Contact Lenses for Astigmatism

What Is Astigmatism?

In an ideal eye, the eyeball is completely spherical, allowing light to properly refract through the inner workings of the eye.  Astigmatism causes the eye to be elongated, or football-shaped.  When the eye is elongated, the light coming into the eye is improperly refracted, leading to blurred vision. Most people suffer from at least a little astigmatism, but it can certainly be more severe in certain people.  Astigmatism is usually coupled with nearsightedness or farsightedness.  In the past, contact lens options have been limited for people with astigmatism.  Emerging science and technology have come a long way, and now there are plenty of contact lens options for people suffering from astigmatism.  

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Toric Contact Lenses

Toric contact lenses are a special type of soft contact lens.  These lenses are specifically designed to help correct astigmatism and are often made of highly breathable, synthetic materials.  Toric lenses are available in a wide variety of strengths and meridians, to help correct a range of vision problems.  Often, toric contact lenses have more options than standard soft lenses intended to only correct nearsightedness or farsightedness.  Toric contact lenses are great for astigmatism because they are able to freely float and rotate around the eye so that they have the right orientation over the cornea, allowing for clear and crisp vision.  Remember that fitting a contact lens, especially when you have astigmatism, can be a long process to find just the right lens.  Have patience and be open to trying different strengths and brands of lenses.

Gas Permeable Lenses

Gas permeable lenses, often abbreviated to RGP or GP lenses, are another great option to help correct astigmatism.  These lenses are different from toric lenses because they are rigid and hold their spherical shape.  Instead of allowing a soft contact lens to conform to an elongated eyeball, the gas permeable lens acts as a substitute lens over the top of the eye.  The gas permeable lens gives the eye a perfectly spherical shape to use in order to correctly refract light to the cornea.  In people with severe astigmatism, there is also the option of a toric version of a gas permeable lens.  This can not only create a spherical lens for the eye to use but will also form over the existing eyeball shape.

Call Arvada Optometric Center Today!

At Arvada Optometric Center we believe that everyone should be able to have a clear, crisp vision.  Living with astigmatism does not mean that you have to suffer from blurry vision.  There are plenty of contact lens options for people living with astigmatism.  Working with a team of optometry specialists, like the team at Arvada Optometric Center in Arvada, CO, can help find the right contact lenses for you.  To schedule an appointment to learn more, reach out to our office at (303) 424-5282.  We are always accepting new patients.

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