If you have the mind of an engineer, and love breaking things down to their parts, here is a quick overview of the ins-and-outs of contact lenses. Contact lenses are essentially small, convex disks that offer optical benefits – such as improved near- or far-sightedness. They are specially created to cover the cornea (the front of the eye ball). On an interesting note, contacts don’t actually make "contact" with the surface of the cornea, they instead drape over it, and sit on a coating of tears that the eye produces naturally.

Contact lenses, which have been around for over a hundred years, are considered medical devices, and are thus overseen and regulated by the FDA. To acquire contact lenses, you first need to be examined by an eye doctor or eye care professional who is both qualified and certified to write a prescription for the proper contact lenses for you. After a visit with your eye doctor, you will learn how to properly wear and care for your lenses to preserve eye health.