Oxygen permeability

Oxygen permeability describes the amount of oxygen that is able to pass through the contact lens to reach the eye. Its value is expressed in Dk/L. The earliest models of soft contact lenses had a level of oxygen permeability of around 6-8 Dk/L. Today’s silicone hydrogel lenses feature oxygen permeability levels of around 150 Dk/L.

Oxygen permeability and types of lenses

Oxygen permeability and types of lenses

Hydrogel lens transports oxygen mainly by the water in the lens, therefore, high water content means high oxygen permeability. Even when the water content of the lens is as high as 99%, the oxygen permeability would not go over the theoretical value, which is 40. As for the silicone hydrogel lens, although it also contains water, oxygen is not transported by water; instead, it is delivered by the polymer which consists of silicon molecule chains. The theoretical value of silicon molecule’s oxygen permeability can be more than 100; therefore, silicone hydrogel lens’ oxygen permeability is much higher than hydrogel lens’, which depends on water to transport oxygen.

Brand Schedule Material Oxygen Permeability
Air Optix Night and Day Aqua 30-days Lotrafilcon A 175 Dk/L
Biofinity 30-days Comfilcon A 160 Dk/L
Dailies Total 1 1-day Delefilcon A 156 Dk/L
Acuvue Oasys 14-days Sanoficon A 147 Dk/L
Air Optix Aqua 30-days Lotrafilcon B 138 Dk/L
Air Optix Aqua Multifocal 30-days Lotrafilcon B 138 Dk/L
Purevision 2 30-days Batafilcon A 130 Dk/L
Purevision 2 for Prebyopia 1-day Batafilcon A 130 Dk/L
Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism 14-days Sanoficon A 129 Dk/L
Biofinity Multifocal 30-days Comfilcon A 128 Dk/L
Biofinity XR 30-days Comfilcon A 128 Dk/L
Avaira 14-days Enfilcon A 125 Dk/L
1 Day Acuvue TruEye 1-day Narafilcon A 118 Dk/L
Biofinity Toric 30-days Comfilcon A 116 Dk/L
Purevision 30-days Batafilcon A 112 Dk/L
PureVision Toric 30-days Batafilcon A 112 Dk/L
PureVision Multi-Focal 30-days Balafilcon A 112 Dk/L
Air Optix Plus Hydraglyde 30-days Lotrafilcon B 110 Dk/L
Air Optix Colors plano 30-days Lotrafilcon B 110 Dk/L
Air Optix Colors power 30-days Lotrafilcon B 110 Dk/L
Air Optix for Astigmatism 30-days Lotrafilcon B 108 Dk/L
TopVue Premium 14-days Innofilcon A 104 Dk/L
TopVue Air 30-days Innofilcon A 104 Dk/L
TopVue Air for Astigmatism 30-days Innofilcon A 104 Dk/L
TopVue Premium for Astigmatism 30-days Innofilcon A 104 Dk/L
Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism 14-days Galyficon A 100 Dk/L
Acuvue advance 14-days Galyficon A 100 Dk/L
TopVue Air Multifocal 30-days Innofilcon A 100 Dk/L
Avaira Toric 30-days Enfilcon A 91 Dk/L
Purevision 2 for Astigmatism 1-day Batafilcon A 91 Dk/L
Acuvue Advance Plus 14-days Galyficon A 62 Dk/L
Biotrue One day 1-day Nesofilcon A 42 Dk/L
Proclear Sphere 30-days Omafilcon A 42 Dk/L
Proclear Multifocal 30-days Omafilcon A 42 Dk/L
Biotrue ONEday for Presbyopia 1-day Nesofilcon A 42 Dk/L
Proclear Multifocal XR 30-days Omafilcon A 42 Dk/L
Proclear 1 Day 1-day Omafilcon A 37 Dk/L
Proclear 1 Day multifocal 1-day Omafilcon A 37 Dk/L
1 Day Acuvue Moist 1-day Etafilcon A 33 Dk/L
Acuvue 2 14-days Etafilcon A 33 Dk/L
Biomedics 1 Day Extra 1-day Ocufilcon B 33 Dk/L
Frequency 58 UV 30-days Metafilcon A 31 Dk/L
Frequency XC 30-days Omafilcon A 31 Dk/L
Proclear Toric 30-days Omafilcon A 30 Dk/L
Proclear Toric XR 30 days Omafilcon A 30 Dk/L
TopVue Bi-Weekly 14-days Etafilcon A 28 Dk/L
TopVue Color plano 30-days Etafilcon A 28 Dk/L
Dailies AquaComfort Plus 1-day Netlfilcon A 26 Dk/L
Focus Dailies All Day Comfort 1-day Netlfilcon A 26 Dk/L
TopVue Daily 1-day Etafilcon A 26 Dk/L
Focus Dailies Toric 1-Day Netlfilcon A 26 Dk/L
Dailies Aqua comfort plus multifocal 1-day Netlfilcon A 26 Dk/L
Focus Dailies Progressives 1-day Vifilcon A 26 Dk/L
FreshLook One Day Color plano 1-day Netlfilcon A 26 Dk/L
FreshLook One Day Color power 1-day Netlfilcon A 26 Dk/L
TopVue Monthly 30-days Polymacon 26 Dk/L
Dailies Aquacomfort Plus Toric 1 Day Netlfilcon A 26 Dk/L
Clear All Day 30-days Hioxifilcon A 25 Dk/L
Optima FW 90-days Polymacon 24 Dk/L
Soflens 38 30-days Polymacon 24 Dk/L
Carl Zeiss Contact Day 1 1-day Methafilcon A 24 Dk/L
Frequency 55 30-days Metafilcon A 24 Dk/L
1 Day Acuvue Moist for Astigmatism 1-day Etafilcon A 23 Dk/L
Soflens 59 30-days Hilafilcon B 22 Dk/L
Carl Zeiss Contact Day 30 Compatic 30-days Vitafilcon A 22 Dk/L
Clear 58 30-days Etafilcon A 21 Dk/L
Surevue 30-days Etafilcon A 21 Dk/L
Biomedics 55 Evolution 30-days Ocufilcon D 20 Dk/L
Freshlook ColorBlends plano 30-days Phemfilcon A 20 Dk/L
Freshlook ColorBlends power 30-days Phemfilcon A 20 Dk/L
Freshlook Colors plano 30-days Phemfilcon A 20 Dk/L
Freshlook Colors power 30-days Phemfilcon A 20 Dk/L
FreshLook Dimensions plano 30-days Phemfilcon A 20 Dk/L
FreshLook Dimensions power 30-days Phemfilcon A 20 Dk/L
Carl Zeiss Contact Day 30 Spheric 30-days Ocufilcon F 19 Dk/L
Frequency 55 Aspheric 30-days Metafilcon A 19 Dk/L
Biomedics 1 Day Extra Toric 1-day Ocufilcon D 17 Dk/L

Lenses with high oxygen permeability