Good vision, for most, is essential to performing everyday activities; it contributes to overall well-being and makes you independent. But, if you have vision problems, you probably know of the many options that can help improve your sight. Because of convenience and comfort, many people have switched from glasses to contact lenses. However, not everyone may benefit from wearing off-the-shelf contact lenses. Specialty contact lenses San Antonio are a viable option for certain disorders such as astigmatism. Specialty contact lenses are not over-the-counter; they are custom fitted to ensure the best vision and comfort. Below are hard-to-fit vision conditions that may benefit from specialty contact lenses.
Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease that occurs when your cornea thins and bulges outward into a cone shape causing blurred vision and sensitivity to light and glare. It usually affects both eyes, although the symptoms are often severe in one eye more than the other. If you have mild keratoconus, glasses or soft contact lenses might be enough to correct the vision problems. However, more advanced cases of keratoconus require custom-fit contacts such as rigid, gas-permeable, or scleral lenses. In other cases, a cornea transplant may be necessary.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism results from mismatched curves on the cornea or the lens inside the eyes. Instead of the normal curve like a round ball, the surface is egg-shaped, causing blurred vision at all distances. Most cases of astigmatism are not pronounced enough to require corrective action. However, your specialist may recommend toric lenses to help you achieve better vision. Unlike spherical lenses, which rotate when you blink, toric lenses have different powers in different meridians, meaning they stay in one position. This is because toric lenses are weighted at the bottom and only move vertically.
Dry eye syndrome
Dry eye syndrome is a common condition that occurs when you don’t produce enough tears or if your produce poor-quality tears. If you have dry eyes, you may experience an itchy and gritty feeling in your eyes, and it can be uncomfortable or downright impossible to wear standard contacts. As such, many doctors recommend gas-permeable lenses for patients with dry eyes since they allow for better oxygen flow. Additionally, they let your tears circulate under the lenses, keeping your eyes moist. Other time specialists recommend scleral contacts for dry eyes since they retain great fluid.
If your dry eyes don’t cause severe symptoms, contact lenses with special technology may make wearing contact lenses comfortable.
Giant Papillary conjunctivitis
Usually, the inside of your eyelid is smooth, but Giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) causes your eyelids to become red, swollen, and irritated. GPC is more common among people that wear contact lenses; it can happen anytime, even after wearing lenses for several years. Although rare, people who don’t wear contact lenses can develop GPC; this is especially true for those with artificial eyes or stitches. For treatment, your specialist may recommend wearing contact lenses a few times a week to give your eyes time to heal. Alternatively, you may change from standard lenses to gas-permeable lenses.
If you have any of the above vision conditions, consult your provider at Alamo Eye Care to know how you can benefit from specialty contact lenses.