“Eye” Care For You

My Doctor Says I Can’t Wear Contact Lenses

 
 

Contact Lenses for the “Hard-to-Fit” Patient

Not everyone is an “ideal” candidate for contact lenses. Perhaps you have been told that you cannot wear contact lenses. If you have one or more of the following conditions, contact lens wear may be more difficult: astigmatism, dry eyes, presbyopia, giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC), keratoconus, or postrefractive surgery (such as LASIK or RK).

But “difficult” doesn’t mean impossible. People with these conditions can wear contacts quite successfully if fitted properly. For astigmatism (foot-ball shaped cornea), keratoconus (bulging cornea), and postsurgical eyes, there are toric lenses, gas permeable lenses, and hybrid (soft and hard contacts combined) that are options. The material and proper fitting of the lenses is what allows your vision to be best.

For dry eyes, the symptoms can include a gritty, scratchy, feeling, a burning sensation, redness later in the day, and blurred vision. If you have dry eyes or GPC (an allergic condition in the eyelids that is common to contact lens wearers) the first step is to treat the condition properly. Secondly, various contact lens materials may need to be tried to see what makes your eyes feel more comfortable. One-day disposable soft lens are excellent for these ocular conditions. For presbyopia (the “over- 40” syndrome”), monovision or bifocal contact lenses are required to allow your vision to be clear at both distance AND near.

Fitting contact lenses for any of the above conditions will generally take more time than a regular contact lens fitting. These “hard-tofit” cases may require more office visits, modern technology, and multiple pairs of trial lenses before the final contact lens prescription is determined. Although the lenses required for these conditions are usually more costly than regular soft contact lenses, many insurances offer benefits for specialty contact lenses when associated with a medical conditions. Find out if you can wear contact lenses.

If you are interested in wearing contact lenses, call our office to schedule a consultation. Even if you’ve been told you’re not a good candidate, we may be able to help you wear contact lenses safely and successfully. If you are in need of an eye care provider, I invite you to visit

EnVision Eye Care. 321 W. Montgomery Xrds, Savannah (near Hunter Golf Course and VA Medical Clinic). For appointments, call (912) 927-0707 and visit us at www.envisionsavannah.com


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