Contact lenses are a great alternative to wearing eyeglasses. There are a number of reasons why you might prefer contact lenses to eyeglasses: a glasses-free look, hassle-free vision correction, wearing non-prescription sun-wear and goggles, or the convenience of not having to worry about misplacing your glasses. If you have a high prescription or astigmatism, contact lenses may provide more enhanced vision correction than glasses. Today, you can even replace your bifocal (or progressive) glasses with bifocal (or multifocal) contact lenses.
Your eye care provider can recommend the best contact lenses for you based on a complete eye examination and a review of your visual needs both at work and play. Since most people can wear more than one type of lens, it’s important to know what the choices are and the advantages and disadvantages to each.
If you decide to opt for contact lens wear, it is very important that the lenses fit properly and comfortably and that you understand contact lens safety and hygiene. A contact lens exam will include both a comprehensive eye exam to check your overall eye health, your general vision prescription and then a contact lens consultation and measurement to determine the proper lens fit.
The contact lens industry is always developing new innovations to make contacts more comfortable, convenient and accessible. Therefore, one of the initial steps in a contact lens consultation is to discuss with your eye doctor some lifestyle and health considerations that could impact the type of contacts that suit you best.
Soft Lenses
These lenses are comfortable to wear and must be replaced monthly, weekly or daily depending on the type you choose. They can provide correction for most prescriptions including astigmatism. Today, with the introduction of newer materials like silicone hydrogels, which allow more oxygen to the eye, patients find it easier than ever to wear soft lenses comfortably.
Gas-Permeable (GP) Lenses
Made of moderately flexible plastics, GP lenses offer sharp vision and correct most vision problems. They are more durable than soft contact lenses and can be easier to handle and care for but require a longer adaptation period and consistent wear to maintain adaptation.
Multifocal Lenses
In both soft and GP designs, multifocal lenses offer patients both distance and near vision correction just like a pair of bifocal or progressive glasses.
Color Contact Lenses
Enhance your eye color or even change it completely. Colored contact lenses are fun and come in a variety of colors for both light and dark eyes.
Scleral Lenses
Scleral lenses are large diameter rigid gas permeable lenses. Because of their size (14mm to 24mm), they rest on the sclera which is the white part of the eye. Hence the name “scleral” lens. The sclera has considerably fewer nerve endings than the cornea. Fewer nerve endings means less sensitivity which ultimately means a very comfortable contact lens! In fact, most patients will report that scleral lenses are the most comfortable contact lens they have ever worn even when compared to soft contact lenses.
Who can/should wear a scleral lens? Technically, any patient can wear a scleral lens. But, they are most beneficial for patients who have corneal diseases, dystrophies, and degenerations (i.e. keratoconus), patients who have corneal scars and irregularities, and patients who have had a corneal transplant or refractive surgery (i.e. LASIK and RK). The common denominator for all of these patients is their corneas are altered in some way. If the cornea does not have a perfect convex or dome shape, vision will be poor through both glasses and traditional contact lenses. Between the scleral lens and the cornea, there is a fluid-filled reservoir. This reservoir fills in all the corneal irregularities and creates a perfectly rounded surface.
Contact Lens Fitting
One size does not fit all when it comes to contact lenses. Your eye doctor will need to take some measurements to properly fit your contact lenses. Contact lenses that do not fit properly could cause discomfort, blurry vision or even damage the eye. Your eye doctor may request that you schedule a follow-up appointment to check that your contact lenses are fitting properly and that your eyes are adjusting properly. If you are experiencing discomfort or dryness in your eyes you should visit your eye doctor as soon as possible. Your eye doctor may decide to try a different lens, a different contact lens disinfecting solution or to try an adjustment in your wearing schedule.
We are especially proud of our contact lens selection as well as our abilities to fit all types of contact lenses available.
The latest lens materials and solutions have made contact lens wear more convenient, flexible, and comfortable than ever before. Even if you have had difficulty wearing contact lenses in the past, today’s lenses can provide you with greater comfort and vision.
Request Appointment for CONTACT LENS EXAM.