Dailies Contact Lenses

What exactly does contact lens diameter measure?

The contact lens I am currently using is 14.5 in diameter, but I am currently out of the country and having a hard time finding 14.5 lenses. Does this diameter measure the diameter of the pupil/area of the contact lens covering the pupil, or does it measure the diameter of the entire lens itself? Also, what differences will I experience if I switched to a 14.2 or 14.0 lens? Sorry, I meant iris, not pupil.

Public Comments

1. The diameter of the contact lens depends upon the diameter of the cornea but there is no hard and fast for that.Lens should be 2.0 mm larger than the diameter of the cornea. I think it depends upon the availability of the lenses.No differece between 14.2 and 14.0
2. honestly, you probably won't notice a difference. it is the diameter of the entire lens. certain brands only come in one diameter, but what will make a difference is the base curve (the 8.5 or 8.7, etc). 14.5 is actually very large, the largest size, so i would think (although not from experience) that going smaller would be more comfortable, as that part of your eye is used to having a contact lens on it. if you were going from small to large it may be uncomfortable having a lens on a new part of your eye (if that makes sense).
3. It's the diameter of the lens itself. In most cases, you won't notice much difference at all. WIth colored lenses, they tend to be 14.5 so that they cover more of your eye and you won't have your natural color sticking out past the edges. I would not recommend that you wear a different lens other than what you are prescribed, though. Don't just order something else because you are out of the country. Lots of websites will deliver all over the world, so just go to CoastalContacts.com and order your correct lenses. If you have the boxes with you, you can just get the brand name and all the numbers you need off the side of the box.