Toric lenses

Contact lenses are a wonderful option for many people that do not like dealing with glasses. Some people have been told they are unable to wear soft contact lenses because they have astigmatism, an optical defect. Toric lenses are used to correct the vision for patients with astigmatism and they can now wear soft, disposable contact lenses.

Understanding Astigmatism
Astigmatism blurs the vision of an individual due to an optical defect in the eye. The eye is unable to focus to a point where the images can become sharpened in the retina. The cornea or lens may have an unusual curve or a toric curve. Astigmatism is classified into 2 types; regular and irregular. Individuals with regular astigmatism can correct their vision with a toric lens. The problem is usually in the cornea and is easily corrected with proper placement of the lens. Individuals with irregular astigmatism have problems due to a corneal scar or a problem with the crystalline lens. The only way to fix irregular astigmatism is to wear contact lenses or have surgery. Regular glasses cannot be worn by individuals with irregular astigmatism.

The toric lens looks like a football because it has a slight curvature shape. Individuals diagnosed with astigmatism often have 2 separate focal points within the eye and are unable to focus on objects. Normally the image will look horizontally blurred or vertically blurred. Several people with astigmatism have stated that straight lines look tilted and fine details are blurred. Hard contact lenses are the best option for individuals with astigmatism.

A patient will be diagnosed with in-the-rule astigmatism or against-the-rule astigmatism. With-the-rule astigmatism means the eye is able to focus on vertical lines, but is unable to sharpen its focus on horizontal lines. Against-the-rule astigmatism means the patient cannot focus on the vertical lines, but does not have trouble with the horizontal lines. Toric lenses are used for patients that have astigmatism in one or both eyes.

Generally patients with toric lens problems have myopia or hyperopia. Myopia is a problem seeing objects close-up; it is commonly referred to as near-sightedness. Hyperopia is a problem seeing objects at a distance; it is commonly referred to as far-sightedness.

Toric lenses
A toric lens is made from the same materials as normal contact lenses, which means they can be soft or hard. The design of the contact lenses is the major difference. Instead of having one lens, the toric lens is similar to a bifocal lens because it will have 2 different lenses. The different powers of the toric lenses will fit the curvatures of the patient's astigmatism. Unlike traditional contact lenses, a toric contact lens cannot rotate on your eye. The contact lens has a special design that makes the contact remain stable on the eye.

The initial fitting for a toric contact lens will be pretty expensive because the eye doctor not only has to perform a series of tests, but they have to get the corrective lens in the exact right spot on the eye. The toric fitting will take twice as long as a regular contact lens fitting. The toric contact lens costs have decreased over the years and average about $35 - $150 for a year's supply of disposable toric contacts.

Some individuals do not have astigmatism in both eyes. Eye doctors will create two types of contact lenses for these patients. One contact lens will be a spherical lens and the other contact lens will be a toric lens. A toric lens is not symmetrical and cannot be rotated. If the individual placed the contact lens in the wrong place, they need to take it out and find the correct area on the eye where the lens must be. Generally the toric contact lens is thicker on the bottom, making it stay in place on the eye and helping the wearer to place it in the eye correctly. The upper eyelid will push down on the thicker area of the contact, forcing it to stay in the same position.

Generally toric lenses are hard contact lenses because they are more expensive to produce. The toric lens is meant to be worn for extended periods of time, which is why it was only available as a hard contact lens until the year 2000. Patients that prefer soft contact lenses now have the option of purchasing the toric lens as a disposable contact. Soft contact lenses are usually more comfortable on the eye because they are made from a plastic-like material and water.

Some people only have a small amount of astigmatism, which is between 0 and 1.00 dipoter. Eye doctors will recommend that these patients try a spherical lens instead of the toric lens. The spherical lens will allow the cornea to conform to the shape of the lens and it will mask the astigmatism. Individuals that have a small amount of astigmatism should consider the spherical lens before a toric lens, because the fitting is cheaper and may solve the problem. Another benefit of a spherical lens is its ability to rotate with the eye. Patients do not have to worry about positioning the contact lens exactly on their eye because the power is the same around the entire lens. Spherical lenses maintain their shape on the eye better than soft contact lenses and they provide clearer, crisper vision to the individual.

Choosing the right contact lens
Everyone has different needs when it comes to contact lenses. Some people prefer the soft, disposable contacts while others prefer the hard contact lenses. Hard contact lenses often give the wearer crisper vision and can be worn for longer periods of time. However, soft contact lenses are easier to adjust to and the eyes do not have problems with redness and irritation.

There are several contact lens manufacturers and many of them offer trials for contact wearers. The toric contact lenses are more expensive, however most doctors keep standard toric lenses in their office and may send you home with some that day. Choosing the brand that fits your eyes perfectly will take some time as your eyes will need to adjust to each one. Eye doctors will be able to help you find the brand that is the most comfortable for your eyes and they will even help you select colored toric lenses.

Colored contact lenses are beneficial for several reasons. First, a colored contact is easy to find if it accidently moves in your eye. Second, colored contacts allow individuals that ability to enhance their natural eye color or it will allow them to change their eye color. Third, colored contact lenses can be ordered as soft or hard lenses, allowing you to decide which style you prefer. Not all contact manufacturers produce colored toric contact lenses, so you will be limited with your choice.

Determining if you need toric lenses
Not all individuals with astigmatism will need toric lenses. As stated previously, some people only need spherical contacts to correct their vision problem. There are some ways to help you decide if you should talk to your doctor about toric lenses:

•     You currently wear contacts or glasses and find yourself straining your eyes to focus on objects.
•     You have hyperopia or myopia.
•     You suffer from headaches, tired eyes, and dizziness.
•     You squint when your eyes are exposed to lighting, indoor and outdoor.
•     You work in a low-light area and strain your eyes to see.

Toric lenses are designed to help people with refraction problems, currently 45% of people with regular glasses or contacts suffer from some type of astigmatism. The eye doctor will perform a series of different tests to determine if you have astigmatism. If you are diagnosed with astigmatism, the eye doctor will be able to help you decide if you should select contact lenses or glasses.

Benefits of toric lenses
Toric contact lenses have several benefits including stability, crispness, comfort, and convenience. In the past, people with astigmatism could only use hard contacts or glasses, causing several problems for many people. Individuals that worked in dusty environments could easily get dirt under their contact lens, causing infections and soreness. Daily disposable toric contacts allow individuals to throw away the contact lenses that have been damaged or have become cloudy due to dust or other things.

Disposable contacts do not require cleaning and they add enhanced comfort to the patient. Since the patient does not have to clean the contacts, they reduce their chances of eye infections caused from soap and saline solution. New lenses are worn every day, adding clarity and crispness to your sight. Toric lenses are designed to remain in the same position when your eye moves, allowing you to have clear vision, without worrying about "losing" the contact in your eye.

Toric lenses are now affordable to almost everyone. The initial fitting for a toric lens will take longer than traditional contact fittings; however the price for toric contacts is relatively the same. Eye doctors often will send the patient home with trial contact lenses to help them adjust to wearing contacts and the sight difference they will experience with a toric lens.