Daily vs Monthly Contact Lenses: Which Is Right for You?
Daily disposable and monthly reusable contact lenses both correct vision effectively. The right choice depends on your lifestyle, wearing frequency, and eye health history.
Updated · Dr. David Wilkinson
Daily disposable and monthly reusable contact lenses are the two most common formats in Canada. Both correct vision effectively — the differences come down to convenience, hygiene, cost, and how often you wear them.
Daily disposable lenses
You open a new pair each morning and discard them at the end of the day. No cleaning, no case, no solution.
Best for:
- Part-time wearers (a few days a week)
- People with allergies or dry eye — fresh lenses mean no protein build-up
- Frequent travellers
- Anyone who prefers a simpler routine
Trade-offs:
- Higher cost per box than monthly lenses
- More packaging waste
Monthly reusable lenses
One pair lasts up to 30 days of wear. Each night, you clean, rinse, and store them in fresh solution.
Best for:
- Full-time daily wearers — cost per wear is lower
- People comfortable with a nightly care routine
Trade-offs:
- Require lens solution and a clean case (replace the case monthly)
- Risk of complications rises if cleaning is skipped or done incorrectly
- Protein and lipid deposits accumulate over the month
Two-week lenses
A middle option — replaced every 14 days. Less common than dailies or monthlies but still available in most prescriptions.
What about fortnightly vs monthly for dry eye?
Dry eye patients generally do better with daily lenses because fresh lenses have no accumulated deposits. If you experience end-of-day dryness in monthly lenses, switching to dailies often resolves it before any prescription changes are needed.
Silicone hydrogel vs hydrogel
Most premium contacts today are silicone hydrogel, which transmits 5–6 times more oxygen to the cornea than older hydrogel materials. This matters most for full-time wearers and anyone prone to red, irritated eyes from lens wear. Ask your optometrist specifically for a silicone hydrogel option if oxygen transmission is a concern.
The fitting appointment
Contact lens prescriptions are separate from glasses prescriptions and cannot be used interchangeably. A fitting visit allows your optometrist to:
- Measure your corneal curvature (base curve) and diameter
- Trial lenses from different brands in the same prescription
- Check the lens fit under a slit lamp
- Rule out conditions that make lens wear inadvisable
In Ontario, trial lenses are typically provided at no charge at the fitting visit.
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Book an appointment →Frequently Asked Questions
- Are daily contact lenses better than monthly lenses?
- Neither is universally better — the right choice depends on how often you wear contacts, your history of eye infections or dry eye, and your budget. Daily lenses are more convenient and hygienic because you open a fresh pair each day. Monthly lenses cost less per lens but require nightly cleaning and a case.
- Are daily contacts more expensive than monthly contacts?
- Daily contacts have a higher upfront cost per box but eliminate the need for lens solution and cases. For someone who wears contacts every day, annual costs are often similar. For part-time wearers (2–3 days per week), dailies are typically more economical because you only use what you need.
- Can I sleep in my contact lenses?
- Standard soft daily and monthly lenses are not approved for overnight wear. Sleeping in contacts significantly increases the risk of corneal infection (microbial keratitis). Extended-wear silicone hydrogel lenses are approved for up to 30 consecutive nights in some cases, but overnight wear still carries higher risk and requires specific recommendation from your optometrist.
- What are monthly contact lenses made of?
- Most modern monthly contact lenses are made of silicone hydrogel, which allows significantly more oxygen to pass through to the cornea compared to older hydrogel materials. Higher oxygen transmission reduces the risk of corneal hypoxia and related complications.
- How do I know if contact lenses are right for me?
- Most people with common refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or presbyopia) are good candidates for contact lenses. A contact lens fitting with your optometrist — which is separate from a glasses prescription — is required to determine the right lens brand, diameter, and base curve for your eyes.
Author
Dr. David Wilkinson, OD, FAAO — Pending clinical review
Optometrist, Spadina Optometry
A Toronto native and Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, Dr. David Wilkinson has been part of our optometric practice since earning his OD from the Illinois College of Optometry in 2007. A certified clinical investigator with a special interest in contact lenses and myopia management, he serves as a part-time Clinical Instructor at the University of Waterloo's Waterloo Eye Institute and previously spent nearly a decade as Practice Advisor at the College of Optometrists of Ontario.