Are daily disposable lenses healthier than monthlies?

Clinical research consistently shows daily disposable lenses have a lower rate of microbial keratitis (corneal infection) than reusable lenses. Reasons:

• No case — most infections trace back to a contaminated lens case rather than the lens itself.
• No solution storage — solutions can lose efficacy if mishandled or left past their expiry.
• No accumulated protein, lipid or makeup deposits — these gradually compromise lens performance.
• You always wear a lens within hours of opening it, which is when fresh-lens optics, oxygen permeability and surface lubricity are at their best.

Trade-offs:

• Cost: daily disposables typically cost 1.5–2× more per day than monthlies.
• Packaging waste: more blister packs per year. Some brands (e.g. Acuvue) now run recycling programmes.

For most people the health benefit outweighs the cost — especially for allergy sufferers, intermittent wearers, and anyone who has had a previous infection.