Disposable lenses offer some advantages which many patients may benefit from. First , they are very thin and therefore very comfortable. Because they are so thin though, many patients have difficulty in handling them initially. Second , when they become uncomfortable, instead of removing them, cleaning them and deproteinising them, they are simply discarded and a brand new pair of lenses are inserted into the eye. Disposable contact lenses may seem to be more expensive , but on more careful analysis, they compare favorably to soft lenses which are cared for properly.
Soft lenses have to be washed daily, sterilized and the protein build-up removed on a regular basis.
This costs money and is time consuming and is not needed with disposable lenses. There is a monthly saving therefore on the solutions which are needed to keep the daily wear soft lenses clean. Potential disadvantages of disposable lenses are as mentioned previously, the costs, and the need to purchase lenses regularly. These lenses cannot correct large astigmatic errors adequately. They are also difficult to handle because they are so thin.