GENERAL
Contact lenses are applied directly on the cornea and, similar to glasses, they help correcting refractive errors, such as myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia and presbyopia as well as any combination of the above.
They offer a safe and effective way for vision correction, when used correctly and with the right education and training by an Ophthalmologist.
In order to start using contact lenses you need to see an Ophthalmologist, undergo a complete clinical examination and fitting assessment , before and after their application.
Εvaluation by an eye specialist ensures that the contact lenses are appropriate for the patient, do not cause intolerance due to poor fitting and do not have other complications.
When should you wear contact lenses?
Contact lenses are appropriate for a series of refractive anomalies and problems of the vision, such as:
- High myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism
- Presbyopia
- Keratoconus
- Cornea transplantation
What contact lens should I choose?
There are several types of contact lenses, which are chosen according to the condition each patient suffers from:
- Soft contact lenses. They are the commonest type of contact lenses that are being used today. They are made of sophisticated material that makes them soft and elastic and at the same time they allow optimum hydration and oxygenation of the cornea.
- Toric contact lenses. Toric lenses are designed especially for treating astigmatism alone or in combination with myopia or hyperopia.
- Multifocal contact lenses. They are appropriate for patients suffering from presbyopia or presbyopia in combination with myopia or hyperopia. They help the middle-aged active adults do their everyday activities without the use of several different pairs of glasses.
- Rigid gas permeable contact lenses. They are rigid or “scleral” lenses made of special plastic and other material, such as silicon that allows oxygen pass through the lens. They are selected for cases of high astigmatism such as keratoconus or corneal transplants that are not well corrected with soft contact lenses or glasses . Their benefit is that they reshape the irregular corneal surface by molding on the cornea which improves the eyesight significantly, even better than glasses, being effectively the only option
- Hybrid contact lenses. They have a rigid centrally while the periphery is made of soft material for comfort and ease of use.
How is contact lens fitting done?
Contact lens fitting starts by taking the patient’s personal and family history followed by complete eye examination.
This examination is very useful because it can indicate other pathology, such as glaucoma (if there is high pressure inside the eye) or other systemic health problems (e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol) that the patient might not be aware of.
An examination of the refraction of the patient follows, along with examination of the corneal curvature.
During contact lenses trial, the patient wears the lenses for at least one hour and the eye doctor makes sure that the cornea is moisturized sufficiently and sized correctly so that the patient can wear them without any discomfort or other remarkable problems.
What should I take into consideration regarding the use of contact lenses?
Contact lenses offer convenience and high quality of vision when used properly. However, improper use can lead to vision threatening damage of the cornea if:
- Contact lenses of daily use are being worn as lenses of extended use.
- Contact lens are worn at sleep or while having a shower since this increases the probability of corneal infection.
- Contact lenses are being Insufficiently cleaned and improperly cared for since this may cause corneal infections.
- Gas permeable contact lenses are improperly fitted and cause corneal abrasions or if the patient wears them at sleep.
- Gas permeable and soft contact lenses are not disinfected properly every night with special solutions since they may concentrate proteins on their surface and cause eye allergies. Protein concentration may result in discomfort, blurring and contact lens intolerance. They should also be replaced as per manufacturer’s indications.
