At Eyes on Rosemont, we strive to meet all of your eye and vision care needs. Corrective lens evaluations and prescription management are provided by our optometrists. After a comprehensive eye and vision evaluation, the doctor will discuss the variety of contact lens options with you to select the type that best fits your vision needs and lifestyle. If you suffer from dry eye, allergies, or recurring eye infections, our doctors will help you determine whether contact lenses are right for you.
Prior to prescribing contact lenses, the doctor will determine what level of vision correction you require. Refractive error (commonly known as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism) is evaluated by measuring how the eyes focus when a series of different lenses are placed in front of them. An optometrist may use either a phoropter or an automated instrument to take these measurements. Because contacts are a medical device, patients are required to have a contact lens fitting annually.
After determining the level of refractive error, the doctor works with you to determine whether contact lenses or glasses are best for your lifestyle. If you suffer from certain conditions, such as dry eye or allergies, glasses may be the most comfortable corrective solution. Contact lenses are available in either soft or rigid gas permeable form. Contact lenses need to be changed daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on what type of lens you select. Specialized contact lenses, such as multifocal, Scleral or rigid gas permeable lenses are also available for patients with specific eye conditions.
Advances in contact lens technology have created great options for cosmetic and prosthetic lenses. Custom contact lenses can be created to camouflage any color variation or irregularity and produce a natural eye color. Cosmetic lenses are also available to transform your eye color. Call us at (207) 210-6700 and speak to our knowledgeable staff if you are interested in modifying or changing your eye color with contact lenses.
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 eye care provider and obtain specialized hard to fit contacts for their specific vision problems.
Finding contact lenses that fit and wearing contact lenses in general can be made more challenging when these conditions affect your eyes:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wearing contacts is not impossible if you suffer from one of the above conditions. However, you will need to meet with an eye care professional and get prescribed contact lenses that are tailored to deal with your specific vision condition.
Gas permeable (GP) lenses and scleral lenses are viable options for patients who suffer from GPC or Keratoconus. A GP lens can provide better vision for certain refractive errors compared to soft lenses. Scleral lenses are specialty lenses that vault over the entire cornea and can often significantly improve vision in patients with corneal disease, e.g. Keratoconus.
Toric lenses are useful for correcting astigmatism. Toric lenses have a meridian of higher power than correlates specifically with the eye’s astigmatism. They are weighted slightly and rotate to the right position when placed on the eye.
Bifocal and multifocal lenses can help remedy presbyopia. Multifocal contact lenses utilize concentric rings that alternate between distance and near, and the brain automatically adapts the viewing distance allowing the patient to see far and near, and thus be completely independent of glasses. Monovision lenses are another option for presbyopia. This type of lenses can have one fitted for distance vision and the other for seeing close objects.
Medicated eye drops can be an effective solution for dealing with dry eyes. They will lubricate eyes enough to make contact lenses more bearable. Other options to promote comfortable contact lens wear include punctual plugs, which keep the tears on the eye longer. GPC symptoms can also be lessened through medicated eye drops. They flush out protein deposits and reduce inflammation