Did you know that some eyes are not perfectly round? Sometimes an eye’s cornea has an irregular, imperfect curvature, making its shape more like a football than a basketball. This common condition is known as astigmatism, and because it disrupts the refraction of light rays, it can cause blurry eyesight and eye strain, amongst other symptoms. Fortunately, people with astigmatism are still able to wear glasses and contacts to correct their vision. Scroll down to learn some important facts about contacts for astigmatism.
Exploring Contacts for Astigmatism
The causes of astigmatism vary. Some people are born with it while others develop it later on in life. If you suspect that you may have astigmatism, make an appointment with an eye doctor to have your eyes checked. If you are diagnosed with astigmatism, your eye doctor will likely prescribe soft toric lenses, which are contact lenses specifically made to correct vision in people who have astigmatism.
Toric lenses can correct both nearsightedness and farsightedness, and they will ensure that your vision stays crisp, clear, and consistent throughout the day. A regular contact lens will often rotate and shift on the eye as time goes by, which can lead to blurriness if you have astigmatism. Toric lenses use special features to maintain an ideal orientation when they’re placed on the eye. These features include all of the following:
- Thin and thick zones
- Lens truncation (the bottom of the lens may be cut off a little)
- Ballasting (which makes the lens thicker and heavier)
In addition, your lenses may have tiny lines (sometimes called “scribe” marks), which help your eye doctor check that each lens is oriented in the correct position. You may be instructed to look for these lines when putting in your contacts. Typically, you want the scribe mark to be at the top of your eye.
During your contact lens fitting, your eye doctor will ensure that you’re prescribed a lens that suits your specific eye’s needs. In addition to the typical elements of a contact lens prescription (the brand, the curvature, and the power), your eye doctor will also write down the cylinder and the axis. And in some cases, your doctor may recommend specialty contact lenses. These include hybrid lenses, rigid gas-permeable lenses, and scleral lenses.
When It Comes to Astigmatism, Are Contacts a Better Choice Than Glasses?
This depends on the person. Some people with astigmatism prefer contacts while others like glasses better. One of the primary differences between these two options is that because contacts cover the entire cornea, they will correct the issue without leaving any gaps. If your astigmatism is pronounced, this may be very helpful. If your astigmatism is more minor, you might not even notice this benefit.
Beyond that, it typically comes down to lifestyle preferences. Do you find contacts comfortable or frustrating? Do you like how you look in glasses? Or maybe you’d like to have the option to wear either one depending on the day?
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Are you looking for contacts for astigmatism? If you live near southwest Missouri, contact Heffington’s. Since 1975, the Heffington family has been assisting the Springfield community with top-quality eye care and affordable eyeglasses and contacts. One of the unique features of our family-owned business is that we manufacture lenses at our own laboratory, giving us total control over the service and pricing, and we’re happy to pass our savings on to you. To learn more about our products and services, please get in touch with us online, send an email to asktheexperts@heffingtons.com, or give us a call at 417-869-3937 (Optiland location) or 417-882-3937 (House of Vision location). We look forward to hearing from you!