Many started their eye correction journey with eyeglasses. Equally, many of them have arrived at the same conclusion—that eyeglasses are limiting. For this reason, over 45 million Americans have shifted to contact lenses, with many more on the way. However, regular contact lenses can also exclude those with complex eye conditions. Fortunately, specialty contact lenses can meet their needs.

What Conditions Need Specialty Lenses?

Specialty lenses are recommended when regular contact lenses are ineffective or cannot work at all. These lenses are ideal for people with these challenging eye conditions:

• Dry eyes
• Progressive myopia
• Keratoconus
• Astigmatism
• Conditions that cause an irregular cornea shape

Specialty contact lenses come in various designs, each different from the other. You can see the differences between specialty and traditional contacts by understanding the different types and the conditions they are best for.

Scleral Lenses

Scleral lenses get their name from the place they rest on the eye—the white part, the sclera, instead of the cornea. They form a vault over the cornea that collects and hold tears to keep the cornea well lubricated. They have a much larger diameter and a high oxygen permeability level, making them more comfortable than conventional lenses.

The vaulted lens that contains the tear reservoir helps protect the cornea and improves vision. The lens is ideal for people with irregular corneas because the vault creates an even refraction surface that replaces the cornea. They are also perfect for people with dry eye syndrome, as the tear dam keeps the cornea well-lubricated.

Rigid Gas-Permeable Lenses

These are the oldest type of lenses, the basic idea when the first contacts were created. However, they became less popular once soft, hybrid, and scleral lenses came onto the scene. However, they are helpful for specific eye conditions. They feature superior optics, allowing for sharper vision than conventional lenses.

They are ideal for patients experiencing blurry vision with soft contacts or those with corneal toxicity. They come in several designs, each with a different purpose. One of the more popular variations is ortho-k, a corneal reshaping therapy lens.

Hybrid Contacts

These lenses try to capture the best of soft contact lenses and RGP lenses by having a soft lens skirt and an RGP center. They give a sharp vision standard in RGP lenses with the comfort of soft contact lenses. The lens can also have a more efficient oxygen permeation than soft or RGP lenses.

These lenses are an ideal choice for people with irregular corneal profiles or issues with rotating lenses. Also, patients who experience fluctuating vision or have regular corneal astigmatism can benefit from them.

For more on how specialty contact lenses differ from traditional contacts, contact King Family Eye Care at our office in Old Saybrook or Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Call (860) 388-9300 or (860) 258-2380​​​​​​​​​​​​​​, respectively, to book an appointment today.