Clearer distance vision
Short-sightedness means distant objects look blurred. Contact lenses are available in many powers to correct myopia.
New to contact lenses
New to contact lenses? Here’s how to get started
Thinking about trying contact lenses for the first time? This guide explains how to get started, what types of lenses are available, what happens at a contact lens fitting and what you should know before ordering your first lenses.
If you have never worn contact lenses before, start with a professional contact lens fitting rather than choosing a lens yourself online.
A first overview
Can I wear contact lenses?
Contact lenses can correct many common types of vision, but whether a particular lens is suitable for you should be determined during a professional contact lens fitting.
Correction for long-sightedness
Long-sightedness can make close work difficult and may also affect distance vision. Contact lenses can correct many forms of hyperopia.
A lens designed to stay correctly oriented
Toric contact lenses include additional values for correcting astigmatism and are fitted as a specific lens model.
Vision at more than one distance
Multifocal contact lenses can provide correction for distance and near tasks when the eyes become less able to focus up close with age.
Everyday flexibility
Why do people choose contact lenses?
People choose contact lenses for different practical and personal reasons.
An unobstructed field of view
There are no spectacle frames at the edge of your vision.
Convenient for sport and exercise
Contact lenses can stay out of the way during many physical activities. Appropriate eye protection may still be needed.
No spectacle lenses to fog up
Useful when moving between temperatures or during exercise.
Easy to combine with sunglasses
You can wear ordinary non-prescription sunglasses over your contact lenses.
Wear them only on selected days
Some people use contact lenses for particular activities rather than every day.
Available for many common corrections
Options include spherical, toric and multifocal contact lenses.
Contact lenses do not have to replace your glasses. Many people use both depending on the situation.
Your first contact lenses
From glasses to your first contact lenses
The fitting gives you more than a set of numbers: it identifies a particular lens that works on your eyes and teaches you how to use it.
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Book a contact lens examination
If you have not worn contact lenses before, book a contact lens examination or fitting with an optician or eye care professional.
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Your eyes are assessed
A contact lens fitting involves more than simply copying your glasses power. Your vision and the suitability of contact lenses for your eyes are assessed.
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A specific lens is fitted
The optician selects a specific contact lens model and checks how the lens fits and performs on your eye.
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Learn to handle the lenses
First-time wearers are normally shown how to insert, remove and care for their contact lenses.
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Ask for your contact lens prescription
Once your contact lenses have been fitted, ask your optician for a copy of your contact lens prescription. It should include the lens model and the values you need
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Use it when you reorder
Understand your lens valuesKeep your prescription or lens box. When it is time to order again, use the same contact lens model and values to find and order your lenses online.
An important difference
Can I use my glasses prescription to order contact lenses?
No. If you have not already had contact lenses fitted, you should not choose contact lenses simply by copying the values from your glasses prescription.
Contact lens selection involves more than matching spectacle power because the lens is fitted directly on the eye as a specific product.
| Glasses prescription | Contact lens fitting / prescription | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is used | Designed for spectacles positioned in front of the eyes. | Relates to a specific contact lens fitted directly on the eye. |
| What it identifies | Spectacle correction values. | The fitted lens model and lens-specific values that may include power, base curve, diameter and other parameters. |
| What a beginner should do | Bring it to your appointment if asked, but do not use it to select contact lenses yourself. | Use the exact fitted contact lens model and values when you later reorder. |
The main categories
What types of contact lenses are there?
Lens type describes both how a lens is replaced and the kind of vision correction it provides. Your fitted product can belong to more than one category—for example, a daily toric lens.
Daily disposable contact lenses
Inserted for the day and discarded after use. They do not need cleaning or storage between wears.
Reusable or monthly contact lenses
Removed, cleaned and stored after use, then replaced according to the manufacturer’s schedule and professional advice.
Toric contact lenses
Include additional correction and are designed to maintain the intended orientation on the eye.
Multifocal contact lenses
Provide correction across more than one viewing distance.
Extended-wear contact lenses
Some specific lenses are approved for extended or overnight wear. This does not make sleeping in contact lenses generally appropriate; use them overnight only when the exact product is suitable and you have received appropriate professional advice.
Replacement and care
Daily lenses or reusable lenses – what is the difference?
Daily disposable lenses are replaced after each wearing day. Reusable lenses are cleaned, stored and replaced according to their schedule.
Neither is universally better. The most suitable option depends on your eyes, fitted lens, routines and how often you plan to wear contact lenses.
| Topic | Daily disposable | Reusable / monthly |
|---|---|---|
| New lens | Each wearing day | Reused according to schedule |
| Cleaning after use | No | Yes |
| Storage | No | Yes |
| Lens solution | No | Yes, in lens case with solution |
| Hygiene | Fresh, sterile lens every day | Requires daily cleaning and proper storage |
| Cost | Cheaper per box, but more expensive per day | Cheaper for the full-time wearer |
| Which is right? | Depends on your preference | Depends on your preference |
Follow the instructions for your exact product and the advice given during your fitting.
Children & teenagers
Can children and teenagers wear contact lenses?
Yes, contact lenses can be suitable for children and teenagers. There is no single age that by itself determines when someone is ready for contact lenses.
Suitability depends on the eyes, the contact lens fitting and whether the young wearer can follow the instructions for handling, hygiene and replacement.
Can a 15-year-old wear contact lenses?
Yes, in many cases a 15-year-old can wear contact lenses after an appropriate contact lens examination and fitting. Readiness also includes being able to insert and remove the lenses, maintain good hand hygiene, follow replacement instructions and understand when to remove a lens if there is a problem.
Why might a teenager choose contact lenses?
Common reasons include sport, physical activity, an unobstructed field of view, personal preference or wearing contact lenses only on selected days.
- An appropriate examination and fitting
- Ability to insert and remove the lenses
- Good hand hygiene
- Following replacement and care instructions
- Knowing when to remove a lens and ask for help
- Sport, physical activity or occasional wear
Contact lenses do not need to replace glasses. Many young wearers use both.
A learned routine
Learning to put contact lenses in and take them out
Handling contact lenses can feel unusual at first, but it normally becomes easier with practice. First-time wearers should be shown the correct technique during their fitting.
Clean hands, check the lens, then place it gently
Wash and dry your hands. Check that the lens is clean, undamaged and the correct way round. Hold the eyelids as shown during your fitting, place the lens on the eye and blink gently.
Look up, move the lens and remove it gently
Wash and dry your hands. Follow the removal technique demonstrated during your fitting. Handle the lens with fingertips rather than nails and never use sharp objects.
Eye health first
Good habits for contact lens wearers
Safe wear depends on following the instructions for your exact lens and acting promptly when something does not feel right.
Wash and dry your hands
Use clean, dry hands before inserting, removing or handling contact lenses.
Keep water away from contact lenses
Do not rinse or store contact lenses in tap water. Remove lenses before showering, swimming or using a hot tub unless your eye care professional has given specific advice for your situation.
Follow the replacement schedule
Do not deliberately extend the recommended replacement period for the exact lens you use.
Do not share lenses
Contact lenses are individual medical devices and should never be shared with another person.
Be careful with overnight wear
Do not sleep in contact lenses unless the exact product is approved and suitable for that use and appropriate professional advice has been given.
Do not ignore significant symptoms
Remove the lens and seek prompt professional advice for significant pain, redness, light sensitivity, discharge or a sudden marked change in vision.
Do not switch lens models on your own
Similar-looking parameters do not make two contact lens products interchangeable. Reorder the exact model fitted for you unless a professional recommends a change.
Real experiences
Why other people started wearing contact lenses
Different routines create different reasons for trying contact lenses. These Netlens stories show how they can fit into real everyday activities.
CrossFit
Why Truls chooses contact lenses for CrossFit
Contact lenses give Truls the freedom to focus on training without frames getting in the way.
Read Truls’s story
Training
Why Sara switched from glasses to contact lenses
Sara describes why contact lenses became a practical choice for training and everyday life.
Read Sara’s story
Already fitted?
When are you ready to order contact lenses online?
You are ready to reorder online when a professional fitting has identified the exact contact lens model and values you use.
Use your current contact lens box
Match the complete product name and every value for each eye. Do not rely on similar-looking numbers alone.
Reorder the exact fitted lens
Once the product and values are known, Netlens can help you find and reorder that same contact lens.
If you are unsure which lens you use, cannot find an exact value or want to switch products, ask your optician or eye care professional before ordering.
First-time concerns
Questions people asks before their first contact lenses
Short answers to the practical questions that often come up before a fitting.
Do contact lenses hurt?
Contact lenses should not normally hurt when the lens is suitable, correctly fitted and worn as instructed.
A new lens may feel noticeable at first. Pain, marked redness or a sudden change in vision is not something to ignore—remove the lens and seek appropriate professional advice.
Is it difficult to put a lens in?
It can feel unfamiliar at first, but many people find it becomes easier with practice.
Your fitting should include instruction in inserting and removing the lens safely.
How long does it take to learn?
There is no fixed learning time; some people learn quickly and others need more practice.
Take your time and follow the technique shown by your optician or eye care professional.
Can a contact lens get stuck?
A soft lens can sometimes become difficult to move or remove, particularly if the eye or lens is dry.
Do not use sharp objects or force. Follow the removal advice given during your fitting and contact an eye care professional if you cannot remove it.
Can a contact lens go behind the eye?
No, a contact lens cannot travel behind the eyeball.
It can move under an eyelid and become hard to see, but the membrane around the eye prevents it from passing behind the eye.
What if I cannot remove my lens?
Stay calm, avoid forcing the eye and use the removal technique you were taught.
If the lens will not come out or the eye is painful or very red, contact an eye care professional for help.
Can I use contact lenses only occasionally?
Yes, contact lenses can be fitted for occasional use.
Tell the professional fitting your lenses how and when you plan to use them so the option suits that routine.
Can I wear contact lenses only when I exercise?
Yes, many people use contact lenses mainly for sport or exercise.
Contact lenses do not replace protective eyewear where safety goggles are recommended.
Can I wear contact lenses with sunglasses?
Yes, contact lenses can be worn with ordinary sunglasses.
Sunglasses remain important for comfort and appropriate UV protection.
Can both eyes have different powers?
Yes, the right and left eye can have different contact lens values and may sometimes use different lens specifications.
Check each eye separately when reordering.
Can I wear contact lenses with astigmatism?
Yes, toric contact lenses can correct many forms of astigmatism.
The lens needs to be professionally fitted and includes additional lens-specific values.
Can I wear multifocal contact lenses?
Multifocal contact lenses can be an option for people who need correction at more than one distance.
A professional fitting is needed to determine whether a particular multifocal design is suitable.
Explore more
Continue with the question you have now
This page gives you the beginner essentials. Use these Netlens resources when you are ready for a more specific answer.
Understand contact lens parameters
Learn what power, cylinder, axis, addition, base curve and diameter mean when you reorder.
How to order at Netlens
Follow the ordering journey once you know the exact contact lens model and values you use.
Optician’s own brands
Find out why the same manufacturer’s lens may be sold under another name.
Netlens FAQ
Find answers about ordering, delivery, returns and other practical questions.
About Netlens
Learn about the idea and approach behind Netlens.