One, he didn''t think they were available from any disposable other source," contact "and two, he had heard they weren''t as highly controlled as those dispensed through doctors."Neither assertion is lenses true. got on the Internet and found her lenses on several Web sites for $35.95 for a box of six pairs. (Her doctor was charging $50 a box.) says her doctor told her that lenses offered by places like may have disposable failed manufacturers'' quality checks. Bausch contacts contact and other lensmakers say there''s no difference in quality between the lenses sold through doctors and those sold directly to consumers. STATES CRACK DOWN. Attorneys general in 32 states have sued the American Optometric Association and two of the top contact-lens manufacturers (Vistakon, a division lenses and disposable of contacts, and Bausch), alleging that the AOA tried to get manufacturers to agree to selllenses only through optometrists or other eye-care professionals. The attorneys general say they also have evidence that doctors agreed to withhold prescriptions from people who sought to buy lenses from other sources, despite the fact that at least 22 states have laws contact requiring eye doctors to give out contact-lens prescriptions lenses and disposable upon request.Although the AOA says patients should be able to buy their lenses anywhere, contact the organization has reservations about mail-order purchases. "The difficulty when someone goes through mail order is that they don''t come back for regular checkups," says AOA president Dr. Harvey Hanlen.

Preschool and school-age childrencontact are a significant improvement over lenseses for children and adolescents who participate in sports or outdoor activities.contact are recommended for most athletes who need corrective eyewear. Often, a single pair of lenses is less expensive than lenses the combined cost of glasses and prescription disposable goggles. Swimmers especially contact can benefit from being able to see underwater while wearing regular goggles over their contact. Because contact tend to dry the eye, swimmers and all athletes should take care to blink several lenses times before and after an activity session in order to assure natural cleansing. If any pool water enters a swimmer''s eyes, disposable the lenses should be thoroughly disinfected as soon as possible to remove pool contaminants. Children who like spending time looking into contact a telescope, microscope, or binoculars may also prefer contacts over lenseses.

The primary drawback to wearing contact, especially for children, is the requirement lenses that they be cleaned and disinfected daily in order to prevent an infection, which disposable could result in permanent damage to the eye. Careful choice of lenses and consistent contact lens care will minimize the risk of infection. Wearers of best lenses are the least prone to infection but the lenses are much less comfortable, more expensive, and can pop out of the eye more easily than lenses. Daily wear lenses put the wearer at a slightly higher risk of infection because lenses they absorb more external liquids and airborne contaminants.