If you wear glasses and have never considered contact lenses there are several reasons why you might want to re-consider the option of contact lenses. The range of prescriptions that can now be corrected with contact lenses has expanded over the years to the point that there are very few eyes that can’t be corrected with today’s technology. The automation of manufacturing techniques allows for contact lenses that can correct high amounts of astigmatism and they can be supplied in disposable formats for healthier eyes. Bifocal wearers now have a number of contact lens options. If you have a prescription that makes you think you cannot wear contacts or have been told you are not a candidate in the past, ask an eye doctor who specializes in contact lenses if it is a possibility.
Since the lens fits right against your eye peripheral vision is enhanced, and many people report marked improvement in eyesight with contact lenses. This is especially true with children (and adults) who are active in sports. Because everyone has a different prescription and variations in their eye anatomy and tear chemistry there is no one best type or brand of contact lens. Contact lens fittings need to be individualized for your personal needs. To choose the best options for your eyes communicate your occupational and recreational needs to your optometrist and participate in your health care decisions. Follow your eye doctors advice and allow time to adjust to the lenses.
Your lifestyle will play a part in what type of contact lens is best suited to your needs. If you work indoors at a computer all day, considerations for decreased blinking and subsequent dehydration of the contact lens will have to be taken under consideration, This can result in intermittent blurring and discomfort. Your optometrist may need to use one of the low dehydrating contact lens materials available today. There are also soft contact lenses that have had plasma treatments on the surface to make them retain moisture better. Dry Eye therapy may need to be initiated if you have a borderline dry eye condition.
Patients needing bifocals can benefit from the rapidly advancing science of bifocal contact lenses. Soft bifocal contact lenses are usually simultaneous designs, with the central zone focused for distance and a surrounding zone for near. Often they come with a second design where the near is in the center and the distance zone encircles it. The Most common fitting we do is a modification with your dominant eye having distance in the center and adjusting the prescription for maximizing driving visual needs. The other eye is then fit with a near center lens for best reading vision. Bifocal contact lenses require time and patience. They are not perfect, but usually you can expect to be able to function well for most of your vision needs.
Astigmatism is an eye condition where you need two different corrections. Often it is compared to an eye shaped like a football instead of a basketball. Soft contact lenses that correct for astigmatism have two different prescriptions and need to be aligned in the correct orientation with your eyes prescription. This is achieved with various techniques, including small amounts of material added as ballast, zones of thinning, or other methods. They still rotate off alignment occasionally and cause brief periods of blurring. A well fit lens should only have short periods of misalignment and the blurring should become almost imperceptible after adaptation. With extremely high amounts of astigmatism you can expect a little more fluctuation.
Lifestyle differences may come into play with your lens choice. Many people have been unable to wear contact lenses in the past due to occupations that prevented them from removing their lenses every day. Breakthroughs in material technology now allows lenses to transmit 400% to 1000% more oxygen than just a few years ago. The addition of silicone and plasma treatments mean these lenses may be an option you should consider. Children have been unable to wear contacts due to their maturity levels and inadequate hygiene and lens care. Contact lenses that are replaced daily have changed the age that children can start wearing lenses. With a daily disposable contact lens, there are no cleaning requirements or need for solutions.
If you have tried contact lenses before and could not adapt to them, you may want to give them another chance since there have been so many improvements in the recent past. Modern contact lenses are designed for enhanced comfort and eye health and cause less irritation. In terms of overall health, the daily disposable types are the least likely to lead to an eye infection since they are never reused. Monthly lenses do need to be properly cleaned and disinfected every night. Complications can occur if you don’t comply with your care instructions. As the result of advances in the technology of contact lenses, they are more comfortable to wear, most types can be worn all day and many types can be slept in. There are some types that can be worn for thirty days at a time before they need replacement which is an ideal option for those that are on call or have requirements to be on the go at a moments notice. Ask your eye doctor about the new options available today.