Specialty Contact Lenses For Certain Eye Conditions
In the past, many people with eye conditions were told that they would be unable to wear contact lenses. However, with new technology, contact lenses are available for a lot more people.
For people with keratoconus, which is an eye disease in which the corneas degenerate into a cone shape, causing a distorted field of vision, there is now something called gas permeable contact lenses. Basically, gas permeable lenses do not take the shape of the eye to which they're attached, which allows the contact lens to maintain its original shape and correct the wearer's eyesight. Normal pairs of contact lenses often 'mold themselves' to the eye and thus take on the irregular shape of an eye with keratoconus.
For keratoconus sufferers who can not tolerate the rough, sometimes damaging gas permeable contact lenses, there is something called a hybrid lens. A hybrid lens is identical to a gas permeable lens, except it has a soft outer layer to it, which is a lot more comfortable than a plain gas permeable lens. It is recommended that most people with keratoconus opt for a hybrid lens anyway, as the slight increase in price is worth the great increase in comfort for most people.
For people with dry eyes, it is often impossible to wear standard soft contact lenses because they absorb moisture. For these people, gas permeable contact lenses are also recommended, as they do not absorb nearly as much moisture as a normal contact lens. Unfortunately, hybrid lenses are not recommended as they can absorb moisture.
Along with gas permeable contact lenses, it is also recommended that people with dry eyes use eye drops and improve their overall diet. Sometimes by taking these simple measures, standard contact lenses can be used, even though your eye doctor may still prescribe gas permeable contact lenses.
People's eyes can be hard to fit with contact lenses for any number of reasons. For example, people who have the condition presbyopia experience a change in the shape of their eyes, which can make fitting standard contact lenses a difficult and even painful ordeal. If your eyes are difficult to fit with contact lenses, your only real option is to go to a professional eye care practitioner who is licensed to fit contact lenses. Unfortunately, you will generally have to pay a sizable fee for this service, which is usually a few hundred dollars. This price deals only with the fitting, and your actual lenses are a separate charge. However, once you have been fitted for custom contact lenses, you will generally be set for the rest of your life.
As we understand more about the eye, we're better able to meet the needs of people with all sorts of eye problems. Even ten years ago, it may have been impossible to get contacts if you suffered from any of these maladies; today, it is possible to get contacts for a very wide range of eye problems. Good luck with your search.
