Material Choices

The first selection the ECP makes is whether to use a rigid or soft lens fit. The vast majority in today's market, will be a soft lens. Patients, particularly new fits, generally opt for the immediate comfort that this type of lens offers, despite the possibility of poorer vision and longer term costs. Modern rigid lenses have much to offer in terms of quality of vision, particularly for astigmats, but many patients having a lens inserted for the first time will opt for comfort - and who can blame them!

It is important not to denigrate the rigid lens as being uncomfortable or being an outmoded technology. Many soft lens wearers may change to a rigid lens later, when the initial "honeymoon period" of soft lens wear has worn off and they start to compare the quality of vision they achieve with their lenses, versus their spectacles.

Even with modern toric soft lenses being affordable and available, the vagaries of vision that many patients have to tolerate may make them excellent candidates for rigid lenses at a later date – provided the ECP has left that door open. At this initial stage it is important to explain that after adaptation, rigid lenses do feel comfortable and are worn all day by many wearers, for many years.