Dailies AquaComfort Plus Review (Pros/Cons, Pricing, and More)

Do you experience increasing dryness throughout the day while wearing your contacts? Are you looking for a daily lens option that is great for new or established wearers? If so, consider trying Alcon’s Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lens!

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Blink-activated moisturizing agents

To start, Dailies AquaComfort Plus was first released to the US market in 2008. It was designed to replace Alcon’s Focus Dailies by providing crisp, clear vision and superior comfort as soon as you put them in. In addition, this contact lens releases blink-activated moisturizing agents over a 20 hour period of time for continuous comfort throughout your entire day.  

The lens is bathed in the saline solution hydroxy-propyl methylcellulose (HPMC). HPMC helps provide immediate comfort when you put it in your eyes and is one of the primary ingredients found in some of the main dry eye drops on the market.

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Also, Dailies AquaComfort Plus contains the blinked activated moisturizing agents polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Like HPMC, PEG is an ingredient found in dry eye drops.

On the other hand, PVA has water-loving (hydrophilic) properties that improve moisture coverage and enhances your overall comfort when wearing this lens. In addition, PVA helps improve vision and comfort by maintaining the stability of your tear film as your day goes on. 

Overall, Dailies AquaComfort Plus is a contact lens that is comfortable right when you put it in and stays that way throughout the day.

RELATED: 1-Day Acuvue Moist Review

Powers, availability and more

Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses come in a single curve and width that was designed to fit a large range of contact lens wearers. Also, it’s available in powers ranging from -10 to +6 and has a light blue Visitint tint that makes it easy to see for putting in and taking out.

When fit with Dailies AquaComfort Plus by your eye care professional, you’ll receive a trial box that contains 5 contact lenses for each eye. In fact, Dailies AquaComfort Plus even has a free trial offer you can print out and provide your eye doctor.

Once your prescription is finalized, this contact lens is available for purchase in 30 packs and 90 packs. Also, as noted in the name, they are designed for daily wear and should be thrown away at the end of the day. Therefore, they’re NOT approved to be slept in!

Note: If you plan on taking your daily contact lenses out for a nap or to go swimming, we recommend storing them in Biotrue, RevitaLens, or Opti-free Pure Moist contact lens solutions.

Does Dailies AquaComfort Plus have a contact lens for astigmatism?

Yes! Released to the US market in 2014, Dailies AquaComfort Plus Toric is a great option if you have enough astigmatism to be corrected in a contact lens. This lens has what is known as a Precision Curve Lens Design, providing you with excellent lens stability on the eye and minimal rotation. Furthermore, the lens contains an OK inversion indicator that helps make it easier for wearers to insert.

Does Dailies AquaComfort Plus have a contact lens for presbyopia?

Yes! Released to the US market in 2014, Dailies AquaComfort Plus Multifocal is a multifocal contact lens with a Precision Profile Design. This means it provides you with seamless vision at distance, intermediate, and near.

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What people are saying…

From Alcon

• First-time wearers:
  • Found that Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses offer superior comfort upon insertion.
  • 85% agree that Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses are comfortable to wear.
  • 62% agree that Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses improve their confidence while playing sports.
• Established wearers:
  • 83% agree that Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses feel so comfortable they almost forget they are wearing lenses.
  • 63% agree that Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses make their eyes feel refreshed.

From our eye care team

I really like prescribing this affordable daily lens for many reasons. There are multiple parameters in the lens family (spherical, toric, and multifocal), built-in patient compliance with a unique dissipating moisturizing agent, and the supportive presence of knowledgeable company representatives. – Dr. Vicky Wong

 

I prescribe this lens a lot in my practice! It’s a great option for patients that want to get into a daily lens but can’t afford some of the higher-end options. Also, it’s reasonably priced and still performs well, providing patients all-day comfort and clear vision. – Dr. Jaclyn Garlich

 

Is Dailies AquaComfort Plus right for you?

Pros

• A more affordable daily contact lens for new and established wearers.
• Has blinked-activated moisturizing agents that are released for up to 20 hours of wear time.
• Soaked in a wetting agent to provide immediate comfort after initial insertion.
• Available in a complete family of lenses (nearsighted, farsighted, astigmatism, and multifocal).

Cons

• The higher cost of daily contact lenses (compared to monthly contacts).
• It does not have any built-in UV light protection.
• Not made from a silicone hydrogel material.

How much does Dailies AquaComfort Plus cost?

These contacts are reasonably priced compared to premium daily options. Before purchasing them, the best place to look is at your eye doctor’s office. However, if you’re looking to price things out from home, consider checking out contact lens retailers online. Right now suggested retail for a box of 90 lenses is as follows:

• Dailies AquaComfort Plus – $67
• Dailies AquaComfort Plus Toric – $83
• Dailies AquaComfort Plus Multifocal – $93

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Final thoughts

Truth be told, this is definitely an affordable daily lens option for new wearers or those looking to transition from their monthly contacts into dailies. However, when stacking this lens up against similar lenses, there are a few things that come to mind. It doesn’t have built-in UV protection, there is no recycling program and it’s made of a hydrogel (instead of silicone hydrogel) lens material.

While the wetting agents this lens contains are a plus, I prefer to fit my patients with Dailies Total1 (Alcon’s premium daily lens option) or Acuvue Oasys 1-Day with HydraLuxe (Johnson and Johnson Vision’s premium daily lens option). If the price of those lenses is an issue, which often times it is, I consider this lens along with 1-Day Acuvue Moist, Clariti 1 Day, and Biotrue ONEday.

Curious if you’re a candidate for wearing Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses? What are you waiting for? Make sure to schedule an appointment with your local eye care professional today!

What do you think of Dailies AquaComfort Plus? Leave your review in the comments below!

Dailies AquaComfort Plus details

	Dailies AquaComfort Plus	Dailies AquaComfort Plus Toric	Dailies AquaComfort Plus Multifocal
Year of US market release	2008	2014	2014
Base curve (i.e. curvature of the contact lens)	8.7	8.8	8.7
Diameter (i.e. width of the contact lens)	14.0	14.4	14.0
Powers	+6.00D to -10.00D • +0.50D to +6.00D (in 0.25D steps) • -0.50D to -6.00D (in 0.25D steps) • -6.50D to -10.00D (in 0.50D steps)	+4.00D to -9.00D • +0.25D to +4.00D (in 0.25D steps) • 0.00D to -6.00D (in 0.25D steps) • -6.50D to -9.00D (in 0.50D steps)	+6.00D to -10.00D (in 0.25D steps)
Cylinder	n/a	-0.75, -1.25, -1.75, -2.25	n/a
Axis	n/a	Varies based on power	n/a
Add powers	n/a	n/a	Low (up to +1.25 spectacle add), Medium (+1.50 to +2.00 spectacle add), High (+2.25 to +2.50 spectacle add)
Handling tint	Light blue VISITINT	Light blue VISITINT	Light blue VISITINT
Material	nelfilcon A (hydrogel)	nelfilcon A (hydrogel)	nelfilcon A (hydrogel)
Water content	69%	69%	69%
Dk/t (i.e. oxygen transmissibility)	26 @ -3.00	26 @ -3.00	26 @ -3.00
Center thickness	0.10mm @ -3.00	0.10mm @ -3.00	0.10mm @ -3.00
Technology	Unique Triple Action Moisture	Unique Triple Action Moisture, Precision Curve Lens Design	Unique Triple Action Moisture, center-near Precision Profile Design
Wear type	Daily wear	Daily wear	Daily wear
Replacement schedule	Daily (i.e. throw away at the end of the day)	Daily (i.e. throw away at the end of the day)	Daily (i.e. throw away at the end of the day)
Trials	5 lenses	5 lenses	5 lenses
Available for purchase	30 or 90 lens packs	30 or 90 lens packs	30 or 90 lens packs
Approved to be slept in?	No	No	No
Inside out markings?	No	Yes	No
Rebate available?	Yes	Yes	Yes
UV protection?	No	No	No

References:

• Consumer website
• Eye care professional website
• Package insert
• Patient instruction booklet
• Professional fitting and information guide