What are Silsoft Aphakic Contact Lenses?

Important Message from the Manufacturer of Silsoft Contacts, April 4th, 2022:

Bausch & Lomb has received FDA approval for the new Silsoft packaging. They are now making and shipping orders for Silsoft. If you need more Silsoft lenses, please place your order here.

Message from the Manufacturer of Silsoft Contacts, February 11, 2022:

Bausch & Lomb has announced they expect to get FDA approval by May or June 2022. In the meantime, many prescription parameters are out of stock.

For those who's parameters are out of stock, B&L is taking preorders which will ship as soon as FDA approval is given.

If you want us to check on your particular prescription, please send us an email and we can reach out to Bausch & Lomb on your behalf.

Message from the Manufacturer on June 28, 2022:

Bausch & Lomb recently released a letter explaining that they are having supply chain issues with the Silsoft contact lenses. You can read the letter in detail here.

Basically, the manufacturer of the vial lid has gone out of business and B&L needs FDA approval to change to a new lid manufacturer.

Bausch & Lomb still has a supply of lenses with the old vial lids, and will continue shipping orders until their supplies run out. They will provide an update in September 2021.

If you place an order for Silsoft lenses with us, we'll check with Bausch & Lomb to make sure they have your prescription in stock. If there are any issues, we will let you know as soon as we know.

Thanks for your patience as we wait for the manufacturer to work through these supply chain issues!

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The human eye is made up of several different parts that all work together to provide the miracle of sight. When one part of the eye doesn’t function properly, visual impairment can result. For the vast majority of people that visual impairment can be corrected with normal glasses or contact lenses. But for those who suffer from Aphakia special custom eyewear is needed.

What is Aphakia?

Aphakia is a condition where your eye is missing its interocular lens, either due to being born without it or having it removed for medical reasons. Your intraocular lens is actually inside your eye, and it changes shape to help you focus on near or far objects. Without it, your eye is completely unable to see and focus on things. Being born without an interocular lens is called congenital aphakia.

What is a Cataract?

A cataract is the clouding of your eye’s interocular lens. Cataracts usually form due to long term exposure to UV radiation from the sun, which is why they are more common in older people. Sometimes, however, they can be present at birth in what is known as congenital cataracts.  

To remove cataracts, a doctor has to completely remove the interocular lens. Usually they will replace it with an artificial one, but in some situations they may choose not to. For patients who get their interocular lens removed, the only way to see again is with a special Aphakic contact lens.

What is Silsoft?

Silsoft is a special contact lens made for patients without an interocular lens (also know as Aphakia). Silsoft is made of a special material that allows unparalleled amounts of oxygen through. Unlike most soft contact lenses, Silsoft Aphakic contact lenses can actually last an entire year. Also unlike regular contact lenses, some doctors will even permit you to sleep in Silsoft contact lenses.

What is Silsoft Super Plus?

Silsoft Super Plus Aphakic Contact Lenses are a special version of Silsoft made specifically for kids (aka pediatric patients). For children who have had their interocular lens removed (or were both without one), Silsoft is a great option to correct their site without needing to rely on glasses. Since Silsoft Super Plus is made up of a highly oxygen permeable material called elastofilcon, doctors will generally allow children to sleep in these contact lenses.

Is Silsoft expensive?

At $199.99 per lens, both Silsoft Adult or Silsoft Pediatric lenses can seem a bit on the pricy side. Unlike regular soft contact lenses, a single Silsoft lens can actually last all year long, which ends up making them comparable in price to most monthly contact lenses on the market.

For families at or below the federal poverty line, Bausch and Lomb will actually cover the entire cost of the Silsoft contact lenses. You can learn more about this generous program on the Bausch and Lomb website, but it is important to note it only applies to Silsoft lenses purchased from your eye doctor and not from online retailers.

Bottom Line

If you have Aphakia, talk to your doctor about Silsoft Aphakic Contact Lenses. These highly breathable lenses could be just what you need. And since they last for a whole year and can even be slept in, they are actually one of the most affordable contact lenses on the market today.