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
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 |
