Breaking it Down: A Quick Overview of Contact Lens Options

1. Soft Contact Lenses

Soft contact lenses are best for patients who have never been diagnosed with any eye conditions and have no history of severe trauma or infections to the eyes. Soft contact lenses are manufactured in a wide range of prescriptions and can correct far vision, near vision, or both (multifocal or monovision). They are also available with many wear schedules (how frequently you dispose of your lenses) including daily, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly lenses.

2. Custom Soft Contact Lenses

Custom soft contact lenses are a great option for patients with unusual prescriptions or who have not been able to achieve a comfortable fit with regular soft contact lenses. This may be due to having a steep cornea, a high amount of astigmatism, or other factors. These lenses are also an option for patients who want to wear soft contact lenses but find them too dry. Custom soft lenses are manufactured for your eyes specifically, allowing you to experience a great fit with clear vision. This may also be an option for patients with mild keratoconus.

3. Gas Permeable Contact Lenses

Gas permeable materials, or ”rigid” contact lenses, allow us to provide patients with conditions such as keratoconus, irregular astigmatism, and corneal scarring the best possible vision. These lenses do this by providing a ”new” front surface of the eye that light can pass through properly. These are also an option for patients who want to see as crisp as possible! Gas permeable lenses can be broken down into multiple categories:

- Small Diameter Corneal GP Lenses: These lenses are inserted like soft lenses and removed with the help of a small suction cup or by using your eyelids. They take some time to get used to, but the vision is worth it. These are not the best option for patients with severe keratoconus, as they will pop out.
- Hybrid Lenses: These lenses are optically similar to small diameter corneal GP lenses but are surrounded by a soft contact lens edge known as the skirt. These may be a good option for patients who like their vision with small diameter corneal GP lenses but cannot tolerate the feeling.
- Scleral Lenses: These are large lenses that rest on the white part of the eye, vaulting over the cornea. This makes them comfortable and easy to adjust to. Sclerals are a great option for patients with all stages of keratoconus, corneal scarring, and dry eyes. The bowl of scleral lenses is filled with preservative-free saline prior to being applied to the eye, which keeps the eyes hydrated through the day. There have been many technological advances that allow for the best fitting scleral lens with the best possible vision.