Piggyback Lenses

Soft contact lenses | Rigid gas permeable or RGP (otherwise known as hard lenses) | Piggyback lenses

A piggyback lens utilises 2 types of lenses: RGP and soft lenses. A soft contact lens, ideally made of silicone hydrogel, is usually worn when fitting piggyback lenses as they provide better oxygen transmission.

RGP lens is then fitted on top of the soft contact lens. The soft contact lens shields the cornea from the RGP lens and acts as a cushion to provide better comfort and stability, reducing RGP lens awareness and more stable vision.

By combining the 2 lenses, one can enjoy the clear vision of a RGP lens with the comfort of a soft contact lens.

When is a piggyback lens fitted?

Piggyback lenses are good for patients with highly irregular corneas whose RGP lenses do not centre well on the cornea or become intolerant to RGP lenses.

Drawback to piggyback lenses

It can prove troublesome to some as it requires learning 2 different methods of inserting and removing the lenses. The cleaning solutions used for the 2 types of lenses differ as well, although this can be solved with the use of daily disposable soft contact lenses.

In addition, it requires more time and money to fit and maintain these lenses as 2 types of contact lenses are used.