Contact Lens Wear Is A Possibility
if You Have Dry Eyes!
BySteve Cogger
Two things that never used to go together
are contact lenses and dry eyes. It used to
be that having dry eyes meant, in simple words,
inability to wear contact lenses. Today things
are different, contact lenses and dry eyes
can and do go very well together.
Having dry eyes simply means that
you may have to evaluate a variety of
lenses before finding the right kind for
you. A qualified contact lens fitter should
be able to find a specific lens that will
work well for most any eye, even dry eyes.
Soft contact lens manufacturers such
as CooperVision and Vistakon have developed
materials that are designed specifically
to stay hydrated while on a dry eye. Lenses
such as the Proclear Compatibles, Acuvue
Oasys, Extreme H2O, and Purevision work
wonders in a dry eye environment. Each
lens is made from a unique proprietary
plastic that retains water content, hydration,
and/or shape throughout the day.
Rigid gas permeable lenses also work
very well on dry eyes. An RGP lens is
made of a rigid plastic that does not
absorb as much solution as a soft lens.
Therefore, RGP lenses do not dehydrate
on an eye, which is what causes dry eye
discomfort. RGP's can made of a number
of plastics, including some that are extremely
oxygen permeable and some that have a
very low wetting angle. A low wetting
angle means the lens will feel moist while
being worn.
The latest advancement in RGP lenses
for dry eyes is plasma treatment. Paragon
Vision has discovered a way to alter the
surface molecules of an RGP contact lens
making it more comfortable for most people.
Plasma treatment has proven to be a major
advancement RGP contact lenses and dry
eyes.
Still another option for dry eyes is
semi-scleral gas permeable lenses. Semi-sclerals
are made of gas permeable materials, yet
are the size of most soft lenses. The
outcome is a lens that is as comfortable
as a soft lens, with the non-dehydrating
benefits of a gas permeable.
The type of contact lens used is only
part of the equation. The solution and
care system is a major portion of lens
success. Just how lenses and lens materials
are different, so are all care systems.
Depending on the type of dry eye and lens
used, a different conditioning solution,
cleaner, or rewetting drop may change
the way you wear your contacts.
Just because you have dry eyes doesn't
mean you can't be a successful contact
lens wearer. Given the new contact lens
designs and materials available coupled
with new solution systems the world of
contact lens wear possibilities is open
to you.
About The Author
Steve Cogger, referred to by some of his
patients as a contact lens genius, practices
in New York City and a fellow of the Contact
Lens Society of America. He is also webmaster
of http://www.All-About-Contact-Lenses.com
an informative consumer site.
