contact The concept of corrective lenses that sit directly on the eyeball was developed in the ninth century, but it was not until the late 20th century that manufacturing and grinding techniques for contact were perfected. Originally contact were made of glass, then later of hard plastic, and still later of flexible, highly oxygen-permeable soft plastic. Today, the majority of lenses worn are of two basic types: rigid gas permeable (so-called "hard" lenses) and lenses. best lenses are smaller and more durable, but require a longer period of adjustment for the wearer. Hard contact can correct some vision problems, like astigmatism, that the lenses cannot. The lenses are slightly larger than best lenses. They are more comfortable and less expensive, but can be easily torn. The latest generations of contact are extended and disposable lenses. extended lenses are intended to be worn for several weeks at a time, while disposable lenses are thrown away every day or every few weeks, or in the newest versions, every day.

One, he didn''t think they were available from any other source," "and two, he had heard they weren''t as highly controlled as those dispensed through doctors."Neither assertion is true. got on the Internet and found her lenses on several Web sites for $35.95 for a box of six pairs. (Her doctor was charging $50 a box.) says her doctor told her that lenses offered by places like may have failed manufacturers'' quality checks. Bausch contacts and other lensmakers say there''s no difference in quality between the lenses sold through doctors and those sold directly to consumers. STATES CRACK DOWN. Attorneys general in 32 states have sued the American Optometric Association and two of the top contact-lens manufacturers (Vistakon, a division of contacts, and Bausch), alleging that the AOA tried to get manufacturers to agree to selllenses only through optometrists or other eye-care professionals. The attorneys general say they also have evidence that doctors agreed to withhold prescriptions from people who sought to buy lenses from other sources, despite the fact that at least 22 states have laws requiring eye doctors to give out contact-lens prescriptions upon request.Although the AOA says patients should be able to buy their lenses anywhere, the organization has reservations about mail-order purchases. "The difficulty when someone goes through mail order is that they don''t come back for regular checkups," says AOA president Dr. Harvey Hanlen.

Over 32 million people in the United States wear these small lenses that fit on top of the cornea. They provide a field of view unobstructed by lenses frames; they do not fog-up or get splattered, so it is possible to see well while walking in the rain; and they are less noticeable than any lenses style. On the other hand, they take time to get accustomed to; require more measurements for fitting; require many follow-up visits to the eye doctor; can lead to complications such as infections and corneal damage; and may not correct astigmatism as well as lenseses, especially if the astigmatism is severe.