If you’ve worn contact lenses for any period of time, you may have experienced one or more eye problems. Common problems, like dry eyes, inflammation, and astigmatism are just a few of the issues standard contact lenses can’t treat.
Specialty contact lenses are designed to address the types of eye problems that standard contact lenses don’t.
Read on as a Fort Worth, TX optometrist talks about what specialty contacts are and the types of lenses available.
What Are Specialty Contact Lenses?
Specialty contact lenses are custom-made to help treat specific eye conditions and improve your vision.
Here are a few of the eye conditions that specialty contact lenses are made for:
- Astigmatism
- Presbyopia (age-related vision loss)
- Hyperopia (farsightedness)
- Myopia (nearsightedness)
- Corneal edema
- Keratoconus (misshapen cornea)
- Corneal scarring
- LASIK complications
Types of Specialty Contact Lenses
The most popular types of specialty contact lenses include:
- Computer vision correction: This is similar to color vision correction, except it helps people with computer vision syndrome (CVS) see better when they’re near a screen for long time periods.
- Scleral lenses for dry eyes: These work by allowing your tears to collect in a reservoir-like layer built into the lens itself. This keeps your eye moist and prevents dryness, which makes them an excellent choice for people with this chronic condition.
- Multifocal contacts: These work by correcting both nearsightedness and farsightedness, allowing the wearer to see clearly up close and at a distance. This is useful for people who need glasses for reading or working on a computer screen but also want to see well when they’re outside.
- Gas permeable contacts: These allow oxygen to pass through them more easily than standard soft lenses do, which makes them ideal for people who have dry eyes or other conditions that cause discomfort while wearing traditional soft contacts.
- Color vision correction: These lenses help people with color blindness see the full spectrum of colors by filtering out certain wavelengths of light until their eyes become accustomed to distinguishing between shades within certain ranges (like how sunglasses help some people see better outdoors).
- Bifocal contacts: These are soft lenses that have two different powers in the same lens, so people who wear them can see close up and far away without having to switch between pairs of glasses.
So if standard contact lenses just don’t fit right or are uncomfortable, you may want to look into specialty lenses.
If you have more questions or wish to schedule a consultation, please don’t hesitate to call our Fort Worth, TX optometrist office anytime!
