Disposable contact lenses: a review

The introduction of hydrogel lenses into clinical practice in the early 1970s resulted in a rapid increase in the number of patients being fitted with contact lenses, the improved oxygen performance, wearing times and comfort compared with the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) lenses being fitted at that time giving rapid market growth.

However, both patients and practitioners quickly began to realise that soft lenses were far from being the ‘perfect contact lens’ and were not without their own complications. Their durability was far less than that of PMMA lenses, the solution systems were considerably more complex and expensive than initially envisaged and hitherto rarely encountered complications, such as neovascularisation and papillary conjunctivitis, became major concerns.

The development of high water content soft lenses solved some of the problems concerning oxygenation, but these lenses were even more prone to breakage and deposition. Attempts to overcome these problems have resulted in the development of planned replacement and disposable systems, which have been widely accepted by practitioners.

This paper reviews the literature on disposable lenses, particularly when used on a daily-wear basis.