How do I know if I can wear contact lenses
Yes, a person with presbyopia (the need to wear reading glasses) can wear contact lenses! Many options are available to you. Some designs can be challenging with certain types of prescriptions, but the multifocal scleral lens meets the challenge of most prescriptions and provides vision at long and short distances and everything in between. The right contact lens can give you a competitive edge!
There are many reasons why some patients need specialty contact lenses. If you suffer from any of the following conditions, and want to try wearing contact lenses, schedule a consultation today:
- Dry Eyes
- Astigmatism
- Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC)
- Keratoconus
- Pellucid Marginal Degeneration
- Post-LASIK or other refractive surgery
- Presbyopia (reduced near vision common in individuals aged 40 and over).
- Corneal Scarring
There is a contact lens available for virtually everyone with any different eye condition. There are various options available that can provide excellent vision and wearing comfort. Special eye conditions require a specialized fitting with an eye doctor who is an expert at fitting special contact lenses. We are here for you. Call for an appointment today!
There are special considerations that make it difficult to wear standard contact lenses. Below is a brief summary of the types of specialty contact lenses available for specific eye conditions.
The cornea is the clear tissue on the outermost surface of the eye covering the iris (color tissue) and pupil. The main function of the cornea is to bend and focus light entering the eye. A normal cornea will have a smooth shape. A cornea with an ectasia will have an irregular shape or a bulge. This irregular corneal shape does not focus light correctly and will create irregular and distorted vision. Ectasias can be caused by corneal problems such as keratoconus or may result after surgery such as LASIK or after injury to the eye.
Keratoconus is the most common ectasia. The cause of the condition is not clearly known, but it can occur in all races and both sexes. It is a condition in which the cornea thins and bulges into a cone shape causing distorted vision. Scleral contact lenses are the best option for people with keratoconus.
Scleral lens technology is a fast growing area of the contact lens industry. Scleral contacts are large-diameter, gas permeable contact lenses designed specifically to vault over the entire corneal surface and rest on the “white” of the eye (sclera). In doing so, scleral lenses functionally replace the irregular cornea with a perfectly smooth optical surface to correct vision problems caused by keratoconus and other corneal irregularities.
Also, the space between the cornea and the back surface of a scleral lens acts as a fluid reservoir to provide comfort for people with severe dry eyes who otherwise could not tolerate contact lens wear so scleral contacts also help provide a contact lens solution for people with dry eyes.