soft contact lens (SCL) [AS, softe + L, contingere + lens, lentil] , a contact lens made of a flexible plastic material that can be shaped more easily to fit the eyeball than a rigid gas-permeable lens and typically provides good initial comfort. Among the disadvantages of soft lenses are that they are more easily damaged, may not provide vision as sharp as alternative methods in certain cases, and must be disinfected periodically because they tend to harbor bacteria. Most contact lens patients are currently being fit into hyperoxygen-permeable silicone-hydrogel soft lenses.
