Practically everyone seems to be wearing contact lenses these days — but that doesn’t mean that the same type of contacts suits everyone equally well. Some people have additional challenges when it comes to getting fitted for contacts that feel good and perform a stellar job of vision correction. In those cases, it may be time to look beyond the standard soft contacts and explore the world of specialty contacts — a world we know quite well here at Foster Vision.

One Contact Lens Does Not Fit All

Why can’t just anyone make use of the “generic” soft contacts so commonly seen in the marketplace? It’s because soft contacts are best suited for relatively uncomplicated refractive errors such as mild to moderate myopia or presbyopia. They also conform to the curvature of the corneas, meaning that the corneas themselves must have a relatively normal shape for the contacts to work properly. If your eyes present a more “hard to fit” picture than that, you may need specialized contacts. Examples of hard to fit situations include:

  • Sensitivity to the types of debris that accumulate on soft lenses (giant papillary conjunctivitis)
  • Dry eye
  • Presbyopia
  • Significant astigmatism
  • Abnormally-shaped corneas (as in keratoconus)

Determining the Right Specialty Contacts for You

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons someone might need specialty contacts. Fortunately, there are plenty of different specialty contacts that can address these issues effectively and comfortably. Our optometrists can tell whether you need specialty contacts during your vision testing and contact lens exam. The exact type of contact lenses we recommend will depend on your specific condition or conditions. For instance:

  • If protein debris bothers your eyes, we may prescribe rigid gas permeable lenses, which attract less of this debris than soft lenses
  • Rigid gas permeable lenses keep a consistent shape that can correct even the strongest prescriptions
  • Scleral contact lenses maintain a perfect sphere completely over the corneas, correcting keratoconus
  • Weighted or toric lenses keep their place on the corneas so they can correct specific astigmatism irregularities
  • Multifocal lenses can correct near, intermediate, and distance vision for presbyopia sufferers
  • If you suffer from dry eye, we can provide contacts optimized to retain eye moisture. (Scleral contacts are also a good choice for dry eye.)

We Have Your Specialty Contact Lenses, Contact Us Today

Special issues call for special solutions — and we have the answers, thanks to the specialized contacts available at Foster Vision. Get fitted for the contact lenses best suited for your one-of-a-kind eyes by calling (503) 546-4460 today for a vision test and contact lens exam. We can help you join the crowd of happy contact lens wearers!