Many people cannot wear traditional contacts because they have eye health conditions. This requires hard to fit contacts, or specialty contacts. At Epic Vision Eye Center in Smithville, MO, our optometrist provides hard to fit contacts to meet the needs of each patient.
Conditions Requiring Specialty Lenses
There are several issues that can make it hard to wear conventional lenses. These include:
- Astigmatism: This is a common refractive error that occurs when the front surface of the lens is curved differently in one direction than the other. You will need a special lens to help you see clearly.
- Presbyopia: This condition occurs after the age of 40. As you age, your lens loses elasticity, and cannot change shape to help you see close-up objects clearly. If you are already nearsighted, you will need a special lens to correct your distance and close-up vision.
- Dry eye syndrome: This refers to when your eyes don't produce enough tears to keep your eyes lubricated. It can also occur if the tears you produce are poor quality and evaporate before they can lubricate your eyes. Conventional soft lenses absorb moisture from your eye. Therefore, you will need a special lens to prevent your eyes from drying out.
- Keratoconus: This condition occurs when your cornea isn't strong enough to hold its round shape, and it bulges into a cone shape. You will need a special lens to hold your cornea's round shape.
- Giant papillary conjunctivitis: This form of conjunctivitis causes red, itchy bumps to form under your eyelids. Protein deposits build up on traditional contacts, which can exasperate the condition.
Types of Hard to Fit Contacts
There are several types of hard to fit contacts available. The contact lenses our eye doctor chooses depends on the condition you have.
- Gas permeable lenses: These lenses are rigid, making them a good option for keratoconus. They also don't absorb moisture or protein buildup, making them a good option for dry eye and giant papillary conjunctivitis.
- Hybrid lenses: Hybrid lenses have a rigid center and a soft outer ring. They are prescribed if you cannot get used to gas permeable lenses.
- Piggyback lenses: This refers to wearing a soft lens under a gas permeable lens if you cannot get used to the rigid lens. The soft lens will cushion the gas permeable lens.
- Toric lenses: Conventional lenses are spherical, and cannot correct astigmatism. Toric lenses are specially shaped to help you see clearly if you have astigmatism.
- Bifocal lenses: Bifocal lenses contain two prescriptions, one for distance and one for close-up, and are prescribed for presbyopia.
- Scleral lenses: Unlike conventional lenses that rest directly on the cornea, these sit on the white of the eye and vault over the cornea. Since they don't sit on the cornea, these lenses are a good option for dry eye syndrome and keratoconus.
Visit Our Optometrist in Smithville, MO for Hard to Fit Contacts
If need hard to fit contacts, we can help. At Epic Vision Eye Center in Kansas City and Smithville, MO, our eye doctor will determine what contact lenses are best for you. Call us today to schedule an appointment.