Eye Disorders & General Health

If you’ve never worn contact lenses, you may not appreciate the amazing selection available on today’s market. Be glad: you have much more choice than in the past. With so many options, how do you choose the right type of contact lenses?

Your doctor can probably help you figure out which contact lenses are best for you. Some contact lenses are suited to certain vision problems, like astigmatism. Others, like extended-wear contact lenses, are marketed to suit certain lifestyles. Colored contact lenses sometimes are used by people who don’t even need prescription lenses but just want to change their eye color. Regardless, contact lenses should only be purchased by a professional eyecare practitioner, who knows how to properly fit the lenses and help you take care of your eyes. In fact, in the United States, it is illegal to purchase contact lenses without a valid prescription.

It’s good to be informed about the different types of contact lenses before making your decision. Different contact lenses need to be replaced on different cycles. Some pairs last a month, some only two weeks. Other contact lenses are made to be worn only for one day. These contact lenses usually cost more, as you are paying for convenience.

It is important not to sleep in your contact lenses unless your practitioner says it’s okay. Even contact lenses made for this purpose may not be good for you, especially if your eyes tend to be very dry. Be sure to ask.

Soft contact lenses have become most popular, as they are easy to get used to and are very comfortable to wear. While gas permeable contact lenses take longer to get used to, they last longer and tend to have less deposit buildup. Also, these contact lenses are less expensive in the long run because they don’t need to be replaced as often. Some people also believe gas permeable contact lenses are better for your eye health and may even help improve vision. However, they are rigid and some people don’t like how they feel.

As contact lenses have improved, so have their uses. Bifocal wearers rejoice! Many contact lens manufacturers have started making lenses that even you can wear. Ask your practitioner for details.

If you have been fit with the Cooper Proclear multifocal contact lens, then you already know how great the comfort and vision can be. Have you stopped to wonder what makes this lens so great and why it is considered by many to lead the market in soft disposable multifocals?

The Cooper ProClear Multifocal contact lens combines the all day comfort of the entire proclear line with the versatility and optics of the frequency 55 multifocal. By the time a person needs multifocal lenses; their eyes are generally drier than they might have been a few years earlier, so the merging of the two designs makes perfect sense.

The proclear multifocal contact lens material was made specifically for people with dry eyes. All proclear lenses are made up of 62% water which makes a very high water content lens. The breakthrough in the material is not necessarily its water content; rather it is the ability of the lens to maintain its water content throughout the day.

Most high water content lenses dehydrate rapidly and rely on the eyes tear film to replenish the lost water. For someone that already has dry eyes, this creates a very uncomfortable contact lens environment. Contact lens related dry eye can be very noticeable at the end of the day or during extended computer use.

With Cooper’s ProClear material, the lenses have a high water content which makes them comfortable initially and they retain that high water content in most environments. For a person wearing the Cooper ProClear multifocal contact lens, this means it does not rely on absorbing as many tears as other lenses to maintain a moist state. Whether at the computer, the theatre, or the beach, Proclear lenses stay comfortable.

Essentially, ProClear means initial comfort that lasts throughout the day. All the ProClear families of lenses are designed to be replaced on a monthly basis which makes them convenient and extremely healthy.

With this amazing material, it was only a matter of time before Cooper released the ProClear Mulitfocal. These soft contact lenses have a wide range of parameters allowing most people to be fit with sphere powers between +4.00 and -6.00. Add powers start at +1.00 and go up to +2.50. Two styles are made, a distance lens and a near lens.

When fit properly the Proclear multifocal has the ability to provide end of day comfort, quality distance vision, great computer vision, and add for near vision.

Halloween contact lenses are an amazing way to spice up any costume. And, in some cases can make a great costume all on there own. Unfortunately in today’s market place, Halloween contact lenses have been promoted as an accessory rather than a medical device.

As it stands today, any theatrical or cosmetic contact lenses purchased without the written approval of a licensed eye care professional are considered illegal. Just because they are sold illegally does not mean they are safe.

If you are considering wearing cat eyes or mirrored contact lenses this year, see your eye care professional. This will ensure you get the best lenses for your eyes and will be properly instructed on their use. Once you get that perfect pair of costume lenses, remember they are for fun and furthermore, these are your eyes. A few guidelines will help ensure you have a safe and exciting time wearing your new lenses.

Tip 1 – Get your contact lenses from a licensed professional. In the United States sale of all contact lenses is restricted to licensed professionals. Think before buying lenses at a flea market or gas station. Ask yourself: has someone else already worn theses lenses? What kind of solution are they stored in? Who made them? What kind of paints were used, are they safe to put on my eyes? If you see a licensed professional you can rest assured that everything will go smooth and you will have an FDA approved lens that is fit specifically for your eye.

Tip 2 – Your contact lenses were fit for your eyes only. Never trade contact lenses. Once they have been put on your eyes, they should never go on anyone else’s eyes. Swapping contact lenses is a sure recipe for infection.

Tip 3 – Follow the recommended care regimen for your new cosmetic lenses. There are many different care systems available for contact lenses. Some are compatible with soft theatrical contacts, and some are not. Some are safe to put directly on your eye, and some are not. Play it safe and only use what your eye care professional recommends for your eyes and lenses.

Tip 4 – Only wear your lenses as long as is suggested by your contact lens specialist. Many of the theatrical lenses available today are designed to be worn for only a few hours at a time. Especially for eyes that are not used to contact lenses, put on your lenses before your affair and remove them after. Do not attempt to wear them all day and all night. Your eyes will not be pleased if you over wear your lenses.

Tip 5 – If using face makeup, put your lenses on first, then the makeup. You want to avoid getting makeup on and especially under your contacts. Simply put your lenses on first, and then you can apply any face makeup.

Tip 6 – Never sleep in your novelty contact lenses. Lenses used for overnight wear are designed specifically with extended wear in mind. Colored and painted lenses are designed to be worn for shorter periods.

Tip 7 – Have fun with your lenses. Depending on what style you choose, from spooky dragon eyes or pitch black mirrored contact lenses to cute pink temptress lenses you are sure to amaze and dazzle your friends.

Following these simple tips will help ensure a fun and safe costume that will leave your eyes happy and healthy.

Do you have dry eyes? Whether you just feel like you have dry eyes or your doctor has told you, there are contact lenses made just for you. Dry eye contact lenses vary depending on the type of dry eye. Manufacturers of contact lenses have focused a lot of time and research into developing the perfect dry eye contact lens.

A dry eye can be caused by numerous factors, and therefore, the perfect dry eye contact lens does not exist. The good news is contact lenses are designed for all different types of dry eyes. So chances are there is a contact lens for your dry eyes.

In its simplest state, dry eye is a lack of tears on the eye. In some cases it is a slow tear production rate, some instances it is a fast evaporation of tears, and in others it is a question of tear quality. Given the complexities of dry eye syndrome, there is no one contact lens that can possibly work on every dry eye.

In many cases, lenses like the Proclear Compatibles by cooper vision or the Extreme H2O contact lens will stay moist throughout the day and help the dry eye patient feel comfortable. Both these lenses are made with a high water content plastic and are able to maintain their moisture throughout the day. Both these lenses were developed with the dry eye contact lens wearer in mind.

The newest breed of soft contact lenses is the silicone hydrogel lens. By nature, silicone hydrogels do not dehydrate as readily as other soft lenses and may increase comfort. The right silicone lens accompanied by a good conditioning solution has been known to help many people with dry eyes.

Another philosophy is to fit a lens with a very low content. The theory is a lens that needs less water, will take less from the eye. For example, a lens that has only 38% water content will not need to take as much tears from the eye to stay moist and it is less prone to dehydration. A contact lens with 55% or more water content is going to take more tears from the eye, adding to the dry eye effect.

Contact lens solution also plays a major role when it comes to comfort and dry eyes. In many cases, simply changing your lens care system and solutions can alleviate a dry eye sensation.

If you have dry eyes and are not satisfied with your current contact lens situation, you may be a good candidate for a Proclear Compatible, Extreme H2O, silicone hydrogel, or a low water content contact lens.

Advances in gas permeable materials and lens manufacturing techniques have allowed certain labs to manufacture corneo-scleral contact lenses. These lenses fit over the entire cornea and rest on the sclera, similar to a soft lens. Diameters can range from 13.0 to 15.0mm, a fenestration provides for easy removal on these larger diameter lenses.

Corneo-scleral and semi-scleral lenses provide great options for irregular corneas such as keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, post PK, and post trauma to name a few. They are also a fantastic option for those that could not previously tolerate contact lenses. In most cases, patients who were intolerant of other lens modalities report longer wear time, increased comfort and more consistent vision when properly fit with semi-scleral lenses.

Imagine the vision of a gas permeable lens with the comfort of a soft lens. That’s exactly what we have in mind when fitting semi-scleral lenses.

I have had a huge success fitting corneo-scleral lenses and am always excited to offer this fitting service to our patients.