Contact Lenses at Family Eye Care 

Wearing contact lenses for vision correction offers many benefits, including a more natural appearance, wider visual access, not having to deal with eyeglass lenses fogging up, and more. Getting the right contact lenses for your eye health and visual needs is vital to your success in being able to comfortably wear them and enjoy clear, sharp vision every day. 

Dr. Patti A. Richard at Family Eye Care in North Andover specializes in working with patients to fit them in the right contact lenses for their visual needs and eye health. 

Soft Contact Lenses 

The most common contact lenses are soft lenses, and the wear schedule for soft contact lenses may be daily or extended. Soft contact lenses are made of soft plastics that allow oxygen to pass through to the cornea.

While soft contact lenses are the most common, they may not be the best option for everyone. In cases of keratoconus, dry eye, or other conditions in which a person is advised against wearing contact lenses, specialty contact lenses can be a suitable alternative.

Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty contact lenses are designed for people who cannot wear standard contacts. Available in several types, they are used for various vision correction needs. An individual’s unique eye health needs will impact the specific type of specialty contact lens they wear.

Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses

Rigid gas permeable lenses, also known as RGP lenses, are firm, more durable than soft contact lenses, and provide sharper vision correction. When properly cared for, they can last up to one year. A downside to rigid gas lenses is that they can be difficult to adapt to for those new to wearing contact lenses.

Scleral Contact Lenses

Scleral contact lenses are larger than conventional contact lenses. They are large-diameter gas permeable lenses which are designed to vault over the entire surface of the eye, and they rest on the sclera, otherwise known as the “white” part of the eye.

Scleral contact lenses essentially replace the irregularly shaped cornea with a perfectly smooth optical surface to correct vision problems caused by keratoconus, a high amount of astigmatism, and other corneal irregularities. Since scleral contact lenses rest on the sclera, which is a less sensitive part of the eye, they can also be more comfortable for people who have dry eye disease.

One option Dr. Patti A. Richard recommends for patients with keratoconus is ClearKone lenses for keratoconus by SynergEyes, an FDA-cleared hybrid contact lens specifically designed for the treatment of keratoconus and other corneal irregularities. This hybrid contact lens combines the best of both worlds – the crisp vision of a GP contact lens with the all-day comfort and convenience of a soft lens. Learn more about SynergEyes!

Get the Right Contact Lenses for Your Visual Needs 

At Family Eye Care, our optometrists are experienced in determining what contact lenses are best for you. They also will fit you for your specialty contact lenses to ensure your comfort.

If you are interested in contact lenses, our doctors will perform a contact lens exam. During this exam, they will evaluate a range of metrics and eye health markers, including the size and shape of your cornea, taking into consideration your corrective vision needs and the overall health of your eyes. Upon gathering the information needed, our doctors will offer recommendations on the contact lenses that are right for you.