There are some eye conditions that make it impossible to gain clear vision through the use of traditional contact lenses. Some conditions that require “hard to fit” lenses include
- Keratoconus - Keratoconus causes the cornea to thin and bulge into a cone shape. This causes distorted vision that is not correctable with regular glasses or contacts.
- Irregular corneal astigmatism - This is when the shape of the cornea is uneven and curved in multiple directions. Like keratoconus, this causes visual distortion and glare and needs to be corrected with specialty contacts.
- Dry eye - Dry eye symptoms can worsen when wearing traditional soft lenses.
There are various types of hard to fit contacts. These include gas-permeable lenses, piggybacking contacts, and scleral lenses.
- Gas-permeable lenses
- These are rigid lenses that are often prescribed for keratoconus.
- Piggybacking contacts
- If gas-permeable contact lenses are not comfortable, a soft lens may be used underneath to act as a cushion.
- Scleral lenses
- These lenses do not sit on the cornea like other contacts. They sit on the white part of the eye, the sclera, and vault over the cornea. This allows clear vision and comfort as the cornea is covered by a moisturizing tear reservoir all day long. These are often prescribed for keratoconus, irregular astigmatism, or dry eye.
- Orthokeratology lenses
- These lenses are rigid gas-permeable lenses that are worn only during sleep to reshape the cornea and provide clear vision during the day without the use of glasses or contacts. Ortho-k is most often used for myopia, or near-sightedness, but in some cases can also be used to correct farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia.
Book Your Appointment Today!
Our optometrists have extensive experience fitting patients with the right contacts for their eyes and vision correction needs. If you have had trouble with finding a contact lens that works for you, Dr. Joyce, Dr. Lynch, or Dr. Rosenthal can help. Make your appointment for a contact lens exam by calling our Richboro office at (215) 485-5384 or our Newtown office at (215) 860-9001.
