Customized Contact Lenses

Majority of contact lenses used today are usually pre-manufactured or disposable contact lenses. These are the brands advertised that one might see in magazines or in television (examples are: Ciba Night and Day, Bausch & Lomb or Acuvue). Most people can choose to wear standard contact lenses rather than eyeglasses, but for people who have an irregularly shaped eye or too much astigmatism may have difficulty. Customized contact lenses might be the answer as these can easily adapt to your needs.

What are customized contact lenses?

Customized contact lenses by description are any lens that is made to order. So theoretically, any person needing a contact lens that falls outside the range of pre-manufactured contact lenses is called customized contact lenses. This includes fitting parameters, the available vision correction or both. These lenses can be made to fit almost any eye. As a matter of fact, each and every rigid gas permeable contact lens (RGP) and soft contact lenses are customized contact lenses to offer vision clarity and better comfort than ever before. Customized contact lenses are also great for those whose regular lenses are too uncomfortable or do not give enough sharpness for proper focusing.

Types of Customized Contact Lenses

1. Soft Custom Contact Lenses - these types of customized contact lenses can correct higher levels of astigmatism and can provide more precise correction than toric contact lenses. The conventional toric contact lenses can only correct up to 2.50 diopters of astigmatism in increments of 0.50 or 0.75 while customized contact lenses corrects higher amounts of astigmatism and in finer increments of 0.25 diopters for potentially sharper visualization. If you have astigmatism and you prefer soft contact lenses, customized contact lenses are also available in these lens materials.
2. Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses - generally provides sharper vision as compared to soft custom contact lenses especially with people who experience astigmatism, but some people find these type of customized contact lenses hard to wear. With technology advancement allowing customized contact lenses, conventional RGP's differ from the customized RGP's because it allows change on how the eye is being measured and how the lenses are designed.

Eye Measurements and Lens Designs for Customized Contact Lenses

Compared to conventional contact lenses, the eye measurements and lens designs of customized contact lenses are more complex. Instead of having just 3 measurements of the cornea from a keratometer, the eye care practitioner who fits customized contact lenses use an instrument called corneal topographer in order to acquire curvature data from thousands of numerous reference points in the eye.

This data is used by the eye care practitioner and lens manufacturer to design a multi-curved contact lens surface that fits more closely to the surface of the cornea. The customized designs and fittings process results to a more comfortable fit. In addition, customized contact lenses are made with newer gas permeable materials which allow more oxygen to pass through the lens of the eye.

Who should consider customized contact lenses?

Anyone who is not contented with the vision produced by soft contact lenses but who also found RGP contact lenses uncomfortable is an excellent candidate for customized contact lenses. Since these contact lenses are made-up to fit unusual corneal surfaces. They are also superb for individuals with keratoconus (from natural causes, an eye injury, Lasik procedure or any other refractive surgery). These customized contact lenses possibly in the coming years to come can be used for non-surgical treatments.

Guide for Customized Contact Lenses Fitting

Even if one does not have any specific eye problem, customized contact lenses may be best suitable for you if other lens options have failed. Because of the time and extra procedures needed for fitting customized contact lenses cost twice as much as regular contact lenses. Your eye doctor can advise you of the cost of the particular kind of customized contact lenses best suitable for your desires.

Customized contact lenses can be designed to suit your needs. A skilled lens designer can customize a lens for any eye. Nevertheless, this is not a challenge many eye care professionals are willing to undergo. If you are tired of wearing eyeglasses and have been ineffective with other lens options, then customized contact lenses may be worth a try.

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