Beyond Glasses: The Contact Lens Experience for Everyone

By: Dr. Dannelle Chung

In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining clear and comfortable vision is more important than ever. For many people, glasses seem like the only solution but contact lenses are an excellent alternative for those who prefer a glasses-free lifestyle or don’t want to wear their glasses for special events or certain occasions. 

Contact lenses have several benefits over eyeglasses such as providing unrestricted vision. Contact lenses move with your eyes and provide a wider field of vision without the frame getting in the way or experiencing blurry vision outside of the lens. Another benefit is not having to deal with fogging of the lenses, which emerged as a huge issue during COVID while having to constantly wear masks. Contact lenses are also ideal for sports, especially contact sports, where the frame can actually pose a risk of injury. 

You may have considered contact lenses in the past but weren’t a good candidate because of your astigmatism or presbyopia, but recent advancements in contact lens technologies and expansions in parameters have made contact lenses available to a wider range of people than ever before.

What is Astigmatism and Presbyopia?

Astigmatism and presbyopia are both common visual conditions that cause blurry vision but can be corrected with lenses. Astigmatism is a condition where the eye is not perfectly round. Imagine your eye in the shape of an oval instead of a circle. If your eye is more oval, light entering your eye doesn’t focus evenly, which causes blurry or distorted vision. 

On the other hand, presbyopia is an age-related condition where the eye’s lens loses its flexibility, making it difficult to focus on near tasks like reading. This typically starts to happen around the age of 40 and precipitates the need for reading glasses.

Contact Lenses for Astigmatism: Toric Lenses

For those individuals with astigmatism, toric contact lenses are the best option to give the clearest vision. Unlike standard lenses, toric lenses have different powers in different meridians of the contact lens to correct the uneven curvature of the cornea. This unique design helps to stabilize the lens on the eye, ensuring clear vision and minimizing blurriness.

Recent advancements have enhanced the comfort and effectiveness of toric lenses. For example, many toric lenses now come in a variety of materials, including silicone hydrogel, which offers better oxygen permeability and all-day comfort. Additionally, the parameters of soft toric lenses that are now available make it even easier for those with high astigmatic corrections to still be a good candidate for contact lenses. Many manufacturers now have lenses that correct up to 2.75 diopters (unit of measurement of your prescription) of cylinder, even in a daily modality and a custom monthly soft lens is available up to 5.75 diopters of cylinder. 

Contact Lenses for Presbyopia: Multifocal Lenses or Monovision

Addressing presbyopia with contact lenses involves choosing between multifocal designs or employing a monovision set-up. Multifocal lenses feature multiple zones of vision correction within a single lens, allowing for clear vision at various distances. These lenses can be designed with concentric rings or as a progressive addition, similar to multifocal glasses. Benefits of multifocal lenses allow you to have a smooth transition between various distances and allow both eyes to be corrected at all distances. There may be an adjustment period for you to get used to the transition between the multiple zones of vision and you may experience difficulties with glare or halos. 

Monovision, on the other hand, corrects your dominant eye for clear distance vision and your non-dominant eye for clear near vision. The design of the lenses are much simpler compared to multifocal lenses but correcting different eyes for different focal points will reduce depth perception. This setup also requires an adaptation period for your brain and eyes to get used to and may not be for everyone depending on your visual needs, but it can be a more cost-effective option for those still wanting spectacle independence. 

Consulting an Eye Care Professional

Choosing the right contact lenses involves more than just picking a product; it requires a thorough examination by an eye care professional. A detailed eye exam can determine the exact nature of your vision needs and help identify the most suitable lens options whether it’s to correct for astigmatism, presbyopia, or both. It’s also important to follow up regularly to ensure that your lenses continue to fit well and meet your vision needs as they change over time.

To schedule an appointment and see if contact lenses are right for you, call 949-549-4777 or visit us online www.eyexam.com 
eyeXam is located in the Crystal Cove Shopping Center at 7976 East Coast Hwy, Newport Coast, CA.