Choosing the Right Contact Lenses in 2026: What Our Optometrists Recommend

Contact lenses have come a long way - today’s options are more comfortable, more breathable, and more tailored to your eyes and lifestyle than ever before. At Centennial Family Eyecare, our optometrists help patients choose contact lenses that fit not just their prescription, but their daily routine, eye health needs, and long-term vision goals.
 

Start With the Right Question: What Do You Need Your Contacts to Do?

Before picking a brand or lens type, it helps to identify what matters most to you. In our exam rooms, these are the most common priorities we hear:

• All-day comfort (especially for long workdays or screen time)
• Clear vision in every setting (driving at night, sports, classroom, or office)
• Healthy wear for dry or sensitive eyes
• Low-maintenance convenience (minimal cleaning, easy replacement)
• A solution beyond standard soft lenses (for high prescriptions, astigmatism, or irregular corneas)
• Myopia control for kids and teens

Once we know your goals, we match you with the safest, most effective option for your eyes.

Soft Contact Lenses

Soft lenses are popular because they’re comfortable and easy to adapt to. They’re a great choice for many prescriptions, including nearsightedness and farsightedness - and many cases of astigmatism.

Common soft lens categories include:

• Daily disposables: Fresh lenses every day; great for convenience, comfort, and allergy-prone eyes.
• Toric lenses: Designed specifically for astigmatism.
• Multifocal lenses: Designed for presbyopia (age-related focusing changes), helping many patients reduce reliance on reading glasses.

Our optometrists often recommend daily lenses for patients who prioritize comfort, hygiene, and simplicity - especially those with mild dryness or busy schedules.
 

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses

RGP lenses are smaller, firmer lenses that maintain their shape on the eye. They can provide exceptionally crisp vision for certain prescriptions, including higher levels of astigmatism.

They do take longer to adapt to than soft lenses, but they can be an excellent option for patients who want very sharp optics and don’t mind a short adjustment period.
 

Ortho-K (Orthokeratology)

Ortho-K lenses are custom-designed, breathable lenses you wear overnight. While you sleep, they gently reshape the surface of the cornea so you can see clearly the next day - without glasses or contacts.

Ortho-K is especially helpful for:

• Active adults who don’t want daytime lenses (sports, outdoor work, travel)
• People who struggle with dryness from daytime contacts
• Kids and teens with progressive myopia (nearsightedness), where myopia control is a major goal

More families in 2026 are looking for proactive solutions for childhood myopia. Ortho-K is one of the most effective non-surgical options we can consider for appropriate candidates, and it can fit naturally into a school-night routine.
 

Scleral Lenses

Scleral lenses are larger, specialty lenses that vault over the cornea and rest on the white part of the eye (the sclera). This design creates a smooth optical surface and a fluid reservoir between the lens and your eye.

Scleral lenses are a standout option for:

• Irregular corneas (such as keratoconus or post-surgical corneas)
• Higher or more complex astigmatism
• People with significant dry eye who haven’t found relief with standard contacts
• Patients who want stable, sharp vision with improved comfort

For many patients who thought contacts “just aren’t for them,” scleral lenses can be the first option that truly works - especially when dryness or corneal irregularity has made other lenses uncomfortable or blurry.
 

Ready to Upgrade Your Contact Lens Experience?

In 2026, contact lenses are more personalized than ever. Whether you’re looking for the simplicity of daily disposables, the clarity of multifocals or toric lenses, or the life-changing comfort of specialty options like Ortho-K and scleral lenses, the best results come from a professional fitting matched to your eye health and lifestyle. At Centennial Family Eyecare, our optometrists focus on what matters most: clear vision, lasting comfort, and safe wear you can feel confident about.

Schedule a contact lens exam and fitting at Centennial Family Eyecare to explore options like Ortho-K or scleral lenses. Visit our offices in North Durango, Sky Canyon, Henderson, or South Durango, Nevada. Call (702) 941-7800, (702) 803-2020, (702) 299-6200, or (725) 735-8030 to book an appointment today.