Best Contact Lenses for High Astigmatism

In this age of advanced optical eyewear technology, we have become used to the notion of correcting refractive errors easily with “standard-issue” eyeglasses or contact lenses. Even when middle-aged changes in the lens lead to presbyopia, glasses and contacts can usually compensate. But what if you suffer from the serious visual distortions caused by high degrees of astigmatism?

Fortunately, modern contact lenses can even fix this troublesome refractive error — and our Jacksonville, FL optometry team at VAL-Uvision can make sure you get the right kind of corrective lenses for your needs.

Most people have at least a small amount of astigmatism — irregularity in the otherwise smooth curve of the cornea. Low degrees of astigmatism may not interfere with the refraction of incoming light sufficiently to require treatment. But the more severely “football-shaped” the astigmatic cornea is, the more it may need to be compensated for if you want to view the world clearly.

Glasses can correct even fairly high astigmatism effectively, but not all contact lenses are up to the challenge. For one thing, the irregularities in the corneal curvature create two different powers of focus in the eye, occurring along angles measured as meridians. This means the corrective lens must contain different powers arranged in a precise pattern. Unfortunately, ordinary soft contact lenses have a tendency to shift and rotate with normal blinking — which would throw those precise corrections out of alignment with the cornea and probably make your vision even worse instead of better.

Toric Lenses in Jacksonville, FL

Toric lenses can solve this problem for patients with high astigmatism. These lenses are not only fabricated to match up with your corneal aberrations perfectly, but they are also designed to stay absolutely still. Toric lenses are weighted or ballasted so that they do not shift or rotate easily. These lenses are harder to fit than standard contacts, but if you would rather not bother with glasses you may find them well worth the effort.

GP (gas permeable) toric lenses are better than soft lenses for high astigmatism. The rigid nature of these lenses means that instead of simply draping over the existing corneal curvature, they basically maintain a new, unalterable curvature on top of the cornea. This is especially helpful for people with keratoconus, a corneal thinning that can cause severe astigmatism as well as nearsightedness.

Looking for Contact Lenses in Jacksonville, FL?

If you are looking for contact lenses in Jacksonville, FL that can correct your high astigmatism, visit one of our optometry offices nearest you in JAX for an exam or call us today. We are Jacksonville’s resource for hard-to-fit contacts!

When were you first diagnosed with astigmatism? What did you do about it?