Air Optix Aqua vs Avaira

Air Optix Aqua or Avaira? We recently received an email from Jennie in Uticah: "I have been using Avaira for almost 8 months. The lenses are fine but I noticed there might be other cheaper alternatives. I don't mind switching to a monthly lens like the Air optix lenses from Ciba or the biofinity lenses.  Any recommendations?".  As always, we can't make any recommendations, so we told Jennie to discuss her concerns with her eye care professional, however this comparison sheet provides some additional insight into the parameters and features of these two lenses.

Air Optix Aqua and Avaira - Spec Sheets

AIR OPTIX AQUA		Avaira
Product Image
Manufacturer	Alcon Inc.	CooperVision, Inc. part of The Cooper Companies Inc.
Release Date	2008	April 2008
Prescription Parameters
Replacement Schedule	Monthly	Two weeks
Wearing Details	Daily wear or up to 6 nights extended wear	Daily wear
Sphere Powers	+6.00D to -8.00D (in 0.25 steps) -8.50D to -10.00D (in 0.5 steps)	-12.00D to +8.00D (in 0.5 steps after +-6.00D)
Base Curves	8.6 mm	8.4 mm for +prescriptions 8.5 mm for -prescriptions
Diameters	14.2 mm	14.2 mm
Technical Parameters
FDA Group	V	V
Lens Material	Silicone hydrogel (Lotrafilcon B)	Silicone hydrogel (Enfilcon A)
Lens Type	Aspherical	Aspherical
Wetting Agent	Yes - PVP - PEG	Yes - PEG
% of Material	67%	54%
% of Water	33%	46%
Center Thickness	0.08 mm	0.08 mm
Oxygen Transmission	138 Dk/t	125 Dk/t
Modulus	1.0 MPa	0.50 MPa
Other Features
Special Features	TriComfort™ Technology High wettability through low contact angle. Permanent plasma treatment for a smooth surface	Aquaform® Technology
UV Blocking	No	Class 2 75% UVA 99% UVB
Dynamic Light Absorption	No	No
Visibility Tint	Yes Light Blue (VISITINT®)	Yes (blue)
Inside-out Mark	No	No
Packaging, Pricing and Offers
Packaging Details	6 lenses per box, each lens in a foil-sealed plastic package containing phosphate buffered saline with (or without) 1% copolymer 845	6 lenses per box, each lens in a foil-sealed plastic package
Price Range	$30 - $50	$24 - $28
Cost per Day	$0.17 - $0.28	$0.27 - $0.31
Online Retailers (U.S., Canada, U.K.)	Special Deals	Offer 1 - USA Offer 2 - USA

Have you tried theses lenses? We would love to get your feedback.