Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

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Contact Lenses

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

A rigid gas permeable contact lens (RGP) is a special small hard lens that rests on the cornea of the eye. This lens moves a small amount in the eye through the day and can improve the vision of people who can’t wear soft lenses. We use highly advanced imaging techniques of the front of the eye which help us to select the correct lens for you.
Who are rigid gas permeable contact lenses suitable for?

  • People with high prescriptions of myopia, astigmatism or hyperopia
  • Keratoconus

Our optometrists will recommend if you require a spherical, toric, multifocal, or specialty keratoconus hard contact lens. This video shows you show to insert and remove RGP lenses:

Advantages of RGPs over soft lenses include:
  • Sharper and crisper vision
  • Reduction in dry eye v
  • Specialty fitting profiles available
  • Cost effective- if you take care of your lenses, they can last 1-2 years making them an economical option
Disadvantages of RGPs over soft lenses include:
  • Longer adaptation time; it can take a few weeks to a few months to adapt to the feeling of the lens on the eye. In this time, the lens may feel gritty and slightly irritated
  • As they are more costly per lens, these are not ideal for people who are prone to losing or breaking lenses

The fitting process:

There are multiple appointments involved with fitting a rigid lens, as it is more complex than a regular soft or hard contact lens:

Visit 1: Initial assessment of the eye, prescription and health. If the RGP required does not require a trial fitting, we can order the lens on this visit.

Visit 2: Optional trial fitting; if a keratoconic lens is required, a series of lenses is placed on the eye to determine what custom lens is required. You will be able to feel as to what the lens feels like at this appointment and have an idea of what the vision is like

Visit 3: Contact lens teach and delivery; our optometrists will show you how to insert, remove and care for your lenses, as well as check the fit and vision in your custom made lenses

Visit 4 onwards: We review the fit and vision of the lenses on the eye and may order another set of custom made lenses if required.

Frequently asked questions:

How long can I wear my RGPs for?
Lenses can be worn for all waking hours- we do not recommend sleeping or getting water in the eye with the contact lens (eg: swimming or showering) as this increases your risk of infection. When you first start wearing the lens, we recommend that you slowly ease into lens wear by building up your wear time from a couple of hours.
Will I need to use eye drops with my lenses?
A lubricating or dry eye drop will help to improve the comfort of the lens and also keeps the eyes hydrated. If you are prone to dry eye or work in windy environments, then you are more likely to need drops
I am worried about how the lens will feel in my eye. What if I can’t get used to them?
While RGP lenses do feel uncomfortable at first, the majority of people do get used to the feeling after a few weeks or months. The human body is amazing at adapting! If for some reason your RGP fit is unsuccessful, we will refund you 50% of the fitting price. If you are extremely touch sensitive, then a scleral lens may be a better option for you, as this lens is significantly more comfortable than a RGP – see our scleral lens page.
How do I care for my lenses?
Our optometrists will recommend a daily cleaning solution like Menicare Plus or AO Sept Peroxide solution for each day. Once a month, a deep clean of the lenses should be completed with Progent solution. Your contact lens case also needs to be disposed of regularly in order to minimize the risk of infections. All solutions are available in store.