Understanding Astigmatism and Contact Lenses

Astigmatism is often misunderstood by the public at large. This may be due to the fact that, generally speaking, it is a somewhat new term to the field of vision care. Put in its simplest terms, a person with astigmatism suffers from blurriness of vision at all possible distances because the shape of the cornea is warped.

The correct shape for a person’s cornea is round, whereas a person with astigmatism suffers from a cornea that is warped into an oval shape. This prevents the individual’s eye from focusing on an object they are viewing, thus forcing the image into blurriness.

Advances in Contact Lenses

For years, glasses were the only viable option for people with astigmatism. It is not uncommon even today to run into eye doctors that refuse to prescribe contact lenses for those with severe astigmatism, though the reasons for this are somewhat unclear.

Contact lenses have experienced significant advancements, and there are solutions for those suffering from astigmatism. They come in the form of toric lenses for those who would prefer to wear soft contacts, or rigid gas permeable options for those who do not mind hard contacts.

Toric Lenses and Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

Toric lenses provide relief for those with astigmatism because they are developed with special weighting and thin spots, all which match up to the unusual contours of the astigmatic cornea. This is in contrast with typical contact lenses, which are free to rotate in the eye with no variation to the individual’s vision.

Rigid gas permeable lenses are made of hard plastic, and they correct astigmatism through the shape of the lens itself. RGPs create a tear pocket, which allows for the correction of the disorder in and of itself. Subsequently, custom rigid gas permeable lenses are typically unnecessary for those with astigmatism.

Toric lenses and rigid gas permeable lenses are available through popular contact lens manufacturers such as Ciba Vision and Biocompatibles. Sufferers of astigmatism no longer need to be confined to glasses, but can choose contacts that not only clarify vision, but can even correct astigmatism in the long-term.