For those who don’t want to wear glasses all of the time to be able to see clearly, contact lenses are a great option. Today, there are many different types of contact lenses available and contacts can be an option for nearly anyone with any prescription. In addition to providing clear vision without glasses, contacts can be used to cover a wound on the eye, treat eye conditions like dry eye, and used for cosmetic purposes by having colored contact. The type of contact that is needed will depend on the purpose and the prescription needed.
Types of Glasses Prescriptions
There are four main categories of prescriptions for glasses or contacts. There are nearsighted prescriptions, farsighted prescriptions, astigmatism prescriptions, and reading prescriptions.
There can be a combination of any of the above prescriptions in one individual’s glasses prescription.
Understanding what type of prescription is needed will help determine which contacts are available and appropriate.
Soft contact lenses are easily available for nearsighted and farsighted prescriptions. With slightly more complex fitting, soft lenses are also available for those with astigmatism and a reading prescription.
Rigid gas permeable contacts are a great option for nearsighted, farsighted, and astigmatism prescriptions. There are also specialized types of rigid gas permeable lenses that can correct for a reading prescription.
Scleral contact lenses or hybrid contact lenses can be used to correct for any prescription power since these are customized for every individual when ordered.
Soft Contact Lenses
The most common type of contact is a soft contact lens. These contact lenses are made from soft plastic that allows water and oxygen to move through the contact lens easily.
There are daily wear, two-week, and monthly soft contact lenses available. The difference between these is how often a new pair of contact lenses is opened to be worn.
Soft contact lenses can be worn for nearly any prescription but are a poor choice for those with irregular corneas such as keratoconus.
If there is an open wound on the front of the eye, an eye doctor may prescribe and use a soft contact lens as a bandage to aid in the healing process.
Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses
Gas Permeable contact lenses are small, hard plastic lenses that sit directly on the front of the eye.
The plastic in these lenses does not allow oxygen or water to move through them and these lenses rely on tears getting beneath the lens for oxygen transmission.
Rigid gas permeable lenses are a wonderful option for those with astigmatism who are not satisfied with the vision from soft contact lenses.
Scleral Contact Lenses
Scleral contact lenses are large, very rigid lenses that are customized for every individual.
These contact lenses vault over the front of the eye and rest on the white of the eye, the sclera.
Scleral contact lenses are a specialty lens and are rarely used as a first-line option in lieu of soft contact lenses or rigid gas-permeable lenses.
However, in some cases such as keratoconus, corneal transplants, or cases of severe dry eyes, a scleral contact lens can provide the best comfort and vision.
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