What’s the Difference: Daily vs Monthly Contacts

Are you one of the more than 24 million people in the United States who wear contacts? There might be several reasons why you prefer contacts. They can be especially helpful if you exercise regularly or don't like to wear glasses, but you'll need to replace them frequently for your eye health. 

How often you need to replace them depends on whether you choose daily vs. monthly contacts. Read on to discover the pros and cons of each of these types of lenses from the contact lens experts at Clarkson Eyecare!

What Are Daily Contacts?

Daily contact lenses are disposable and meant to be worn for one day. When you're ready to remove your daily disposable contact lenses, simply take them out and toss them — no cleaning, disinfecting, or storage necessary! If you don’t have the time to care for and maintain your contact lenses, then daily contacts might be a good choice for you.

The Pros of Daily Contact Lenses

Because they're worn for just one day, daily contacts have a low risk of an eye infection. They're less likely to incur a buildup of deposits like proteins and allergens, which can cause chronic inflammation and make the lens uncomfortable to wear.

Since they don't require cleaning and storage, daily contacts are more convenient than monthly contacts. They can also save you time in your daily routine since you don't need to clean your lenses before you put them in. When you're done wearing them, simply throw them away — or better yet, learn how to properly recycle them. 

Finally, daily contact lenses can help you save money on contact lens supplies and accessories. After purchasing your daily contacts, you won't need to buy other contact lens supplies like cleaning solutions (which you need if you wear monthly contacts). Since there's no disinfecting involved, your eyes won't be exposed to contact lens solutions, which can be irritating for some.

The Cons of Daily Contact Lenses

Daily contacts are made of thinner materials, which may increase the risk of tearing. As such, it's a good idea to carry a spare pair of contact lenses and a backup pair of eyeglasses.

The upfront cost of daily contacts is higher because you’ll be buying a lot more of them. Whereas you can get away with buying 12 pairs of monthly contacts, you’ll need a pair of daily contacts for every day of the year. That means you'll pay more initially for daily vs. monthly contacts. You may save money in the future since you won't need to buy lens solutions to clean and disinfect them. Additionally, if you have a condition such as astigmatism that requires toric lenses to correct, the initial cost of daily contact lenses may be even higher.

Throwing away lenses each day produces more daily waste than monthly contacts. Contact lenses should never be flushed. You can reduce this waste by recycling your contact lenses properly.

What Are Monthly Contacts?

Monthly contact lenses are meant to be worn for about 30 days. They must be removed, cleaned, disinfected, and stored each night in a contact lens case. When the 30 days are up, you dispose of your lenses and start fresh with a new pair.

The Pros of Monthly Contact Lenses

The cost of purchasing monthly contact lenses is lower than the cost of purchasing daily lenses over the same period. Additionally, the cost per period for contacts for specialized eye conditions, like astigmatism, tends to be lower. Because you're not disposing of lenses each day, there's less waste. However, there are other kinds of waste such as the plastics in lens cases and contact lens solution bottles, but to a much lesser degree.

Monthly contact lenses are thicker than daily contact lenses and are meant to last longer. This thicker material makes monthly lenses less prone to damage and tearing.

The Cons of Monthly Contact Lenses

Because monthly contacts are built to be handled more often and last longer than daily contacts, they're composed of stronger materials. Therefore, monthly contacts might feel thicker, and possibly less comfortable, in your eye than daily contacts. This feeling may go away the longer you wear your lenses.

Since they're worn for longer periods, debris can accumulate on the lenses, interfering with clear vision. That's why cleaning and storing your monthly contacts properly is important. There is an increased risk of developing an eye infection if proper lens care routines aren’t followed. Monthly contacts require daily maintenance and added costs associated with lens care solutions. The care involved can add time to your schedule.