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RGP Lenses (Rigid Gas Permeable or GP Contacts)


We all know about soft contact lenses. People choose to wear soft contact lenses for many reasons. cosmetics are the main motivating factors for people who want to avoid wearing glasses or to change the appearance of their eyes.

RGP Lenses are gas permeable contact lenses. Unlike soft lenses, to achieve maximum comfort with RGP Lenses , you need to wear them regularly. So why doesn't everyone wear soft contact lenses? What Makes RGP Lenses Different?

That is because of RGP Lenses’ therapeutic function.


A RGP LENS is able to cover the natural shape of the cornea with a new refracting surface. This means that a spherical rigid contact lens can correct corneal astigmatism. Rigid lenses can be made as a front-toric, back-toric, or bitoric. Rigid lenses can also correct irregular corneas such as those with keratoconus Corneal ectasia.

Although they are less popular than soft lenses, RGP contact lenses are the best choice for many individuals, including:

A: Braces for eyes

Eye care practitioners use RGP lenses to perform ortho-k, a nonsurgical procedure intended to produce good vision without glasses or soft contacts. Orth-k lenses are specially designed GP lenses that are worn during sleep to reshape the cornea and improve the day vision.

B: Correct irregularly shapped cornea

Most common type of irregular cornea is seen in a condition called Keratoconus. Keratoconus is a slow progression disease causing distorted cornea surface. The condition varies with patients, generally patients progress through phases of mild, moderate and severe stages. RGP lenses are commonly used to recreate a regular corneal so as to improve the quality of vision. It is particularly effective in treating patients who have the condition for a very long period of time. Most patients will use RGP lenses to improve their vision to a functional level even after surgical procedures.

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