Contact Lenses

Contact lenses in the yest years were primarily used for the improving the vision of a person and negating the use of glasses. Since then Contact lenses have come a long way. They are highly specialized and can be used for purposes like drug delivery, restoring the ocular surface integrity, overcoming the irregularities of the surface of the eye.

Scleral lenses, Rose K lenses, Prosthetic lenses to name a few which have highly specialized function and require highly specialized personnel to fit and adjust them.

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Contact Lenses

  • What are the types of Contact lenses?
  • What are Soft Contact Lenses (SCL)?
  • What are Rigid Gas Permeable lenses (RGP)?
  • What are X-Chrome Contact Lenses?
  • What are Scleral Lens?
  • What are Coloured Contact Lenses?

The different types of Contact lenses are:

  • Soft Contact lenses (SCL)
  • Rigid Gas Permeable lenses (RGP)
  • X-Chrome Contact Lenses
  • Coloured Contact Lenses
  • Scleral Lens

Soft contact lenses are composed of malleable plastic polymers. They are very flexible and, when fit properly, will form to the cornea (the front surface of the eye). They are the most commonly worn type of contact lenses.

Properties of Soft Contact Lenses:

  • Greater initial comfort than hard or RGP lenses.
  • Shorter adaptation period for new wearers.
  • Less sensitivity to light than with hard or RGP lenses.
  • Rarely fall out of the eye, making them ideal for sports.

Disadvantages of Soft Contact Lenses:

  • Less durable than hard or RGP lenses.
  • May dry out, causing discomfort for some.
  • Susceptible to more protein or lipid deposits, that reduces lens performance in the long term.
  • May absorb chemicals from the environment, which can cause irritation.

Colour deficiency is a condition characterized by the inability to discriminate between certain colours. Their altered colour perception is due to a malfunction in the retina of the trichromatic-three-receptor colour (red, green, and blue) vision system.

X-Chrome contact lens is a red contact lens worn in one eye and is used to overcome red-green colour vision deficiencies.Its principle is to create what is referred to as retinal rivalry. As the red contact lens is only carried in one eye(non-dominating eye), the patient can compare different contrasts between the two eyes. The lens is named the “X-Chrome” lens because the gene that causes the problem is carried on the X chromosome.

Can be used by individuals:

  • the electronic and computer industries,
  • graphic and fine arts,
  • transportation

In addition, these lenses are ideal for colourblind people who want to improve the quality of many recreational activities.

Scleral contacts are larger than standard gas permeable (GP) contacts and have a diameter equal to or greater than that of soft contact lenses. The smallest sclerals are approximately 14.5 mm in diameter, and the largest can be up to 24 mm. ThScleral lenses are more stable on the eye.

Who can use Scleral lenses?

Anyone interested in achieving the best vision possible with contact lenses can be a candidate for scleral lenses.

Irregular corneas. Vision problems caused by an irregularly shaped cornea — such as keratoconus, or resulting from eye surgery — typically cannot be fully corrected with glasses or soft contact lenses. Scleral lenses will provide sharper vision for these eyes. Hard-to-fit eyes. If your eyes cannot be comfortably fitted with conventional GP lenses or the shape of your eye causes the lenses to dislodge too easily from your eyes (during sports, for example), scleral lenses can provide a more comfortable and secure fit. Dry eyes. If your eyes are too dry for conventional contact lenses, scleral lenses can help. In particular, the space between the back surface of full scleral lenses and the cornea acts as a tear reservoir to keep the front of your eye more moist and comfortable. In addition to keratoconus, scleral contact lenses can be used for eyes that have undergone a cornea transplant, and for people with severe dry eyes caused by conditions such as Sjogren’s syndrome, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Coloured contact lenses are cosmetic lenses which give the appearance of changed iris color. Modern colour contact lenses are available in a wide range of natural colors that compliment your natural beauty. People with vision problems like astigmatism can also wear specially designed toric coloured lenses.

What are Rigid Gas Permeable lenses (RGP)? Newer RGP lenses offer the advantage of allowing more oxygen to pass through to the eye. They are often referred to as oxygen permeable lenses and are available in daily wear and extended wear options.

Properties of Rigid Gas Permeable lenses (RGP)

  • Clear, crisp vision
  • Has the ability to correct most of the astigmatism
  • Good durability & handling characteristics.

Disadvantages of Rigid Gas Permeable lenses (RGP)

  • Less initial comfort & longer adaptation than soft lenses.
  • More easily dislodged & susceptibility to foreign objects.
  • Can get scratched and break easily.

Disclaimer: The services mentioned and Photographs used are for representational and education purpose. The actual procedure & Result may vary from patient to patient. For more details on the topics and treatment plan, please consult with our experts at Bhalanetra Superspeciality Eye Hospital to know more.