Skip to main content
schedule appointment now template blue mobile call with subscriber number 79145 501 (1)
phone call us now template blue mobile call with subscriber number 79145 501
Home » Eyewear & Contacts » Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty Contact Lenses

Clearvue Vision Center offers a wide selection of contact lenses including disposable soft contact, bifocal/multifocal, toric, colored lenses, RGP and scleral lenses. Whether you wear daily, weekly or monthly disposables, check out our selection of lenses that fit your needs.

We provide a large selection of specialty contact lenses including scleral lenses, RGP, and GP to fit irregular corneas (from keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration corneal graft) and treat dry eyes.

Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a relatively uncommon eye condition where the cornea (the clear front window of the eye) becomes thinner and bulges forward. As the condition progresses, the shape of the cornea is altered, which distorts vision. Usually, keratoconus affects both eyes, although symptoms and progression in each eye may differ.

Gas permeable or scleral contact lenses are the treatment option of choice for mild and moderate keratoconus. Because they are rigid, GP lenses can help contain the shape of the cornea to prevent further bulging of the cornea. They also can correct vision problems caused by keratoconus that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses or soft contacts.

Scleral Lenses

If you want to wear contact lenses but have had trouble wearing them in the past — or you've been told you are not a good candidate for contacts due to irregular corneas or keratoconus— scleral contact lenses may be the solution you are looking for.

Five Interesting Facts about Scleral Contact Lenses

These large-diameter gas permeable (GP) lenses offer the same advantages that conventional GP lenses have compared with soft contacts, including:

  • Sharper vision
  • Greater durability
  • Easier handling
  • Less risk of complications

They are called "scleral" lenses because, instead of covering only a portion of the cornea (like conventional GP lenses), these large GP lenses vault over the entire corneal surface and rest on the "white" of the eye (the sclera).

Because of their size, scleral lenses are more stable on the eye than conventional GP lenses — so they are less likely to accidentally dislodge from the eye. This stability also can make them more comfortable than conventional GP lenses; scleral lenses provide initial comfort similar to soft lenses, especially for sensitive eyes or irregularly shaped corneas.

Corneal Reshaping Therapy (CRT)

CRT or Ortho-K is a non-surgical process that reshapes the cornea while you sleep so you can enjoy clear vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses during the day. For more information, please visit Paragon CRT, http://www.paragonvision.com/.

GP Lenses for Myopia Control and Ortho-K

Research shows that gas permeable lenses might be effective in slowing the progression or worsening of myopia or nearsightedness, particularly in children. They are also used in Orthokeratology (ortho-k), a vision correcting procedure in which you wear the lenses at night to reshape your cornea for improved vision during the day.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a very common condition where the curvature of the front of the eye isn't round, but is instead shaped more like a football or an egg. This means one curve is steeper or flatter than the curve 90 degrees away. Astigmatism won't keep you from wearing contact lenses - it just means you need a different kind of lens.

Lenses specially designed to correct astigmatism are called "toric" lenses. Most toric lenses are soft lenses. Toric soft lenses have different corrective powers in different lens meridians, and design elements to keep the lens from rotating on the eye (so the varying corrective powers are aligned properly in front of the different meridians of the cornea).

In some cases, toric soft lenses may rotate too much on the eye, causing blur. If this happens, different brands that have different anti-rotation designs can be tried. If soft lens rotation continues to be a problem, gas permeable (GP) lenses (with or without a toric design) can also correct astigmatism.

Multifocal Lenses

Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses are designed to give you good vision when you reach your 40s. Beginning at this age, you may need to hold reading material - like a menu or newspaper - farther from your eyes to see it clearly. This condition is called "presbyopia."

Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses are available in both soft and rigid gas permeable (GP) materials.

Bifocals, multifocals – What's the difference?

Bifocal contacts lenses (like bifocal eyeglass lenses) have two powers – one for seeing clearly far away and one for seeing clearly up close. Multifocal contact lenses, like progressive eyeglass lenses, have a range of powers for seeing clearly far away, up close and everywhere in between. ("Multifocal" is also a catch-all term for all lenses with more than one power, including bifocals.)

Types of multifocal contact lenses

Based on design, there are basically two types of multifocal contact lenses:

Simultaneous vision lenses. With these lenses, both distance and near zones of the lens are in front of your pupil at the same time. Although this might sound unworkable, after a short period of time your visual system learns to use the power you need and ignore the other lens power(s), depending on what you are looking at. Simultaneous vision lenses are the most popular type of multifocal contact lens. They are nearly always soft lenses, and are available in two designs:

  • Aspheric designs – These are progressive-style multifocal lenses, with many powers blended across the lens surface. Some aspheric lenses have the distance power in the center of the lens; others have the near power in the center.

Alternating vision (or translating) lenses. These are GP multifocal lenses that are designed like bifocal eyeglass lenses. The top part of the lens has the distance power, and the bottom part of the lens contains the near power. When you look straight ahead, your eye is looking through the distance part of the lens. When you look down, your lower lid holds the lens in place while your pupil moves (translates) into the near zone of the lens for reading.