ACUVUE OASYS vs 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST

The bi-weekly replaceable ACUVUE OASYS and the daily disposable 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST are two popular contact lenses developed by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care.

Johnson and Johnson Vision Care is one of the market leaders in the contact lens industry and the ACUVUE brand is well known and highly respected by millions of patients around the globe.

Updated: Jun 15, 2022

1. What's the Same?

Before we dive into differences, let's quickly look at the features the ACUVUE OASYS and the 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST share.
ACUVUE OASYS and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST are the number one selling brand in their contact lens category. ACUVUE OASYS is the best selling brand amongst all contact lens brands while 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST is the best selling brand in the category of ‘daily disposable contact lenses’. This is not a coincidence as this success is based on a long history of innovation and development. The ACUVUE brand was introduced more than 30 years ago and ACUVUE OASYS and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST have been sold since the mid 2000s, so both lenses are time-tested.

ACUVUE OASYS and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST Product Families

ACUVUE OASYS Family	1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST Family
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While they were originally developed for the correction of myopia and hyperopia (or in other words near/farsightedness), both product families now include sibling products for correcting astigmatism or presbyopia. In 2019, Johnson and Johnson Vision also launched a light-adapting version of Acuvue Oasys called ACUVUE OASYS with Transitions. Similar to transitional eye glasses, these lenses auto-dim based on the amount of light entering your lenses.

And if you are interested in ACUVUE OASYS 1-Day and how it compares to ACUVUE MOIST, check out our comparison of ACUVUE OASYS 1-Day and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST.

UV Blocking

Johnson and Johnson Vision Care introduced UV blocking in 1997 as a standard for all ACUVUE products, so it's not a surprise, that ACUVUE OASYS and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST offer UV blocking.

Tinting and Inside-out Mark

ACUVUE OASYS and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST are slightly blue-tinted contact lenses that don’t change the natural color of your eyes but make it easier for you to take them out of the blister package or your small lens case. The two lenses also have a 1-2-3 mark printed on the side of the lens. This will indicate to you whether the lenses are inverted or on the correct side before putting them in. Most other lenses don’t have anything printed on the side, but - when inverted - change the shape around the edge and no longer look like a ‘cup’ (as they should).

2. What's Different?

Now, let’s talk about the differences. And there are quite a few.

Prescription Parameters

When comparing the diopter ranges of the 2 lenses, we didn’t notice a huge difference, so this isn’t a big deal for most consumers. ACUVUE OASYS covers a slightly broader range than 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST and if your prescription is above +6.00D, 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST won’t be an option.

Replacement Schedule and Modality

The most obvious difference between the two lenses is the replacement schedule. ACUVUE OASYS is a bi-weekly replaceable lens, so you typically buy a box of 6 or 12 lenses per eye and you are covered for a 3 month period or half a year. With 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST you are looking at a daily replaceable lens, where each day you open a new blister package and you toss the lens at the end of the day. In contrast, ACUVUE OASYS requires you to also purchase the appropriate cleaning solution and getting used to a rigid cleaning regiment.

Lens Type and Material

ACUVUE OASYS and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST are both soft contact lenses with a spherical design. Comparing the percentage of water content, you will notice that the 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST has a much higher amount of water embedded in the lens: ACUVUE OASYS comes with a 38% and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST with a 58% water content. Keep in mind, that the amount of water in the material is just one of the factors contributing to the wearing comfort and a smooth feeling.
Let's have a look at technical specifications of the two products. Looking at the parameter sheet below, you'll spot another big difference between ACUVUE OASYS and 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST. Latter one is made with Etalfilcon A, a water-loving (experts call this hydrophilic) ionic hydrogel based material, known for its ability to bind a high amount of water. In contrast, the base material of ACUVUE OASYS is Senofilcon A, a silicone hydrogel. Silicone hydrogel contact lenses are known for their ability to allow a high level of oxygen get through the lens to your eyes - so your eyes can ‘breath’ and stay fresh and white. When you look at the Oxygen Transmissibility parameter (also called Dk/t parameter), you will notice a significant difference and extra points go to the ACUVUE OASYS lens. So, while ACUVUE OASYS claims better breathability, 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST stores a higher level of water. Comparing the modulus parameter of these two lenses you will notice a much higher modulus for the ACUVUE OASYS. And a higher modulus means a stiffer lens, making it a bit easier when you insert the lens.

Special Features

1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST comes with LACREON. This technology embeds a water holding ingredient into the base material (Etafilcon A), which is similar to that found in natural tears.
The moisture is permanently kept in the lens, claiming to keep the eyes feeling fresh and comfortable all day long. In addition to a silky smooth cushion, the reduced surface friction allows the eyelid to glide over the lens easily.

ACUVUE OASYS features HYDRACLEAR, a proprietary technology that was developed by Johnson & Jonson Vision Care. HYDRACLEAR is also available in other lenses such as ACUVUE OASYS for ASTIGMATISM, ACUVUE OASYS for PRESBYOPIA and 1-DAY ACUVUE TruEye. Unique Silicone Polymers bind long-chain water-loving molecules (also referred to as the wetting agent) resulting in smooth and more wettable contact lenses.

We already mentioned UV-blocking being a standard feature of all ACUVUE products. The FDA classifies lenses into Class 1 and Class 2 lenses, based on their ability to block a certain level of UVA and UVB rays. As you might know, UVA rays are the harmful, long-wave rays, that can penetrate deep into the dermis, the thickest layer of your skin. UVB rays are the short-wave type of rays, usually causing sunburn of the superficial layer of your skin. But your eyes need to be protected as well and while UV-blocking lenses are not a substitute for sunglasses, it is an important feature to consider. Unlike most standard non-wrap sunglasses, they are effective at protecting you from the Peripheral Light-Focussing (PLF) Effect: UV rays that hit your eyes from the side, bottom or top (where sunglasses don’t provide a physical shield).

ACUVUE OASYS, which is classified as a Class 1 lens, meets the FDA requirements of filtering out more than 99% of UVB light and more than 90% of UVA light. Class 2 lenses still need to filter out more than 95% of UVB rays and more than 50% of UVA rays. 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST provides 95% UVB and 88% UVB-blocking, hence qualifies as a Class 2 lens.

Scientific Comparison Studies

Evaluation of UV transmittance of six different contact lenses induced by wear
By: Osuagwu, Uchechukwu L. O.D., M.Sc.; Ogbuehi, Kelechi C. Ph.D.; AlMubrad, Turki M. Ph.D
Published: Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice: January 2014 - Volume 40 - Issue 1 - p 28-36

Packaging, Daily Cost and Pricing

ACUVUE OASYS can be purchased in various box-sizes, containing 6,12 or 24 lenses. Assuming that you will have a different prescription for each eye, you would typically buy multiples of 2 boxes, and hence would be covered for 3 months, 6 months or a full year. 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST is available in a 30 or 90 lenses-per-box configuration, so you are covered for at least a month or a quarter. It is worth to check volume discounts, especially when buying online, as prices can vary upon ordering multiple boxes or when signing up for ‘auto-refill’. Our spec sheet is also providing a ‘daily cost’ calculation and you will see a huge difference when comparing ACUVUE OASYS to 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST. We didn’t include the cost of a cleaning solution for ACUVUE OASYS, as it wouldn’t make a big difference anyhow.

While ACUVUE OASYS retails for $28 - $39, 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST goes for $24 - $39. This translates into a daily cost per day (and per eye) of $0.34 - $0.46 for ACUVUE OASYS and $0.80 - $1.30 for 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST. Or in other words and as you would expect for a bi-weekly lens: You can save a lot of money when you chose the bi-weekly OASYS over its daily replaceable sibling.

3. ACUVUE OASYS vs. 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST: Specs Compared

	ACUVUE OASYS®	1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST
Product Image
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Manufacturer	Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.	Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
Release Date	2005	2006
Prescription Parameters
Replacement Schedule	Two weeks	Daily
Wearing Details	Daily wear or up to 6 consecutive nights extended wear	Daily wear
Sphere Powers	-12.00D to -6.00D in 0.5 steps -6.00D to +6.00D in 0.25 steps +6.00D to +8.00D in 0.5 steps	-12.00D to -6.00D in 0.5 steps -6.00D to +6.00D in 0.25 steps +6.00D to +6.00D in 0.5 steps
Base Curves	8.4 mm 8.8 mm	8.5 mm 9.0 mm
Diameters	14.0 mm	14.2 mm
Technical Parameters
FDA Group	V	IV
Lens Material	Silicone hydrogel (Senofilcon A)	Ionic hydrogel (Etalfilcon A)
Lens Design	Spherical	Spherical
Wetting Agents	Yes - PVP	Yes - PVP
% of Material	62%	42%
% of Water	38%	58%
Center Thickness	0.07 mm	0.084 mm
Oxygen Transmission	147 Dk/t	33 Dk/t
Modulus	0.7 MPa	0.3 MPa
Other Features
Special Features	HYDRACLEAR® PLUS technology for more moisture and lens surface smoothness.	LACREON® Technology
UV Blocking	Class 1 96% UVA 99% UVB	Class 2 88% UVA 95% UVB
Dynamic Light Absorption	No	No
Visibility Tint	Yes (blue)	Yes (blue)
Inside-out Mark	Yes (123)	Yes (123)
Packaging, Pricing and Offers
Packaging Details	6 lenses per box, each lens in a foil-sealed plastic package	30 lenses per box or 90 lenses per box Each box contains 30 or 90 visibly tinted UV blocking lenses immersed in a buffered saline solution with povidone.
Price Range	$60 - $98 (12 lenses) $88 - $184 (24 lenses)	$27 - $49 (30 lenses) $54 - $96 (90 lenses)
Cost per Day	$0.36 - $0.58 (12 lenses) $0.26 - $0.55 (24 lenses)	$0.91 - $1.63 (30 lenses) $0.60 - $1.07 (90 lenses)
Online Retailers	Special Deals Compare Prices	Special Deals Compare Prices

4. Summary and Conclusion: Which Lens Should You Get?

First of all, check with your eye care practitioner. Only she/he will be able to determine whether any of these lenses are a suitable alternative. And in case both are:

Consider 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST if you want the convenience of a daily replaceable lens: A strict daily cleaning routine is not everyone’s favorite thing. After you take them out, you need to gently rub them with cleaning solution in the clean palm of your hand, rinse them, and finally put them into each chamber of your contact lens case. And what if you lose or forget to bring the case or the cleaning solution, e.g. when you travel?

Get ACUVUE OASYS if you don't want to pay top dollars: Convenience comes at a higher price and if you are budget conscious, ACUVUE OASYS is a better choice. The total cost per day and per eye using ACUVUE OASYS is about 55% lower compared to the daily cost of 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST. And if you plan to wear contact lenses for many years, this will add up to quite some money.

Try both if you can (and if your eye practitioner recommends): Wearing comfort is not something that you can 'buy' right out of the box. Some people will find ACUVUE OASYS more comfortable than 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST and vice versa. We are all unique and so are our eyes and how they respond to contact lenses. Both products have proven themselves over all those years, and there are many reasons (as shown) why they are so popular.

We hope you find this comparison useful and we would love to hear from you.