Bifocal contact lenses are growing in popularity for people with presbyopia; about 20 percent of all gas permeable contact lenses manufactured are bifocal lenses. 

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.