This post was most recently updated on August 2nd, 2023
Daily Disposable Contact Lenses
Daily disposable contacts are our go to contact lens modality for seasoned and new contact lens wearers alike.
Why?
Improved Comfort
This is especially important in Denver where most of our patients suffer from contact lens induced dry eye. These lenses are not designed to last for weeks or months, and therefore can be thinner and lighter than extended wear Comfort Contact Lenses. A thinner lens leads to less awareness and improved comfort.
Health Benefits
Another one of our favorite things about daily disposable contacts is the increase in safety offered when they are worn as directed. By not reusing, storing, or sleeping in the lenses we essentially remove the major causes of infection and inflammation associated with contact lens wear. Daily disposable wearers rarely experience the contact lens complications induced by other contact lens modalities. Not to mention the additional medical visits induce additional exam fees.
Convenience
Many contact lens wearers find it liberating to decrease a few more steps in their bedtime ritual. All you 
have to do is wash your hands, remove the contacts, and throw them away, no more extensive cleaning and care systems to worry about before going to bed. Also, when factoring in cleaning solutions and packaging, daily disposable contact lenses produce a similar amount of environmental waste when compared to their extended wear counterparts.
Great for Athletes and Outdoor Enthusiasts
Anyone who plays sports has at one time or another had a contact lens fall out. Unfortunately this typically results in some sort of unhealthy and gross effort at retaining the lenses moisture until it can be reapplied (No. It is not okay to store the lens in your mouth until you can find solution). Wouldn’t it be a lot easier just to carry a few extra lenses in your sports bag?
Patient Experience
We continue to find that our patients are willing to pay a little more for the overall comfort and convenience offered by daily disposable contact lenses. Once patients try them they generally do not want to go back to their old contact lens modality.
Price Comparison: Monthly Replacement Contact Lenses versus Daily Disposable Contacts
Let’s say on average your monthly replacement contact lenses cost approximately $200 for an annual supply. Compare this to an annual supply of daily disposable contacts, which can cost around $500 for a full year. Any individual would look at this and falsely assume there is a large price difference between the two modalities of contact lenses. Unfortunately this is often as far as the discussion gets, but let’s dig a little deeper.
Contact Lens Solutions
First off we must consider the money that would be saved on solutions, taking into consideration the average contact lens wearer spends $100 per year. Doing the math on this makes the dailies approximately $400 for an annual supply. Financially more palatable but still a considerable difference.
Contact Lens Rebates
Most contact lens companies offer rebates when you purchase an annual supply of daily disposables. These rebates range from $50 all the way up to $130 with the purchase of an annual supply. Factoring in rebates leaves us with $300/year for daily disposables compared to $200/year for monthly replacement lenses.
Get a Pair of Reliable Eyeglasses
What if you decided to give your eyes a break from contact lens wear once a week? Maybe Sundays would be a good time to give the ‘ol peepers a rest. This break would translate into one hundred and four fewer contacts used that year, or based on our example, $71 worth of daily disposables. Subtracting $71 from $300 leaves us around $230 for an annual supply of dailies. We still have a slight difference in price, but definitely not as steep as when we started.
