Specialty Contact Lenses Q&A
What are specialty contact lenses?
Specialty lenses are contact lenses that serve a specific purpose for your eye health and vision. Citrus Valley Eyecare offers advanced contact lens fittings and specialized options to help you see clearly at every distance, even if you have advanced corneal conditions.
What are the benefits of specialty contact lenses?
The primary benefit of specialty lenses is to correct vision problems. You may choose contact lenses if you have astigmatism, nearsightedness, or farsightedness to help you see better. Specialty lenses can even change the shape of your eye’s cornea, and because the lenses are custom-fitted to your eye’s unique shape, they feel comfortable.
Which specialty contact lenses are available?
Your Citrus Valley Eyecare specialist offers a variety of specialty lenses, including those that correct keratoconus, other corneal issues, and post-surgery conditions. The Citrus Valley Eyecare team tailors each contact lens treatment to fit your unique needs.
Common types of specialty lenses include:
Orthokeratology
Orthokeratology, or ortho-k, is a treatment for nearsightedness that uses gas-permeable contact lenses to improve your eye’s curvature and reshape your corneas for better vision.
Soft lenses
Soft lenses are flexible and conform to your eye’s shape. They allow oxygen to pass through the cornea and rest comfortably on the surface of your eyes.
Rigid lenses
Rigid, gas-permeable lenses are inflexible or rigid and offer you sharper vision. These lenses are usually smaller than soft lenses but last much longer.
Hybrid lenses
Hybrid contact lenses consist of rigid and soft lens materials. The center is rigid, and the outer edges are flexible, so hybrid lenses offer the benefits of rigid lenses with the comfort of soft contacts.
Scleral lenses
Scleral lenses are large lenses made of the same material as rigid lenses. They correct the shape of irregular corneas and improve your vision.
Which specialty contact lenses are right for me?
To determine which type of specialty lenses are best for you, your eye doctor reviews your medical history, symptoms, and previous vision problems. Then, they complete a comprehensive eye exam and vision tests to determine your vision prescription and assess the health of your eyes.
During vision testing, you look through different lenses and read letters and numbers from an eye chart. Your doctor may dilate your eyes using eye drops to get a more in-depth picture of your eye health. They may test the fluid pressure in your eyes to screen for glaucoma or recommend you undergo imaging procedures.
To find out which specialty lenses are right for you, call Citrus Valley Eyecare office or schedule an appointment online today.
Keratoconus Q&A
What is keratoconus?
Keratoconus is a condition that affects your cornea, the dome-shaped, clear part of your eye. Keratoconus causes the cornea to thin and bulge outward into a cone shape, resulting in blurry vision, light sensitivity, and other vision problems. Treatment reduces your chance of severe vision issues and the need for a cornea transplant.
What are the symptoms of keratoconus?
Common symptoms of keratoconus include:
- Worsening vision
- Cloudy vision
- Blurry vision
- Distorted vision
- Bright light sensitivity
- Glare sensitivity
- Problems with night driving
- Changes in lens prescriptions
See our Citrus Valley Eyecare team at the first sign of vision changes.
What are the risk factors for keratoconus?
While anyone can develop keratoconus, certain factors increase your risk of having it. Examples include:
- Vigorously rubbing your eyes
- Family history of keratoconus
- Hay fever or asthma
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Down syndrome
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
The cause of keratoconus isn’t entirely clear. However, 1 in 10 people with this eye condition has a parent with keratoconus. Complications that can develop from keratoconus include cornea scarring and worsening vision problems. You may eventually need a cornea transplant if it’s left untreated.
How does my doctor diagnose keratoconus?
To determine if you have keratoconus, your eye doctor discusses your symptoms and medical history. Then, they complete a comprehensive eye exam, assess your vision, and may complete specialized tests to evaluate the shape of your cornea.
Your eye doctor also shines a light beam on your eye’s surface and uses imaging tests to get a detailed view of your cornea.
What are common keratoconus treatments?
Your keratoconus treatment plan depends on the severity of your condition. Your specialist might recommend:
Vision correction lenses
Wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses corrects vision problems associated with keratoconus. Our Citrus Valley Eyecare team can fit you for specialty contacts that maximize comfort and help you see clearly.
Corneal collagen cross-linking
Corneal collagen cross-linking is a keratoconus treatment in which your eye doctor saturates your cornea with riboflavin eye drops and ultraviolet light. Doing so stiffens the cornea to prevent further shape changes and reduce the risk of continued vision loss.
Surgery
In the advanced stages of keratoconus, you may need a cornea transplant or procedure that preserves the inside lining of the cornea before undergoing a full-thickness cornea transplant.
Don’t let keratoconus progress to the point of severe vision problems. Call Citrus Valley Eyecare to schedule an eye evaluation or book one online today.
Ask Us
Feel free to email us regarding any scheduling someone from our staff will contact you within 24-48 hours.
Follow Us
Hours
| Monday | 8am - 5pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 8am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 5pm |
| Friday | 8am - 5pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |