Focus Night and Day: Contacts You Can Live in for the Long Term

In late 2001 the FDA approved a new type of soft contact lens, safe enough to wear continuously for up to 30 nights. Focus Night and Day lenses can be worn for up to a month without removal because they allow six times more oxygen to reach the eye than other types of contacts. On the downside, all extended-wear contact lenses carry a greater risk of serious eye infections than lenses that are removed before you retire for the day.

The FDA first approved extended wear contacts in 1981, but then researchers found that the incidence of eye infections was greater among people who slept in their contact lenses. Today, extended wear lenses are typically disposable, and the new silicone hydrogel contacts makes sleeping with your lenses safer than ever before. If you opt for extended wear lenses, be sure to follow your doctor's instructions for lens replacement and care.

Focus Night and Day soft contact lenses give you the extended wear freedom you've always dreamed of. Focus has far outshined the competition in offering a comfortable lens-wearing experience by designing the Night and Day lenses to transport more oxygen than a standard pair of soft contacts. This brand of contacts is a great option for those who dislike everyday lens care but who either cannot pay for or are doubtful, because of the risks connected to laser surgery.

Focus Night and Day lenses may be prescribed for either for daily wear or for extended wear up to 30 nights. FDA based endorsement of the longer wear schedule on a scientific study of safety and effectiveness carried out by CIBA Vision at 59 medical centers in the United States and on the suggestion of the Ophthalmic Devices Panel of FDA's Medical Devices Advisory Committee.

The study compared 697 people wearing the Focus lenses with 698 people wearing a different brand of soft lenses approved for up to six nights of continuous wear. Of the 697, approximately five percent suffered at least one incident of a localized inflammation of the cornea, while others experienced less serious problems such as conjunctivitis, dry eyes, and mild burning and stinging.

Even with the FDA approvals, some individuals aren't comfortable wearing continuous wear contact lenses for the full 30 days. In the CIBA Vision studies, only 67% of patients maintained an average wearing time of between 22 and 30 days. Comfort and convenience are the main advantages of this type of lens, making it a smart option also for those who wear eyeglasses.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wake up every morning and see clearly? There are millions of people that have such pitiable eyesight that the first thing they do in the morning is reach for their glasses or put on their contact lenses, unlike many of us who take vision for granted. The answer we have all been waiting for is finally here - the CIBA Focus Night & Day contact lens.