Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty Contact Lenses

Advancements in technology bring about new contact lenses every year.  Our selection is full of the latest and best performing products for all types of vision correction. This new technology means that we may have a contact lens that works for you, even if you were previously unable to wear contacts. New lenses include bifocal and astigmatism correction. 
 

Types of lenses:

Conventional Soft Lenses – long term soft lenses (up to one year).
Disposable Soft Lenses – Short term soft lenses (daily to monthly).
Multifocal Soft Lenses – Similar to progressives (no lines).
Toric Soft Lenses – For astigmatism correction.
Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses – Long term rigid lenses (up to one year).
 

Patients new to contacts and experienced wearers both need to be aware that proper use is very important. When used properly, contact are comfortable and convenient, but improper contact use can lead to ocular complications and long term corneal damage.  

New contact wearers will need to adhere to a wearing schedule that may look something like this:

DayGas Permeable LensesSoft Lenses
14 hours6 hours
26 hours8 hours
38 hours10 hours
410 hours12 hours
512 hours12 hours

 

Your eye doctor will inform you about any best practices for your particular lens type.  All lenses need to be kept clean and disinfected to avoid deposits and possible infections. Read our list below for great tips and instructions
 

Contact Lens Best Practices:

Follow doctor instruction and directions on the packaging of your contacts and solutions.

Don’t wear lenses longer than suggested. Wearing schedules are important for your eye to adjust.

Remove your lenses at least an hour before bed so that the cornea can breathe sufficiently.

Always clean, disinfect, and rinse lenses when removed. (If they sit unused for 24 hours or longer, they should be cleaned, disinfected and rinsed again before use.)   

Don’t wear contacts overnight if they have not been approved for such use. Always talk to your doctor about overnight use as this will increase the risk of infection.

Schedule contact follow up appointments with your doctor and wear your contacts for 3 hours before coming in for these appointments.

Mind your solutions. Many cannot be used together and certain solutions are appropriate for certain lenses. Only use the solutions recommended by your doctor for your lenses.

Take care to not contaminate solution container bottle tips. Replace solution every three months to prevent bacterial growth.

Use new solution in your contact case every day. This should be enough to completely submerge the lens.

Talk to your doctor if you plan to use your contacts while swimming.

Never place lenses in your mouth to rewet.

Don’t continue wearing your lenses if your eyes become irritated, red, or have vision difficulty.

Take care when applying makeup and lotions. Consider putting contacts in first.

Don’t use tap water when rinsing soft lenses.

Watch for redness, blurriness, and light sensitivity. Call your doctor if there are any sudden changes in the health of your eyes. 

Cosmetic lenses are also available in prescription and non-prescription forms. These are useful for anyone wanting to match color between eyes or add flair to their natural eye color. 
 

Every patient is different and so are their eyes. This means that there need to be different types of contact lenses to suit each individual. Some patients have corneal abnormalities which mean that conventional lenses won’t sit comfortably on the surface of their eyes, while others suffer from eye conditions that mean normal contact lenses won’t be comfortable or could irritate their eyes. 
 

As you may have guessed from the name, specialty contact lenses are unconventional contacts that are designed for patients that regular contacts might not be suitable. Here are some of the main types of speciality contact lenses and who they are recommended for. 
 

Who might be a good patient for specialty contact lenses?

Some of the patients that might benefit from specialty contact lenses include those who:

  • have been diagnosed with dry eye syndrome

  • have corneal scarring

  • have been diagnosed with keratoconus, a condition characterized by the bulging of the cornea

  • suffer from strabismus, a condition where the patient has an eye that turns in or out relative to the other

  • have suffered an injury to the eye

  • suffer from a peripheral corneal thinning disorder

  • are intolerant to other types of lenses


Your eye doctor or contact lens provider will be able to tell you if you need specialty contact lenses and if so, which lenses would be best based on your individual requirements. 
 

Rigid Gas-Permeable Lenses

Also known as RGP lenses, these are made from a special material that allows oxygen to pass through them and reach the surface of the eyes. This helps to keep the eyes hydrated and comfortable, making these lenses easier to wear, especially for patients who suffer from dry eyes. Dry eyes aren’t just a symptom, but a very real condition, characterized by dry, stiff, and uncomfortable eyes, blurred vision, and eye fatigue. RGP lenses are more rigid than soft lenses, and this helps to keep them stable and secure on the eyes so that patients can enjoy sharper vision. They also help the cornea to maintain its shape, which helps to minimize the effects of some corneal abnormalities. 
 

Scleral Contact Lenses

Scleral contact lenses are very different to standard contact lenses. This is because scleral lenses are much larger in diameter, with three different sizes available depending on your specific needs. This size difference means that the edges of the contact lens fall on a white part of the eye, called the sclera rather than the cornea. Scleral lenses are also different in that they vault over the surface of the cornea rather than touching it, leaving a space between the front surface of the eye and the back of the contact lens. This makes scleral lenses a good choice for patients with dry eyes and corneal abnormalities. Space can trap tear film which keeps the eyes hydrated, while space also accommodates many corneal abnormalities, such as the bulge associated with keratoconus. 
 

Limbal Fit Contact Lenses

Limbal contact lenses are another type of specialty lens that falls between rigid gas-permeable lenses and scleral varieties in terms of their size. Their larger overall diameter helps to increase their stability on the surface of your eyes. They also offer minimal interference with the eyelids, which helps to ensure comfort and clarity of your vision.
 

Hybrid Contact Lenses

Hybrid contact lenses are a combination of both soft and gas-permeable contact lenses, giving patients the opportunity to enjoy the best parts of both designs. The middle part of hybrid lenses is made from gas-permeable material that lets oxygen pass through to the eyes. However, the gas-permeable part of the lens is more rigid, and this firmer center gives the lens greater stability and the patient enhanced clarity. The RGP portion of the lens also helps to trap a tear film between the cornea and the lens so that the eye remains hydrated. Meanwhile, the outer edge of hybrid lenses is a soft lens skirt. This means that patients don’t have to deal with the hard edges associated with RGP lenses that may be uncomfortable. Instead, the comfort levels that patients experience are more like wearing fully soft lenses. 

For more information about specialty contact lenses, don’t hesitate to speak to our dedicated eye care team. 

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Overland Park, KS 66223 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Blue+Valley+Vision+of+Overland+Park/@38.8528736,-94.6803807,17z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x87c0c1a9e456e94b:0xfc271d281850e160!2s8007+W+151st+St,+Overland+Park,+KS+66223,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d38.8528736!4d-94.6803807!3m4!1s0x87c0c1a9e51ccb0f:0x401221007e6bc6e6!8m2!3d38.8528854!4d-94.6804339 8641 W. 135th St.
Overland Park, KS 66223 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Blue+Valley+Vision+of+Overland+Park+on+135th/@38.8832851,-94.6854493,17z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x87c0c1cd5906ca07:0xf1b67566e66d8b0a!2s8641+W+135th+St,+Overland+Park,+KS+66223,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d38.8832851!4d-94.6854493!3m4!1s0x87c0c19a2dc488ff:0xbaee4c22c190d32!8m2!3d38.8832856!4d-94.6854492 9136812624 9138085830 9136812628 9132596463 https://www.revolutionphr.com/portal/access/cee41dd62043374c674444146421d9d66e98c347.htm