Hard To Fit Contacts
Contacts are a great alternative to eyeglasses. If you have trouble wearing contacts or if you have been told that you aren't a good candidate for contacts, it is still possible for you to get them. You simply may have a condition that would require you to be prescribed with hard to fit contacts.
What Are the Conditions That Require Hard To Fit Contacts?
There are a few conditions that would make it difficult for you to wear traditional lenses. These include:
- Keratoconus: This is a condition where the cornea which is normally round thins and begins to bulge into a cone shape. This condition can cause your vision to be distorted.
- Astigmatism: Astigmatism is a defect in the curvature of the lens which can cause distorted vision.
- Dry eye: Dry eye is a condition where your eyes don't produce enough natural tears. It also occurs if your eyes produce poor-quality tears.
- Post-Lasik surgery: The purpose of Lasik is so that you don't need contacts. If your vision isn't as sharp as you would like after the surgery, contacts can give you the full correction that you need. After Lasik surgery, it can be difficult to wear traditional lenses.
- Presbyopia: As you age, you can begin to lose the elasticity of the lens of your eye. This can result in farsightedness.
- Giant papillary conjunctivitis: This is an inflammatory reaction that causes the proteins secreted in your tears. The reaction causes your lid glands to secrete a substance that leaves a film over traditional contact lenses.
What Are the Most Common Hard To Fit Contacts?
There is a variety of hard to fit contacts, and each of them is designed to treat a specific condition.
- Gas permeable: These lenses are made of a rigid oxygen-permeable material. They can be used to treat keratoconus as they will help hold the shape of the cornea. They are also good for giant papillary conjunctivitis as protein don't adhere to these lenses the way it normally does. If you are experiencing glare issues after Lasik surgery, these lenses will help, particularly when driving at night.
- Piggybacking: If you find that gas permeable lenses are uncomfortable to wear all day, your eye doctor might recommend piggybacking. This is where a soft lens is placed under the gas permeable lens to act as a cushion.
- Scleral lenses: Scleral lenses rest on the white of your eye, and then they vault over the cornea. These lenses are commonly used for patients with keratoconus.
- Toric lenses: Toric lenses are available in soft and rigid gas permeable. They are specially designed to correct astigmatism.
- Soft contacts for dry eye: These lenses are specifically designed for patients with dry eye or who have recently started suffering from dry eye since their Lasik surgery. They retain moisture better than traditional contacts. This will increase moisture in your eye.
- Bifocal/Multifocal: These contacts are designed for patients with presbyopia or who need multiple types of correction.
If you are thinking about getting contacts, but you have a condition that would make wearing contacts difficult, you should make an appointment with Oxford Optometry in Woodstock. Our optometrist can find the best contact lenses to treat your specific condition.