Plastic frames are durable, can accommodate just about any lens prescription, and are available in a wide range of prices. They are also offered in a variety of plastics (including acrylic, epoxy, cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, polyamide, and nylon) and in different colors, shapes, and levels of resistance to breakage. Epoxy frames are resilient and return to their original shape after being deformed, so they do not need to be adjusted as frequently as other types. Nylon frames are almost unbreakable. They revert to their original shape after extreme trauma and distortion; because of this property, though, they cannot be readjusted after they are manufactured.Fit The patient should have the distance between the eyes (PD) measured, so that the optical centers of the lenses will be in front of the patient''s pupils. Bifocal heights also have to be measured with the chosen frame in place and adjusted on the patient. Again, this is so the lenses will be positioned correctly. If not positioned correctly, the patient may experience eyestrain or other problems. This can occur with over-the-counter reading glasses.

extended lenses in particular pose a much greater risk than daily wear lenses. Though extended-wear lenses are extremely thin and allow some oxygen--necessary for healthy eyes--to reach the cornea, they are worn continuously, including at night while the eyelid is closed. Bacteria can easily grow more easily under these conditions. Twenty-one in 1,000 extended lens wearers develop infections as opposed to 4 in 1,000 daily soft lens wearers. To reduce this risk, eye care professionals now recommend removing extended lenses at night. In addition, newer versions of extended lenses being developed may offer increased oxygen exchange and pose less risk. Disposable lenses may also help to prevent infection, since the wearer is guaranteed a clean pair of lenses every few weeks or every day.

lensesesOver 140 million people in the United States wear lenseses. People whose eyes have refractive errors do not see clearly without glasses, because the light emitted from the objects they are observing does not come into focus on their retinas. For people who are farsighted, images come into focus behind the retina; for people who are nearsighted, images come into focus in front of the retina. Lenses work by changing the direction of light so that images come into focus on the retina. The greater the index of refraction of the lens material and the greater the difference in the curvature between the two surfaces of the lens, the greater the change in direction of light that passes through it, and the greater the correction.Lenses can be unifocal, with one correction for all distances, or they can be correct for more than one distance (multifocal). One type of multifocal, the bifocal, has an area of the lens (usually at the bottom) that corrects for nearby objects (about 14 in from the eyes); the remainder of the lens corrects for distant objects (about 20 ft from the eyes).