Daily, Monthly, Multifocal & More: Which Contact Lens Is Right for Your Summer Lifestyle?

Every summer, I have some version of the same conversation in the exam chair. A patient mentions they've been swimming in their monthly lenses, or stretching a two-week lens into week four because the box ran low, or hauling reading glasses to the beach because their contacts only fix distance. And every summer, my answer starts the same way: the “best” contact lens isn't a brand or a price point. It's the lens that matches how you actually live.

There are more lens options today than most wearers realize — so let's walk through each type we fit at Michigan Eye Consultants, and how a Michigan summer should factor into your choice.

Daily Disposable Lenses

A fresh, sterile lens every morning, thrown away every night. No case, no solution, no cleaning routine. Dailies carry a meaningful hygiene advantage: a lens that's only ever been on your eye once has far less opportunity to accumulate deposits, bacteria, or damage.

Summer is where dailies really shine. Travel breaks routines — cases get forgotten, solution doesn't make it through airport security — and dailies remove the entire routine from the equation. And while no lens is safe to swim in, if water contact is going to happen, a daily you toss immediately afterward is the lowest-risk way to handle it. Lakes, pools, and hot tubs all carry microorganisms that a lens can trap directly against your cornea, which is how serious infections start.

Bi-Weekly and Monthly Soft Lenses

Worn during the day, cleaned and stored each night, and replaced on a set schedule — every two weeks or every 30 days depending on the lens. Monthlies remain an excellent option for consistent, disciplined wearers, and they're available in a very wide range of prescriptions, including some designs that dailies don't cover.

The summer caveat: more sun, wind, and long days outside mean more dryness and more debris, and a lens on day 22 of 30 simply doesn't start the day as clean as a fresh one. If you're a monthly wearer, summer is the season to be strict about your replacement schedule — not the season to stretch it.

Toric Lenses for Astigmatism

If you've been told your astigmatism means you can't wear contacts, that information is out of date. Toric lenses are designed specifically to correct astigmatism, and they're now available in daily, bi-weekly, and monthly options. The fitting matters more with torics — the lens has to sit in the right orientation on your eye to work — which is exactly what we dial in during your contact lens exam.

Multifocal Contact Lenses

If you're over 40 and your summer involves putting on readers to see the menu, taking them off to see the lake, and losing them somewhere in between — multifocal contacts are worth a conversation. They correct distance and near vision in a single lens. One fitting, and the readers become backup.

We fit multifocal designs in both daily and monthly forms, and matching the design to how you spend your day is most of the battle. This is one of my favorite problems to solve in the exam chair, because the before-and-after is immediate.

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses

Often called “hard” lenses, RGP lenses are smaller, durable lenses that hold their shape on the eye. For certain prescriptions and corneal conditions, they deliver sharper vision than any soft lens can — and many long-time RGP wearers wouldn't trade them for anything. If you've worn them for years or your prescription calls for them, yes, we fit them.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) Lenses

Ortho-K lenses are specialty rigid lenses worn overnight that gently reshape the front surface of the eye while you sleep — so you can see clearly during the day without glasses or contacts at all. Think of it as vision correction that happens while you're in bed. Ortho-K requires a specialized fitting and monitoring, and it isn't for everyone, but for the right candidate it's a remarkable option. Ask us whether you're a fit at your next exam.

Whichever You Choose: Don't Run Out in July

The most preventable contact lens problem I see all summer is the empty box. When the supply runs low, people stretch lenses past their replacement schedule — and stretched lenses are uncomfortable, deposit-prone lenses. An annual supply solves the habit before it starts: a full year of lenses on hand, no emergency orders, and fresh lenses actually replaced on time. Ask us about it at your next contact lens exam and we'll walk you through the options.

Questions Patients Ask Me About Contact Lens Types

Can I ever swim in my contact lenses?

I don't recommend swimming in any contact lens — water exposure is one of the biggest infection risks lens wearers face. If contact with water happens, daily disposables you discard immediately afterward are the lowest-risk approach. Prescription goggles or a fresh daily under sealed swim goggles are safer routes for regular swimmers.

Are daily lenses more comfortable than monthlies?

Many patients find them so, simply because every day starts with a brand-new lens — no accumulated deposits, no aging material. That said, comfort depends heavily on fit, material, and your tear film, which is why we evaluate all three during a fitting.

How do I know if I need toric or multifocal lenses?

Your prescription tells us. If you have astigmatism, a toric design keeps your vision crisp; if you're juggling reading glasses over your contacts, a multifocal design can consolidate both corrections into one lens. Some patients need both features — and options exist for that too.

What if I sleep in my contacts by accident?

Remove them as soon as you realize, give your eyes a break, and use fresh lenses afterward. Sleeping in regular lenses meaningfully raises infection risk (ortho-K lenses are the deliberate, specially designed exception), so if you notice redness, pain, light sensitivity, or blurred vision afterward, call us promptly — we provide urgent eye care, including same-week visits when something feels wrong.

How do I know which lens is right for me?

A contact lens exam and fitting. We evaluate your prescription, the health of the front surface of your eye, your tear film, and — just as importantly — how you actually spend your days. The right lens is the one that fits both.

Ready to Match Your Lenses to Your Summer?

Whether you're due for a fitting, curious about switching to dailies, tired of the reading glasses shuffle, interested in ortho-K, or just want to make sure your supply outlasts the season, we're here to help.

Michigan Eye Consultants — 29273 Dequindre Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071

Call 586-302-3222 or book online at michiganeyeconsultants.com/mecappt.html. We offer weekday and Saturday appointments (Saturdays 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM), and we serve patients from Madison Heights, Troy, Royal Oak, Warren, and across Metro Detroit.

— Dr. Kenneth Wong, OD