Contact lenses are not an easy solution for every person suffering with vision problems. Some eye conditions make wearing contacts a difficult proposition. However, it does not rule out wearing contact lenses altogether. It just means patients need to discuss options with their doctor and obtain specialized hard to fit contacts for their specific vision problems.
Reasons for Hard to Fit Contacts
Finding contact lenses that fit and wearing contact lenses in general can be made more challenging when these conditions affect your eyes:
- Astigmatism
- Dry eyes
- Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC)
- Keratoconus
- Presbyopia
Astigmatism: Astigmatism develops when the front of the eye curves into a bulge or oval shape. It causes blurred vision and can be difficult to correct because regular contacts cannot account for the bulging.
Dry Eyes: When eyes become excessively dry, it leads to irritation, burning, redness and blurred vision. Contact lenses can exacerbate these conditions by making it feel like a foreign object is stuck in your eye.
GPC: This form of conjunctivitis is caused by inflammation on the inner surface of the eyelid. Protein buildup on contact lenses can make this condition worse.
Keratoconus: This is an uncommon condition that causes major discomfort when wearing contacts. Keratoconus happens when the cornea becomes thinner and allows the eye to bulge forward. The bulge forms into a cone shape.
Presbyopia: Eyes tend to have a tougher time focusing on close objects as they age. This condition is known as presbyopia. It typically affects people aged 40 or older.
Solutions for Hard to Fit Contacts
Wearing contacts is not impossible if you suffer from one of the above conditions. You just need to get prescribed contact lenses that are tailored to deal with your specific vision condition.
Gas permeable lenses or scleral lenses are a good solution for patients with keratoconus or other conditions causing corneal irregularity. The rigid contact lens can vault over the surface irregularities in the cornea, and create a smoothing effect that gives the patient improved quality of vision. These lenses can also be helpful for those with severe dry eyes.
Toric lenses are useful for correcting astigmatism. Since the lens needs to align with the astigmatism it is correcting, toric lenses must be checked for proper rotation on the eye.
Bifocal and multifocal lenses can help correct presbyopia. Monovision lenses are another option for presbyopia. This type of lenses can have one eye fitted for distance vision and the other for seeing close objects.
