Contact Lenses: Daily vs. every-2-wks-permeable

[mafibisha]

Sorry if this has already been discussed...

My eye doctor said I would be a good candidate for the daily contact lenses, vs the gas perms that you wear 2 wks and dispose. I've worn those for years.

Common sense would say anything disposable each day will cost more, right?

But he said the price is about the same, for one big reason: you don't need to buy wetting solution with the daily, which can really add up. I realize he may get a cut on both (and I'm okay with that) but have any of you done the math? Are the dailys / dailies (?) really about the same price, when all is said and done?

I thought if anyone knew, y'all would. TIA.

 

[Colleen27]

It will depend in part on what brand of two week disposables you're wearing, but I think the dailies are more expensive than most if not all of the 2 week type.

I still wear Acuvue 2s, which are really cheap. My cost is about $9/mo for the contacts and about the same for solution. For me daily disposables would be MUCH more expensive at roughly $50/mo. But other contact brands can cost twice as much as mine, making the total price difference less significant.

 

[vitfamily]

I just had my DS at the eye Dr last week. He got a rx for both. The daily wear come out to $1.00 per lens or $2.00 a day. The reason he got the daily wear is because his is a college athlete and durring season he loses a couple contacts a week. So going with the daily wear is cheaper for me during season than having to buy a box a week. But all the other times he's going with the longer wear lenses.

 

[mafibisha]

Thanks for the replies.

To clarify, I don't think I'm wearing Gas Perms -- they're the 2 week disposables -- those are soft lenses, right?

Its been a long week

But I really appreciate any and all thoughts!

 

[LJSquishy]

My husband wears gas permeable hard lenses...they last a year at least.

I don't understand how daily contacts could be cheaper or the same price as 2-week lenses unless perhaps the brands are different. It just doesn't make sense to me. And, this may just be me, but throwing away lenses daily just doesn't seem right environmentally. But, I guess you could get an exact quote from the doctor to see what the price difference is, or check online if you can order them online. I don't wear contacts/glasses so I only know about what types of solutions to buy for my husband. LOL!

 

[juliemouse]

I was wearing Acuvue Oasis. I get GPC build up when pollen is bad. Usually twice a year it flairs up and I can't wear contacts for 2 weeks. I have to go to the doctor and get Rx drops. I was worried about the costs of daily contacts but haven't had ANY problems at all. This spring my eyes didn't bother me one bit. A fresh pair each day feels great. The contacts do cost more (about $800 a year total before Acuvue rebates or insurance) but I'm not paying for problematic office visits, Rx drops, or lense cleaner/solution. Also, I rarely got 2 weeks out of the Oasis so they were costing me more than they should have. So worth it to me!

 

[KY*Figment]

I buy daily & monthly. I use monthly in the winter and daily the rest of the time. Daily cost more but are great for allergies.

 

[hapandpam]

My daughter wears the daily disposables. I found that I could save a lot of money buying them online and getting a years supply. They often have a rebate as well.

 

[Snappy in OK]

A few years ago the eye dr suggested I try the extended wear disposables. Most people can wear them for 30 days before switching out for a new pair. I wear mine for a week, take them out for a night, and them put them back in. I put a new pair in about once a month.

I think they are a little more expensive, but not bad. I think the one pair/year lenses were about $120 and the monthly disposables are $160 for a year's worth. I also order one line, which can save me an additonal 20-25%, which brings the cost down to about $120 - 130 for the disposables.

One of the reasons I switched was the ability to wear them to bed - especially when I was getting up during the night with a newborn! It has been 7 years, and I am still using the monthly disposables. They are quite comfortable - even after sleeping in them!!

Good luck!

 

[mrodgers]

A few years ago the eye dr suggested I try the extended wear disposables. Most people can wear them for 30 days before switching out for a new pair. I wear mine for a week, take them out for a night, and them put them back in. I put a new pair in about once a month.
Good luck!

Can't remember what I wear now (switched last time at the eye doctor,) but this is what I do as well. My old contacts I had to take out around 9 pm. Now I wear them day/night for a week straight. The only thing I do different from you is, I use Clear Care and I swap between 2 sets of contacts. I leave them in the Clear Care solution for the week while I wear the other set.

I have torix lenses, so they are more expensive. Daily contacts would cost me a fortune. My contacts are 2 week, the doctor said most people wear them a month, and I wear them for 2 and sometimes 3 months (switching back and forth weekly with another pair as I said.)

I had huge problems when I first started wearing these (can't remember the name now, I switched from old Acuvue torix to these silicon hydragel contacts.) At first, even taking them out daily and cleaning overnight, they lasted about a week before they irritated my eye (mainly the left.) I read online a capability chart on contact solution and switched from Renu to Clear Care. Clear Care is fantastic stuff! As soon as I switched solutions, I was then able to wear them with no problems day and night for a week straight.

 

[XYSRUS]

Dailies are a little more expensive but are great for kids who might not be diligent in cleaning or even remembering to change/remove them/athletes etc. Dailies are just more convenient/no thinking. I wear 30 day extended wear and my 16 yo wears dailies. He's a year round swimmer. As an adult, it's just whatever is your preference I think.

 

[RitaE]

I've been wearing the two week contacts for years but for about the past couple of months my eyes all the sudden have gotten much more sensitive and I've found that I just can't leave them in that long anymore. So I've switched to daily for now.

 

[monorailsilver]

I just switched to the dailies about 18 months ago. I wore the soft/long term ones (whatever they are called) from about age 14/15 until I was 39.

Those contacts would last at least a year if not longer but my eyes since I was approaching 40 (and I am 40 now...) were getting more dry. So my eye dr suggested me using the dailies. I tried them for 2 weeks & I liked them.

I ordered them online so they were a bit cheaper.

But...eye doctors don't read this...I wear them for 2 days & then throw them away. There are days that I can only do one due to pollen or crying (dads death) but for the most part I get 2 days from them.

I am not a frequent eye infection person either. I do still buy saline solution because sometimes they just don't go in right & I need to reclean them & the little drips that are in the containers just don't cut it.

I am due for new ones this year too. Must make an appt first.

 

[wallawallakids]

My dailies are more expensive. That being said. I LOVE them. I have used them for 3 years now. I have awful sight (-7 and -8), so basically blind. I have had glasses since I was 6. I switched to contacts when I was 13. I am now 33. I was starting to have issues with dry eye. I was doing drops, wearing my glasses more, yada, yada, yada. My eye doctor recommended daily wear contacts because they are thinner and allow your eye to breath more, esp. with a larger prescription, like mine. I haven't had a single issue since I switched. I can wear them for 12 hours without a problem. I am very active, so glasses are really hard for me and I am thrilled to not have to deal with them any more. Just thought I would let you know that they have really worked well for me. Good luck on your decision.

 

[disneyjr77]

I wear the dailies and love them I was wearing the acuvue oasis with hydraclear extended wear and after a few days (you're supposed to be able to wear them a week without taking them out) they would start to bother me and get dry. My eye dr switched me to the ciba vision dailies aqua comfort and i haven't had any problems since, even during allergy season. For me they may cost a little more, but the comfort level of them and convenience of them is worth it to me.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I use Acuvue Moist dailies - I switched to them from Acuvue 2 about a year ago. I like them because I don't wear contacts every day (I wear my glasses on days that I swim, or days that my allergies are bothering me) and so it actually ends up working out cheaper for me because a 90 day pack of lenses lasts me about 6 months. A one month supply is more expensive than a one month supply of the 2-week disposables, but I do find the dailies much more comfortable and convenient.

 

[iheartdisney]

My eye doctor advised me that the daily lenses are only const effecient if you lose them often, or don't wear them every day.

 

[Zephyr]

There's another option - unfortunately I can't remember the name of my lenses, but they are the kind that you can wear up to 3 weeks (actually I've worn them longer), and then you just take them out and clean them as you would other lenses, and the next morning put them back in for another 3 weeks. I've had this type of lens now for over 10 years (I was a member of a test group before they were available to everyone). They last just as long as other lenses too. (I usually last 3 years before getting new ones).

But it's so nice to wake up and see in the morning! They are a great alternative to laser surgery.

 

[AJ1983]

Not sure if this is a feasible option for you, but have you considered Laser/LASIK surgery? I had it done in September after having worn glasses and contacts full time since I was 8 (I was 28 when I had the surgery), and it was the BEST decision I ever made. My prescription was -6.0 and -5.75, so i couldn't even distinguish facial features without contacts/glasses unless I was within kissing distance lol.

As soon as I sat up I could read the time on the clock...something I can never remember doing before without glasses. It was an awesome feeling.

As for your question, as others said, if you buy online you can get great deals. I used clearlycontacts.ca and could get a 6 month supply of monthly use Acuvue Oasis for about $100. I have bad astigmatism and required Toric Lenses for my left eye, which are more expensive. In comparison, I would have paid about $400 in store for the same contacts which I could have to wear for a year.