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/t. The earliest models of soft contact lenses had a level of oxygen permeability of around 6-8 Dk/t. Today’s silicone hydrogel lenses feature oxygen permeability levels of around 150 Dk/t.
Oxygen permeability and types of lenses
Hydrogel lenses use water in the lens to transport oxygen. Therefore, a higher water content means a greater level of oxygen permeability, with a maximum Dk/t of around 40. In silicone-hydrogel lenses, oxygen is not transported by water, but rather through silicone molecule chains. The silicone molecules in these types of lenses can have an oxygen permeability of more than 100 Dk/t.| Brand | Schedule | Material | Oxygen Permeability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Optix Night and Day Aqua | 30-days | Lotrafilcon A | 175 Dk/t |
| Biofinity | 30-days | Comfilcon A | 160 Dk/t |
| Dailies Total 1 | 1-day | Delefilcon A | 156 Dk/t |
| Acuvue Oasys | 14-days | Sanoficon A | 147 Dk/t |
| Air Optix Aqua | 30-days | Lotrafilcon B | 138 Dk/t |
| Air Optix Aqua Multifocal | 30-days | Lotrafilcon B | 138 Dk/t |
| Purevision 2 | 30-days | Batafilcon A | 130 Dk/t |
| Purevision 2 for Prebyopia | 1-day | Batafilcon A | 130 Dk/t |
| Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism | 14-days | Sanoficon A | 129 Dk/t |
| Biofinity Multifocal | 30-days | Comfilcon A | 128 Dk/t |
| Biofinity XR | 30-days | Comfilcon A | 128 Dk/t |
| Avaira | 14-days | Enfilcon A | 125 Dk/t |
| 1 Day Acuvue TruEye | 1-day | Narafilcon A | 118 Dk/t |
| Biofinity Toric | 30-days | Comfilcon A | 116 Dk/t |
| Purevision | 30-days | Batafilcon A | 112 Dk/t |
| PureVision Toric | 30-days | Batafilcon A | 112 Dk/t |
| PureVision Multi-Focal | 30-days | Balafilcon A | 112 Dk/t |
| Air Optix Plus Hydraglyde | 30-days | Lotrafilcon B | 110 Dk/t |
| Air Optix Colors plano | 30-days | Lotrafilcon B | 110 Dk/t |
| Air Optix Colors power | 30-days | Lotrafilcon B | 110 Dk/t |
| Air Optix for Astigmatism | 30-days | Lotrafilcon B | 108 Dk/t |
| TopVue Premium | 14-days | Innofilcon A | 104 Dk/t |
| TopVue Air | 30-days | Innofilcon A | 104 Dk/t |
| TopVue Air for Astigmatism | 30-days | Innofilcon A | 104 Dk/t |
| TopVue Premium for Astigmatism | 30-days | Innofilcon A | 104 Dk/t |
| Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism | 14-days | Galyficon A | 100 Dk/t |
| Acuvue advance | 14-days | Galyficon A | 100 Dk/t |
| TopVue Air Multifocal | 30-days | Innofilcon A | 100 Dk/t |
| Avaira Toric | 30-days | Enfilcon A | 91 Dk/t |
| Purevision 2 for Astigmatism | 1-day | Batafilcon A | 91 Dk/t |
| Acuvue Advance Plus | 14-days | Galyficon A | 62 Dk/t |
| Biotrue One day | 1-day | Nesofilcon A | 42 Dk/t |
| Proclear Sphere | 30-days | Omafilcon A | 42 Dk/t |
| Proclear Multifocal | 30-days | Omafilcon A | 42 Dk/t |
| Biotrue ONEday for Presbyopia | 1-day | Nesofilcon A | 42 Dk/t |
| Proclear Multifocal XR | 30-days | Omafilcon A | 42 Dk/t |
| Proclear 1 Day | 1-day | Omafilcon A | 37 Dk/t |
| Proclear 1 Day multifocal | 1-day | Omafilcon A | 37 Dk/t |
| 1 Day Acuvue Moist | 1-day | Etafilcon A | 33 Dk/t |
| Acuvue 2 | 14-days | Etafilcon A | 33 Dk/t |
| Biomedics 1 Day Extra | 1-day | Ocufilcon B | 33 Dk/t |
| Frequency 58 UV | 30-days | Metafilcon A | 31 Dk/t |
| Frequency XC | 30-days | Omafilcon A | 31 Dk/t |
| Proclear Toric | 30-days | Omafilcon A | 30 Dk/t |
| Proclear Toric XR | 30 days | Omafilcon A | 30 Dk/t |
| TopVue Bi-Weekly | 14-days | Etafilcon A | 28 Dk/t |
| TopVue Color plano | 30-days | Etafilcon A | 28 Dk/t |
| Dailies AquaComfort Plus | 1-day | Netlfilcon A | 26 Dk/t |
| Focus Dailies All Day Comfort | 1-day | Netlfilcon A | 26 Dk/t |
| TopVue Daily | 1-day | Etafilcon A | 26 Dk/t |
| Focus Dailies Toric | 1-Day | Netlfilcon A | 26 Dk/t |
| Dailies Aqua comfort plus multifocal | 1-day | Netlfilcon A | 26 Dk/t |
| Focus Dailies Progressives | 1-day | Vifilcon A | 26 Dk/t |
| FreshLook One Day Color | 1-day | Netlfilcon A | 26 Dk/t |
| TopVue Monthly | 30-days | Polymacon | 26 Dk/t |
| Dailies Aquacomfort Plus Toric | 1 Day | Netlfilcon A | 26 Dk/t |
| Clear All Day | 30-days | Hioxifilcon A | 25 Dk/t |
| Optima FW | 90-days | Polymacon | 24 Dk/t |
| Soflens 38 | 30-days | Polymacon | 24 Dk/t |
| Carl Zeiss Contact Day 1 | 1-day | Methafilcon A | 24 Dk/t |
| Frequency 55 | 30-days | Metafilcon A | 24 Dk/t |
| 1 Day Acuvue Moist for Astigmatism | 1-day | Etafilcon A | 23 Dk/t |
| Soflens 59 | 30-days | Hilafilcon B | 22 Dk/t |
| Carl Zeiss Contact Day 30 Compatic | 30-days | Vitafilcon A | 22 Dk/t |
| Clear 58 | 30-days | Etafilcon A | 21 Dk/t |
| Surevue | 30-days | Etafilcon A | 21 Dk/t |
| Biomedics 55 Evolution | 30-days | Ocufilcon D | 20 Dk/t |
| Freshlook ColorBlends | 30-days | Phemfilcon A | 20 Dk/t |
| Freshlook Colors | 30-days | Phemfilcon A | 20 Dk/t |
| FreshLook Dimensions | 30-days | Phemfilcon A | 20 Dk/t |
| Carl Zeiss Contact Day 30 Spheric | 30-days | Ocufilcon F | 19 Dk/t |
| Frequency 55 Aspheric | 30-days | Metafilcon A | 19 Dk/t |
| Biomedics 1 Day Extra Toric | 1-day | Ocufilcon D | 17 Dk/t |
