The Silicone Hydrogel Material

The eye has certain requirements to maintain its health, comfort and clear vision.

Many contact lens wearers find they can only wear their contact lenses for a small number of hours per day.

This may be due to one or many of the following:

• Having naturally dry eyes
• Working in a dry environment
• Prolonged computer use
• Reduced oxygen access to the cornea causing swelling and red eyes
• Lens materials being stiff and causing discomfort over time
• Reduced visual acuity due to lens surface deposits or degradation

Silicone Hydrogel is the first choice of contact lens material in these situations to help reduce or eradicate these effects.

Silicone hydrogel contact lenses are advanced soft lenses that allow more oxygen to pass through the lens to the cornea than regular soft ("hydrogel") contacts. In fact, silicone hydrogel lenses enable up to five times more oxygen to reach the cornea than regular hydrogel lenses.

Silicone hydrogel and regular hydrogel lenses both are made of plastics that are hard when dry but readily absorb water and become soft and gel-like when hydrated.

If you've ever let a soft or silicone hydrogel lens dry out, you know that it becomes deformed, hard and fragile. But if you soak it for a few minutes in contact lens solution, it becomes soft and pliable again.