Astigmatism and Contacts

ASTIGMATISM AND CONTACTS

What are the Options?

Contacts have been around for ages and they are the most popular way to correct one's vision. However, what about those individuals with astigmatism? How do they correct their vision? The answer is with contacts as well, although this is new technology that has not always been available. Of course, individuals with astigmatism must be fitted for contact lenses to ensure they are the proper size and will properly correct the astigmatism. However, you might be first wondering what an astigmatism is and if you have one. Basically, an astigmatism makes vision blurry close-up, faraway, and everywhere in between. If you have an astigmatism it is because the curvature of your eye is not the same all over, or in other words one part of the cornea's curve is different than other parts. This creates an astigmatism, which is fuzzy vision. If the idea of astigmatism still has you confused there is a common comparison that will help you understand a bit better. Think of a normal eye or cornea shaped like a baseball with the same curvature at all points on the eye/ball. However, an eye with astigmatism is shaped more like a football with varying curvatures. This helps you understand exactly how the eye is affected by astigmatism. Now, you are probably curious as to how you can wear contact lenses if you are affected by astigmatism and what contacts these might be. Fortunately, if you have astigmatism you can wear soft or hard contact lenses. Simply keep reading to learn more about soft toric lenses and rigid gas permeable lenses that help correct astigmatism.

Soft Toric Lenses and Astigmatism

Soft toric lenses are a relatively new to the market and incredibly popular because they combine the comfort and ease of soft contact lenses with correction for astigmatism. The reason normal soft contact lenses do not work for astigmatism is because they are shaped for eyes like baseballs rather than eyes like footballs. However, the soft toric lens is shaped to fit your eye and all its many curves, making it easy for individuals with astigmatism to see clearly and sharply. Although, soft toric lenses require a special fitting, measurements, and a refitting when the contacts come in. It is very important to make sure the contact is weighted properly in order to offer clear vision to the astigmatism sufferer. Because so much effort goes into making soft toric lenses they cost more than regular soft contact lenses. But, if you really want soft lenses then the extra cost is worthwhile to treat your astigmatism and to enjoy the soft lenses. If you have an astigmatism and really want soft contact lenses be sure to ask your optometrist about soft toric lenses. Many individuals affected by astigmatism simply assume they cannot wear soft contact lenses. However, with soft toric lenses they finally can.

Astigmatism and RGP Contacts

Another type of contact that corrects astigmatism is the RGP, or rigid gas permeable. These lenses are hard contact lenses and for some time were the only option for individuals affected by astigmatism. Although this is no longer the case, RGP contact lenses are still popular for individuals with astigmatism. These lenses correct astigmatism for one major reason and that is because they are hard. The rigidity of these lenses allows the lens to keep its shape even when it is inserted into the eye. Regular soft contacts mold to the eye and astigmatism sufferers are left with fuzzy vision. On the other hand, rigid contacts are hard and when inserted they do not mold to the different curves of the eye and because of this they correct vision, with a little bit of help. The extra help RGP lenses receive to correct eye vision is a layer of tears. When the RGP lens is inserted in the eye the areas of the eye that have an abnormal curve do not meet the actual lens leaving space between the lens and they eye. As a result of the space tears that occur naturally in the eye fill in the spaces and this allows the RGP lens to correct the astigmatism. So, optometrists only need to prescribe a power in the lens that will treat the farsightedness or nearsightedness of the patient and the mild to moderate astigmatism will never come into play because the lens and the tears take care of the astigmatism and its fuzzy vision.

Sometimes, however, individuals with severe astigmatism do not enjoy RGP contact lenses to treat their astigmatism because their eye is shaped too much like a football and when they blink the contact lens moves around too much making them too uncomfortable to wear. Fortunately, for these individuals there is an option and this option is toric RGP contact lenses. Toric RGP contact lenses are designed in a more sophisticated manner allowing individuals with severe astigmatism the opportunity to see clearly with contact lenses.

Making the Choice

Making the choice between toric soft lenses, RGP lenses, or toric RGP lenses might depend a bit on your preferences, but it will also depend significantly on your astigmatism, eyesight, and what will work best for you. Make an appointment with your optometrist, have an eye exam, determine the amount of astigmatism you have, and then together with your optometrist discuss your options and what type of contact lens will work for you. Luckily, today astigmatism sufferers have several contact lens choices that were not previously available. So, if you have astigmatism do not fret because since your last visit to the optometrist there might be new types of contact lenses available that can treat your astigmatism and allow you to see clearly with the use of contact lenses.