Keratoconushub: CONTACT LENSES FOR KERATOCONUS

Patients suffering from keratoconus can use eye glasses or soft contact lenses only if their keratoconus is in very initial stage. But as this corneal disease worsens, it becomes difficult to acquire good vision by using eye glasses or soft contact lenses.

Since with the progression of the keratoconus the cornea becomes more conical in shape, therefore eye glasses or soft contact lenses cannot provide satisfactory vision any more. Therefore at higher stage of the keratoconus, especially designed contact lenses have to be used for keratoconus. Single type of contact lens cannot be used by all keratoconus patients. The best contact lens is chosen out of many types available, depending on quality of vision, comfort and fitting.

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➤➤ A useful comparison of contact lenses based on many parameters that would be helpful in choosing the most suitable contact lens for you.

Various kinds of keratoconus contact lenses have been elaborated below-

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP/GP Contact lenses)
As clear by the name itself, these contact lenses are rigid (not soft) and are made of material which is gas permeable.

As we know that the corneal surface of the keratoconic patient is irregular in shape, so it does not let the clear image to enter into the eyes unlike a healthy smooth cornea. So vision is not clear.

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But the Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP/GP) contact lenses provide a smooth surface to the light rays entering into the eyes. Thus provides good quality vision by hiding irregularities of the cornea.
This is not possible by using soft contact lenses since they cannot provide rigid smooth surface to the light rays. RGP lenses can allow oxygen to pass through it to keep the cornea healthy, while wearing as cornea needs oxygen to stay healthy but the main problem associated with the RGP contact lenses is the rigidity which makes the lens wearing uncomfortable.

Hybrid contact lenses

A hybrid contact lens
Image by:
synergeyes.com

As soft contact lenses can provide good comfort but not good vision and Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP/GP) contact lenses can offer very good vision but are not comfortable, when compared to soft contact lenses.
But now the technology has evolved to develop a new kind of contact lenses which offer crisp vision like RGP contact lenses and good wearing comfort like soft contact lenses, thus providing best of the both worlds. These contact lenses are known as hybrid contact lenses.
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So you may be curious to know, how is it possible to achieve great comfort like soft contact lenses and very good vision like RGP contact lenses in a single contact lens? Actually the central part of the hybrid contact lenses is made rigid like RGP contact lenses but the outer-skirt (periphery) made soft similar to soft contact lenses. The central rigid part is responsible for hiding any irregularity of the keratoconic cornea hence providing crisp vision and as the periphery of the hybrid contact lens is soft, so it can offer great wearing comfort like soft contact lenses.

Scleral contact lenses

Scleral contact lens fitting for the eye
Image by:
contactlensmobile.com

Scleral contact lenses are gas permeable contact lenses having large diameter. These contact lens rests on the sclera (white of the eye) and vault over the entire corneal surface, thus providing a smooth artificial surface by covering all kinds of irregularities of the cornea. Hence very good quality vision can be achieved.
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Scleral lenses can also effectively be used for dry eyes problem since the space between back of the contact lens and cornea works as fluid reservoir. This fluid reservoir makes the contact lens wearing more comfortable to the people with dry eyes condition.

When the keratoconus is in early to moderate stage then standard RGP contact lenses can be used but as the irregularity of the corneal surface increases, it becomes more uncomfortable to wear and moves excessively with blinks of eyes. In such advanced keratoconus cases scleral contact lenses can be used. Scleral contact lenses can also be used at the time of cornea transplant.

Piggybacking
As the rigid gas permeable contact lenses provide crisp vision but are not comfortable to wear while soft contact lenses although quite comfortable in wearing but are not adequate to provide good quality vision.
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So to take advantage of the good qualities of these two types of contact lenses, the eye doctor may adopt a new technique known as piggybacking. In piggybacking under the RGP, soft contact lens is worn. This soft contact lens acts as a cushion and hence reduces discomfort to great extent hence providing good vision along with comfort.

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