With new technology and designs, people have a lot more options to improve their vision, and their quality of life, with contact lenses. If you were told that you cannot wear contact lenses before, now is the time to explore the possibilities of clear vision without glasses and without surgery.
Today, many children as young as 5 years old wear contact lenses successfully. Combining a proper vision care plan with an optometrist experienced in specialty contact lenses are the best ways to have the benefits of contact lenses for school, work and sports. Drs. Shokouh and I have 50 years combined experience in evaluating and designing specialty contact lenses.
Here are some options that your general eye care practitioner may not have told you about.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN SOFT AND GAS PERMEABLE LENSES
Soft specialty contact lenses are custom made, and include higher powers than before. New sophisticated designs can correct for keratoconus as well as provide better near to far vision for multifocal prescriptions.
Soft lens polymers allow more oxygen to the cornea than ever before, resist deposits such as protein and environmental pollutants, wet the lens from the inside out, and even protect the inside of your eyes from ultraviolet light. Today’s soft contact lenses are also more comfortable than before, and biocompatible.
Gas permeable lenses can provide crisper vision because of they do not warp on the eye that has an uneven front corneal surface. New polymers are more durability, provide more oxygen to the eyes than many soft lenses, and dry out the eyes less.
HYBRID LENSES
Hybrid contact lenses have the combined benefit of sharp vision due to a central gas permeable contact lens, with a soft contact lens skirt for added comfort.
Hybrid lenses can now incorporate a reading prescription for patients who need multi-focal lenses.
Read on to learn more about special therapeutic contact lenses that can actually help shape and reinforce your eyes, setting up a new foundation for clear vision in the future.
SCLERAL LENSES
Scleral lenses (also called ocular surface prosthesis) are large contact lenses which vault the cornea, and rest on the sclera of the eye (the white part of the eye). These specialty contact lenses help my patients who have irregular corneas (such as from keratoconus, eye surgeries that left the cornea uneven, corneal scars, penetrating keratoplasties) see more clearly, and sometimes even almost perfect. They are designed to mask the irregular cornea by creating a new smooth surface for the eye.
Scleral lenses are also used in some dry eye cases because we can incorporate a tear reservoir in the center of the lens to continually bathe the cornea with moisture all day.
Many of these eye conditions cannot be treated in any other way making scleral lenses a problem solver when patients have given up hope.
ORTHOKERATOLOGY OR CORNEAL MOLDS
Ortho K (OK) lenses are one of the best ways to immediately reverse myopia, and reduce future prescription increases. These therapeutic specialty contact lenses gently reshape the corneal surface while you sleep, to a more correct power for seeing clearly. LASIK also reduces myopia by changing the corneal curvature, but by using surgery which is not indicated for children or young adults until they have stopped growing which is between their mid to late 20’s. The beauty of OK is that it doesn’t require surgery, and works when you’re sleeping so that you can see clearly without contact lenses or glasses during the day. This gives you the freedom to swim, play sports and wear sunglasses without prescription.
SPECIALTY CONTACT LENS CANDIDACY
If you want to improve your vision to increase your performance at work, school or play, come see us to explore how the latest in specialty contact lenses can improve your quality of life. Call today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Brisco or Shokouh to help you see your best, to live your best.
