are less flexible than those used for soft lenses. Some of the newer materials allow almost as much oxygen to reach the eye as if no lens was being worn. Rigid lenses provide better vision than soft lenses, as the optics can be better controlled, and are suitable for a wider range of refractive errors.