With the continued advancement in contact lens technology and the skill and knowledge of the doctors of Hamilton Eyecare Center, there is virtually no reason why someone who wants to wear contact lenses cannot be successfully fit with some modality of contact lenses.  Practically any vision condition, as well as many disease conditions of the anterior eye, can be improved with contact lenses.  Nearly all the limitations of the past have been overcome if one is willing to try the new technologies.

Soft Contact Lenses

Soft contact lenses are known for their good initial comfort, ease of handling and relatively inexpensive cost.  These lenses can correct myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, and low amounts of astigmatism.  Single use contact lenses (also known as daily disposable) are the epitome of this category due to their exceptional comfort and convenience.

Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses (RGP)

Rigid gas permeable lenses are sometimes recommended for patients who are unable to get satisfactory, stable vision with soft contact lenses.  Adaptation to RGP lenses takes longer than soft contact lenses.

Specialty Contact Lenses

Hybrid Lenses

For those who want the initial comfort of soft lenses, but need the crisp vision of the RGP, there is the hybrid lens alternative.  This lens has a rigid center with a soft skirt.

Scleral Lenses

In addition to having 35 years of experience in the art and practice of optometry, Dr. Michael Moorehead continues to seek advanced knowledge and training in the area of specialty contact lenses.  He has attended the Global Specialty Lens Symposium for the last two years.  This symposium is attended by 800 contact lens practitioners from 42 states and 36 countries.  Researchers and renowned experts from all over the world meet to discuss the latest developments.  By far the hottest topic is in the resurgence of scleral contact lenses.  When properly fitted, these lenses give amazingly good comfort, even for dry and diseased eyes.  And because they have rigid lens optics, vision is usually exceptionally good as well.  They are especially helpful for keratoconus, which is an eye disease that results in poor spectacle vision, yet good vision can be attained with contact lenses.  People with dry eyes also find relief with this modality because their eye is bathed in a reservoir of fluid which is retained under the lens.  Scleral lenses are often used for people who have corneal distortions caused by disease or surgery such as LASIK.

Orthokeratology

Orthokeratology, also known as corneal refractive therapy, is a technique of contact lens fitting used to modify the shape of the front of the eye with a special gas permeable lens worn while sleeping.  This contact lens reshapes the cornea so that no glasses or contacts are needed during the day.  This procedure is FDA approved for up to 6.00D of myopia and low power hyperopia.  It has also been found to reduce or slow the progression of myopia (near-sightedness) and can therefore be used in children as young as 8 years old.  For more information, click here.

Myopia Control

Myopia is truly reaching epidemic proportions in most developed countries including the United States.  It is especially prevalent in the Asian population.  In South Korea for example, 98% of 19 year old men entering the military were found to have myopia.  It is a leading cause of blindness due primarily to myopic macular degeneration, which can affect as much as 40% of myopes over 6.00 diopters by the sixth decade of life.  It also is associated with increased amounts of glaucoma and other retinal degenerations.  However, we now know several scientifically proven ways to reduce the progression and prevent loss of vision from this epidemic.  As soon as a child is discovered to begin progression into myopia, which can begin as early as 6 years of age, but commonly found at age 8, 9, or 10, if these control methods are implemented, progression can be reduced by 50% or more.  Two of the most successful methods are the use of multifocal contact lenses and orthokeratology.