12 Of The Best Contact Lenses, According To An Ophthalmologist

Type: Daily | Material: 62% senofilcon A | Water content: 38%

Think of this as an all-around comfortable, hydrating and easy-to-wear lens that takes you from early morning workouts to late nights out. It features proprietary tear-infused technology that lubricates and moisturizes your lenses, reducing dryness, even if you work long days using digital devices for more than 8 hours at a time. Translation: No headaches, squinting or rubbing at dry, itchy eyes.

What you’ll love:

• Comfortable to wear while using screens
• Class 1 UV blocking
• Ideal for nearsighted and farsighted vision

Keep in mind:

• On the pricier side

Type: Daily | Material: Olifilcon B | Water content: 55%

Subscription-based Hubble Contacts was founded in 2016 with the goal of providing high-quality lenses at economical prices. This silicone hydrogel style is one of three types offered by Hubble, and it features increased oxygen permeability, which translates to breathability and extended comfort. It also has a multi-curvature design to minimize shifting on the eye, so it stays put even when you blink. New customers get 40% off their first order.

What you’ll love:

• Highly breathable for lasting comfort
• Surface technology promotes moistness
• You can choose from 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription bundle

Keep in mind:

• They don’t offer bi-weekly or monthly lenses

Type: Daily | Material: 42% etalficon A | Water content: 58%

Direct-to-consumer subscription contact lens brand Waldo has been in business since 2017, and since then they’ve partnered with Walmart to make affordable contacts more widely available. This hydrogel lens style features hyaluronic agents and vitamin B12 to keep eyes lubricated and help with water retention. They also have UV protection that blocks 83% of UVA and 97% UVB rays. Many reviewers report they can’t tell the difference between Waldo lenses and more expensive brands.

What you’ll love:

• Affordable
• Hygienic daily use

Keep in mind:

• Not as breathable as some other lenses
• Don’t come as toric or multifocal lenses

Type: Daily | Material: 67% delefilcon A | Water content: 33%

“These contacts are thin and highly breathable, which makes them great for everyday wear,” says optometrist Dr. Inna Lazar, of Greenwich Eye Care. In fact, Alcon Dailies claim to have the highest breathability of any daily disposable, meaning oxygen can permeate the contact and keep eyes comfortable. They also feature two technologies that improve your eye environment: water gradient technology, which increases moisture at the surface of the lens, and SmarTears technology, which releases phosphatidylcholine (PC)—an ingredient found naturally in tears—to stabilize the lipid layer of the lens. The result? Flawless vision, and the sensation that you’re not wearing contacts at all.

What you’ll love:

• Good for those who experience contact lens dryness
• Comes in a multifocal and astigmatism version
• Rebates available to keep costs down

Keep in mind:

• Doesn’t block UV

Type: Monthly | Material: 52% comfilcon A | Water content: 48%

People often choose monthly contacts over dailies because they find them to be more convenient and less wasteful. CooperVision Biofinity contacts feature the company’s proprietary Aquaform Technology, which allows oxygen to permeate the lens and lock in moisture, even when you’re blinking less. “These lenses are great for extended wear, and they offer lasting comfort,” says Lazar. In addition to being good for 30 days, they can be safely worn overnight or continuously for up to 6 nights. Biofinity lenses also feature their Aberration Neutralizing System, which works to minimize a common optical imperfection and create better focus and sharper vision.

What you’ll love:

• Enhanced vision quality
• Cost effective
• Less plastic waste

Keep in mind:

• Greater risk of bacteria buildup with monthly lenses

Type: Daily | Material: 49% verofilcon A | Water content: 51%

These top-rated, daily wear contacts are equally popular with newbies as they are with longtime contacts wearers. Made from breathable silicone hydrogel, their proprietary Smart Surface technology keeps moisture on the outermost lens surface, which means they won’t dry out or stick and give you that irritated red-eye look. Since Precision 1 contacts are dailies, they’re less likely to accumulate deposits. These are also class 1 UV protections lenses, blocking 96% of UVA rays and 100% of UVB rays.

What you’ll love:

• Blue visibility tint for easier handling
• Highly rated by users
• Also available for those with astigmatism

Keep in mind:

• Some say they can be harder to remove

Type: Monthly | Material: 67% lotrafilcon B | Water content: 33%

Made from silicone hydrogel—a porous soft contact material—these lenses have an oxygen transmissibility of 138 Dk/t, which means they’re one of the most breathable options on the market. Two other standout features: SmartShield Technology, a thin layer that’s intended to protect your lenses from irritating deposits and HydraGlyde Moisture Matrix, which promises to maintain surface moisture for up to 16 hours.

What you’ll love:

• Good for daily wear or extended wear
• Extremely breathable
• Ideal for those who are nearsighted or farsighted

Keep in mind:

• Only available as monthly replacement lenses

Type: Daily | Material: 31% nelfilcon A | Water content: 69%

Sensitive eyes are easily irritated by pretty much, well, everything—the surrounding environment, eye makeup, spending lots of time at a computer, you name it. So ensuring your contacts are as comfortable as possible is key to keeping eyes happy—and redness free. These lenses feature Blink-Activated Moisture Technology, which basically means they release a wetting agent every time you blink to keep eyes moist and comfortable.

What you’ll love:

• Available for farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia
• Recyclable plastic component in each pack
• Visibly tinted for easy handling

Keep in mind:

• No UV blocking

Type: Daily | Material: 31% nelfilcon A | Water content: 69%

Changing your eye color with contact lenses can be a transformative way to refresh your look, much like putting on a new outfit or unexpected accessory. Still, you don’t want colored contacts to be too obvious or they’ll look costume-y. “These daily contacts offer the most natural look when altering your eye color,” says Lazar. The brand’s technology uses three layers of color to brighten and add depth and make eyes appear larger. They come in four options—blue, green, grey and hazel.

What you’ll love:

• Discreet color amplification
• Gives definition to the outer ring of the iris
• Virtual try-on tool on the Alcon website

Keep in mind:

• Not available for astigmatism correction
• Color can be subtle