At Dr. Kim Cooper Pediatric Ophthalmology & Family Eye Care, we offer the quality care and customized service you need. For many of our patients, an eye exam can reveal the need for corrective lenses. For some, that means traditional contact lenses. For others, though, there is a need for lenses that are better tailored to their individual needs. This is when we may recommend hard to fit contacts.

Who Needs Hard to Fit Contacts?

For some people, typical contact lenses do not work well. If you have astigmatism, dry eyes, presbyopia, giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC), or keratoconus, you may need hard to fit contacts. Here’s a closer look.

Astigmatism occurs when the front of the eye curves in the wrong manner creating a bulge or an oval shape. When this happens, it causes blurred vision and it makes using typical contacts hard to do. Hard to fit contacts are a better option because they manage this curve effectively.

Dry eye sufferers often need these contacts because the dryness of their eyes can create irritation and burning. This makes the eyes sensitive to contacts.

For those with GPC, inflammation occurs on the inner surface of the eyelid. As a result, protein builds up here and it can build up on contact lenses as well. This makes the need for hard to fit contacts important.

Keratoconus is a condition that causes discomfort when traditional contacts are worn. That’s because the cornea becomes thin and allows the eye’s shape to change, creating a bulge that becomes a cone over time.

Presbyopia is a condition in which the eyes cannot focus on objects that are close and it worsens over time. It, too, makes traditional contact use difficult.

Our Ophthalmologist Can Offer Solutions for Hard to Fit Contact Needs

In many of these situations, it is still possible to wear contact lenses, but traditional styles are not as effective. When you meet with our ophthalmologist, we’ll help you to determine the best type of contact lens for your specific eye or vision need.

For example, those with GPC or keratoconus generally benefit from gas permeable contact lenses because these limit the protein deposits from occurring and work well even with corneal bulging or pressure buildup in the eyes.

For those with astigmatism, we may recommend toric lenses. These are very effective because the lens can better align with the shape of the eye and they don’t rotate, minimizing complications. These contact lenses are custom fitted to your eye’s specific needs.

For those with presbyopia, we may recommend bifocal and multi-focal contact lenses. These allow for better distance and close vision needs.

For dry eye sufferers, the need for medicated eye drops along with a better fitting contact may be necessary.

Contact Our Ophthalmologist Today for an Eye Exam

Come in for an eye exam for hard to fit contacts with our ophthalmologist. Dr. Cooper can help to determine the right type of contacts for your individual needs. You may love just how easy it is to wear contacts without any complications. Call us today.