With toric lenses, your astigmatism can
easily be corrected
Thanks to the development of
toric contact lenses, all but the most
complex eye prescriptions can be addressed
by contacts. Although soft contacts or
convenient daily and monthly disposable lenses were once
reserved solely for minor near or
far-sightedness, sufferers of astigmatism
can now enjoy the benefits of these types of
contacts, too.
Standard contact lenses,
technically known as spherical lenses, only
correct for myopia or hyperopia. By using
more complex construction and incorporating
several different curvatures, toric contact
lenses are able to correct for both
astigmatism and near or far-sightedness at
the same time.
Unfortunately, the added
difficulty of both manufacturing and
properly prescribing and fitting toric
lenses makes them more expensive than
standard contact lenses. If your astigmatism
is relatively severe, you will have to weigh
the convenience of soft, disposable contacts
against the added cost.
However, the vast majority
of astigmatism sufferers will be able to use
standard spherical lenses to correct their
vision. In the case of a minor astigmatism
in one or both eyes, the physical properties
of contact lenses serve to correct both near
or far-sightedness, and also to mask the
need for astigmatism correction. If your
doctor determines that your astigmatism is
minor enough, you won't have to worry about
toric lenses at all, and still be able to
have perfectly clear vision.
How do standard lenses
correct for astigmatism in some cases but
not others? For minor astigmatisms, a tiny
volume of your tears collects behind your
contacts, in essence creating a secondary
lens, which helps to correct or mask
astigmatism problems. Think of it as a
natural toric lens. With this in mind, your
doctor may prescribe a slightly stronger
spherical lens than you actually need, in
order to help mask your astigmatism.
If your doctor determines
that you require toric lenses, you will
still be able to enjoy the benefits of
disposable contacts. Be prepared for a
potentially more difficult time fitting your
lenses, as toric lenses require a more
specifically tailored fit. Unlike standard
spherical lenses, which can rotate on your
eye without impacting their corrective
properties, toric lenses require a
particular orientation on your eye. To
accomplish this, most toric lenses are
slightly heavier on the bottom to prevent
any rotation once they are placed on your
eyes.
If you don't particularly
care about the conveniences offered by
disposable lenses, you might consider toric
lenses of the rigid gas permeable type.
Rigid gas permeable lenses, or RGPs, are the
current state of the art rigid contact
lenses, and allow the passage of oxygen to
your eye surface - a requirement both for
comfort and for healthy eyes.
Because they are rigid, it
is much easier for toric RGPs to retain
their proper position and shape on your eye.
For some contact lens wearers, this amounts
to vision that is slightly more crisp. Many
users find it more difficult to get used to
wearing rigid lenses, however, which keeps
them from being nearly as popular as soft
lenses.
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