- A daily disposable contact lens is a soft contact lens that you wear for one day and then throw away.
- You do not need lens solution or a lens case for daily disposable contact lenses, as you do not store the lenses.
- Daily disposable contact lenses are available in powers for short-sightedness, long-sightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia, depending on the brand.
- Whether a daily disposable contact lens is suitable for your eyes depends on your cornea, your tear film and your wearing pattern.
- Your contact lens specialist will measure this and determine which type and brand of lens is suitable.
A daily disposable contact lens is a soft contact lens that you wear for one day and then discard at the end of the day. It is the simplest type of lens in terms of maintenance: you use a new, sterile lens every day and do not need to clean or store anything. The main benefits lie in hygiene and convenience, whilst the cost per day of wear and the availability of prescriptions are the key considerations. In this blog, you’ll find out what a daily disposable lens is, how it differs from a monthly lens, what the pros and cons are, and who daily disposables are suitable for. The final choice between a daily disposable and a monthly lens lies with your contact lens specialist, who will examine your eyes and determine which brand and prescription are right for you.
What is a daily disposable lens?
A daily disposable contact lens is a soft, single-use contact lens. You insert the lens in the morning with clean hands and discard it at the end of the day. You then use a new lens from a sealed blister pack. As you do not keep the lens, you do not need lens solution or a lens case. You start each day with a sterile lens.
A blister pack is an individual, airtight pouch containing the lens in a sterile solution. The lens remains sterile until you open the foil. This ensures that every lens you insert is clean and untouched. If you’d like to know exactly how a lens stays in place on your eye and focuses light, read the explanation of how a contact lens works. Contact lenses are part of lens care and hygiene, where careful use is key.
What is the difference between daily disposable lenses and monthly lenses?
The difference lies in the duration of use and maintenance. You wear a daily disposable lens for one day and then throw it away. Monthly lenses are used for a longer period and are cleaned daily in lens solution. This means you’ll also need a lens case for monthly lenses. The recommended wearing period is stated in the brand’s package leaflet and should be discussed with your contact lens specialist.
To summarise: with a daily disposable lens, the wear time is one day, there is no maintenance required, you do not need any solution or a case, and the main consideration is the cost per day. With monthly lenses, the wear period is longer; you clean the lenses daily; you need solution and a case; and you need to ensure they are cleaned carefully. The mandatory product information and the leaflet on daily cleaning specify what is permitted for each type of lens. Also read the explanation about monthly lenses and check the costs of daily disposable lenses if you wish to compare the two.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of daily disposable contact lenses?
Daily disposable contact lenses do not require daily maintenance, as you use a new sterile lens every day. This makes them practical for sport, holidays and occasional use. The drawbacks are the cost per day of wear and the fact that not every prescription is available in a daily disposable lens. You also end up with more packaging waste. You should discuss which factors are more important to you with your contact lens specialist.
The advantages at a glance: no cleaning or storage required, a fresh lens every day, convenient for occasional use, and no need to buy solution or a case. The disadvantages: higher cost per day of wear, a more limited range of prescriptions with some brands, and more packaging waste. Careful handling of your hands and your lenses remains important, as good hygiene is essential for the safe use of lenses, even with daily disposable lenses. The range of prescriptions available for daily disposable lenses varies by brand and is specified in the manufacturer’s documentation.
Who are daily disposable contact lenses suitable for?
Daily disposable contact lenses are often suitable for people who do not wear lenses every day, for example, only when playing sport or travelling. They are also practical for those with a busy or irregular lifestyle, as there is no need to clean them. Whether daily disposable contact lenses are right for you depends on your prescription, the shape of your cornea and your tear film. Your contact lens specialist will assess these factors during a fitting consultation.
During a fitting consultation, the specialist checks how the lens fits your eye, measures your prescription and assesses your tear film. This is usually followed by a trial period and a follow-up check to ensure the lens stays in place and your eyes remain comfortable. This follow-up check is an essential part of lens wear, even if you have been wearing lenses for some time. The optometrist’s role is to assess the fit and any symptoms, so that you can continue wearing a lens that suits you.
Are daily disposable contact lenses suitable for dry or sensitive eyes?
This varies from person to person and from lens to lens. Some wearers who experience dryness find that daily disposable lenses cause fewer symptoms, as there is no build-up on the lens from previous days of wear. However, daily disposable lenses are not a cure for dry eyes. Symptoms may also be caused by your tear film, your environment or the length of time you wear your lenses. You should therefore always have any symptoms assessed by your contact lens specialist, optician or ophthalmologist.
If you experience any discomfort whilst wearing your lenses, a specialist can help identify the cause. Sometimes they may recommend moisturising eye drops suitable for contact lens wearers. Whether a particular type of drop is suitable for your lenses depends on the manufacturer’s instructions and the specialist’s advice, so do not choose such a product on your own. In the ‘Eye care for contact lens wearers’ category, you’ll find the range of products that the specialist can discuss with you.
Can you reuse daily disposable contact lenses?
No. A daily disposable contact lens is intended for single use and should be disposed of after one day’s wear. Storing and reusing them is not in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. Such a lens is no longer sterile, and the material is not designed to be cleaned. Water is also never suitable for storing lenses. So, use a new lens every day.
Never rinse a dropped or worn daily disposable contact lens with tap water or saliva: this will not restore the lens to a sterile state and will introduce microorganisms onto the lens. The RIVM highlights the risks associated with water and contact lens use, and the Oogfonds explains why water and contact lenses do not mix. You can read more about this in the blog post on contact lenses and water.
Choosing daily disposable contact lenses with your contact lens specialist
The choice between daily and monthly lenses is a matter for the specialist. The brand, material and prescription all determine what is suitable for your eyes, and these factors cannot be chosen independently of one another. When you go for your consultation, bring along details of the prescription you currently wear, how often and for what purpose you wish to use the lenses, and whether you have had any previous complaints. This will enable the specialist to fit you with the right lenses and agree on a wearing schedule with you.
Return for check-ups at the times agreed with your specialist, and sooner if you experience any symptoms. Contact lenses are medical devices, which means that fitting, guidance and follow-up checks are part of their use. If you’d like to know where to go, find a stockist near you.
For practitioners: view the product information for the daily disposable contact lenses and lens care products available in our range, or contact SMEYEL to discuss their use.
This information is of a general nature and is not a substitute for personal advice. If you have any concerns or are in any doubt, please consult your contact lens specialist, optician or (eye) doctor.
Frequently asked questions about daily disposable lenses
How long can you wear a daily disposable contact lens for in a day?
The maximum daily wearing time is stated in the brand’s package leaflet and varies depending on the lens. Some lenses are designed for longer wear than others, depending on the material and oxygen permeability. Your contact lens specialist will discuss with you which wearing time is suitable for your eyes, taking into account your tear film and your wearing pattern. If you notice that your eyes feel dry or tired towards the end of the day, remove your lenses earlier. Do not extend the wearing time just because the lenses still feel comfortable; stick to the advice given by your specialist.
Can you sleep in daily disposable contact lenses?
You should only sleep in your lenses if the manufacturer and your optician have agreed that it is safe to do so for that specific lens. Most daily disposable lenses are designed to be removed and discarded at the end of the day, so take them out before you go to sleep. Sleeping in a lens that isn’t designed for this purpose reduces the oxygen supply to your cornea and increases the risk of complications. If you’d like to read more about this, take a look at the blog on sleeping in contact lenses. If in doubt, always discuss your wearing pattern with your contact lens specialist.
What should you do if you accidentally drop a daily disposable contact lens?
Throw the lens away and use a new one. A daily disposable lens that falls onto the washbasin, the floor or your clothes is no longer clean or sterile. Rinsing it with tap water or saliva is not safe and does not make the lens usable again: water can introduce micro-organisms onto the lens. As a daily disposable lens is specifically intended for single use, a new lens from a sealed blister pack is always the safe choice. So, when you’re out and about, make sure to take a few extra blister packs with you.
Do you need lens solution for daily disposable contact lenses?
No. You don’t store the lens, so you don’t need an all-in-one solution or a lens case for daily use. That’s one of the practical advantages of daily disposable lenses: you start each day with a fresh lens from a sterile blister pack and discard it at the end of the day. The situation is different for reusable lenses, such as monthly lenses, as you clean these daily and store them in solution. If you sometimes wear reusable lenses as well, discuss with your specialist which care products are suitable for them.
Can you store daily disposable contact lenses in the blister pack after opening?
No. Once opened, a blister pack is no longer sterile, and the fluid inside is not intended for storing the lens for any length of time. The solution in the blister pack keeps the lens sterile until you open the foil, but offers no further protection after that. Putting a lens back and reusing it later is not in line with the manufacturer’s instructions and is not safe. You should therefore use each lens immediately after opening, and take a new, unopened blister pack for the next day’s wear.
Are there daily disposable contact lenses with a cylinder for astigmatism?
That depends on the brand and the range of prescriptions available. For astigmatism, there are toric daily disposable contact lenses with a cylinder value, but not every combination of prescription is available as a daily disposable lens in every brand. Your contact lens specialist will check whether your prescription can be made into a daily disposable lens and whether the fit on your eye remains stable. If your prescription is not available as a daily disposable lens, the specialist may suggest a different lens type. The exact prescription ranges are set out in the manufacturer’s documentation for the brand.
Are daily disposable contact lenses more hygienic than monthly disposable contact lenses?
You start each day with a sterile lens, which makes maintenance easier. With a daily disposable lens, you don’t need to clean or store anything, so there are fewer opportunities for things to go wrong with your lens care. However, hygiene depends mainly on how you handle your hands and your lenses: wash your hands before inserting and removing them, and handle the lenses with clean fingers. You can also wear monthly lenses safely, provided you follow the cleaning instructions carefully. How you handle your lenses is therefore more important than the type of lens alone.
Can you wear daily disposable contact lenses whilst swimming or in the shower?
Water and contact lenses do not mix, not even with daily disposable lenses. Swimming pool water, sea water and tap water may contain micro-organisms that can attach themselves to the lens and cause problems. You should therefore remove your lenses before swimming or showering, or use a pair of well-fitting swimming goggles. If you do wear daily disposable lenses whilst in contact with water, throw them away afterwards and use a new pair. Discuss with your optician what is best to do when swimming if your vision is poor without lenses.
How much does it cost to wear daily disposable contact lenses each month?
This varies depending on the brand, the prescription strength and the number of days you wear them. People who wear daily disposable contact lenses every day use more of them than those who only wear them for sport or when travelling, and this determines the monthly cost. Toric or multifocal lenses may also cost more than single-vision lenses. A breakdown of these costs and a sample calculation can be found in the blog post on the monthly cost of daily disposable contact lenses. Ask your optician about the range that suits your wearing pattern.
When should you visit your optician or ophthalmologist if you’re using daily disposable contact lenses?
If you experience pain, redness, blurred vision or sensitivity to light, remove the lens and have your eye examined. Do not wait until the symptoms get worse, as early intervention often prevents a minor problem from becoming more serious. Do not insert a new lens whilst your eye is irritated, and if symptoms persist or are severe, see your optician, contact lens specialist or ophthalmologist. In the event of a sudden, severe loss of vision or intense pain, contact them immediately. You can read more about symptoms associated with wearing contact lenses on the Thuisarts website.
