contact lenses

Also Serving Botetourt, VA

When deciding the best way to correct your refractive error, today’s patients have multiple options. Eyeglasses, refractive surgery and contact lenses may all be good choices.

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Contact Lenses:
Rigid gas permeable lenses have evolved from the original contact lens (the hard lens). These lenses share the same rigid material and shape, however; today’s RGP lenses are much more breathable than their predecessor. In most situations RGP lenses provide the most clear, crisp, vision that contacts will allow, however; their hard shape makes them less comfortable initially, and they may take longer to adapt.

Soft Contact Lenses:
Most of the contact lens wearers in the U.S. use soft contact lenses. These lenses are named so because of the softer, more pliable materials from which they are made. These lenses are typically quite comfortable almost immediately, which eases the contact lens adaptation period. Most soft contact lenses are available in convenient “disposable” packaging, giving patients great convenience and comfort. Lenses may be disposed of on a daily, bi-weekly, or monthly cycle depending on the type chosen. Additionally, newer, more breathable materials have made today’s soft contact lenses the healthiest and safest lenses we’ve ever had. These lenses are available in many types, including extended wear, colors, and lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia(loss of near vision in patients over 40 years old).

Bifocal and/or Multifocal Contact Lenses:
As we age we encounter a condition called presbyopia, which affects our ability to focus on objects that are near. One of the main signs that you’re developing presbyopia is the need to hold newspapers, menus or other reading materials farther from your eyes in order to see it clearly.

Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses are offered in both RGP and soft varieties.
While not all patients are a “good fit” for multifocal lenses, they now give us one more option to better correct our vision problems.

If you are interested in contact lenses our doctors at Eye Care & Surgery will be glad to discuss the best option for you. Please contact us to schedule an appointment.

Can Your Child See Clearly at a Distance?
Dr. Sarah Driscoll, OD is specifically trained and treats children who are having difficulty seeing at a distance. Please take a moment to read the article linked here, “When Children Can’t See Far” and find out more about the MiSight Contact Lens. If you would like to schedule your child an evaluation appointment with Dr. Driscoll, please give our office a call today at 800.650.7313