Specialist Contact Lenses
Offering you more choice and flexibility in contact lens wear
Our Optometrists have a keen interest in contact lenses and have developed their knowledge and experience over the years with continued professional training, particularly in the area of specialist contact lenses.
We regularly custom design specialist lenses for patients with complex prescriptions and medical eye conditions such as keratoconus, astigmatism, post-laser surgery and scarred corneas.
Lenses for Keratoconus
Keratoconus is the bulging of the cornea which affects the vision. The distortion in vision can be corrected or improved by using a number of different types of lenses. As we are able to map the irregular shape of the cornea accurately with a corneal topographer we can custom design lenses to fit unique prescriptions and eye shapes. We also carry out corneal pachymetry to measure the thickness of the cornea. We currently fit Kerasoft IC, SynergEyes and Rose K lenses which are designed especially for keratoconus.
Lenses for Myopia Management
Myopia, or short-sightedness, means near objects are clear while distant objects appear blurry. This is usually because the eye becomes too long to focus correctly. There are a number of products available to manage myopia in children including contact lenses with special optical designs which may help to slow down the progression of myopia whilst also correcting distance vision.
We have the following myopia contact lens management plans for children:
- MiSight – soft daily disposable lens corrects short-sightedness so children enjoy clear, spectacle-free vision.
- EyeDream (Ortho-K) – uniquely designed hard lenses worn overnight to gently reshape the front of the eye (cornea) so that when removed in the morning clear, natural vision is achieved during the day.
Lenses for Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a focusing error of the eye that distorts vision due to a slight misshaping of the eye often described as rugby ball or egg shaped and affects more than 95% of the population. People who have astigmatism can either be long-sighted or short-sighted and the condition ranges from mild to severe.
Toric contact lenses are used to correct astigmatism and can be prescribed in soft and rigid gas permeable lenses, varifocal lenses and in daily disposables. They come in a wide range of fittings, powers and designs.
Lenses for Post-Laser Surgery
Sometimes the cornea becomes irregular in shape due to complications from refractive laser surgery and the clarity of the vision is affected. By accurately measuring the shape of the cornea and interpreting the data given by detailed corneal topography and pachymetry, we can design contact lenses to fit your eyes which may improve the quality of your vision. Corneal pachymetry is particularly essential prior to laser surgery for ensuring sufficient corneal thickness to prevent abnormal bulging of the cornea.
Lenses for Dry Eye
Some contact lens wearers suffer from dry eye symptoms which can generally be relieved by using carefully selected lens care products recommended by your Optometrist. Alternatively, silicone hydrogel contact lenses with specialist surface properties may solve some of the dryness. Specialist brands found to be particularly useful for dry eyes are Proclear lenses from Coopervision.