Contact Lenses in Hamilton, Montana

Soft daily wear contact lenses are made of soft water containing, flexible plastics, called “hydrogels”, that allow oxygen to pass to the cornea to maintain its health and clarity. Because they are soft, thin and flexible, soft contact lenses are easier to adapt to and more comfortable than Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) contact lenses. A newer type of soft contact lens is made of a “silicone hydrogel” material that allows an even greater amount of oxygen to reach the cornea than any previous soft contact lens, adding additional safety. Soft daily wear contact lenses require careful cleaning and disinfection, as they tend to attract deposits of protein from your tear film.

Rigid Gas Permeable contact lenses (RGPs) are more durable and resistant to deposit buildup, and generally give clearer, crisper vision. They tend to be less expensive over the life of the lens since they last longer than soft contact lenses. They are easier to handle and less likely to tear. However, they are not as comfortable as soft contacts and it may take a several weeks of adaptation in order to get used to wearing RGPs as compared to only a few days for soft contacts.

People who have astigmatism, usually have an unequal curvature of their cornea so that it is shaped more like a football than a basketball. Contact lenses that correct astigmatism are called “toric” lenses. Toric lenses are readily available in both soft contacts and rigid gas permeable contact lens prescriptions. Toric contact lenses require a greater degree of fitting expertise in order to obtain the most precise vision.

There are a number of extended wear contact lenses that are available and FDA approved to be worn overnight or in some cases as long as one to six nights or up to 30 days. Most Extended Wear Contact Lenses are soft contact lenses although there are several Rigid Gas Permeable contact lens materials that are FDA approved for extended wear. Soft extended wear lenses are made of highly oxygen permeable hydrogel or “water containing” plastics that allow a great deal of oxygen to pass through to the cornea. Currently the highest degree of oxygen permeability is provided by silicone hydrogel materials. The Rigid Gas Permeable lenses that are designed and approved for overnight wear are typically made of “fluorosilicone” acrylic materials, which do not contain water, but due to the nature of the plastic, are quite permeable to oxygen. How long you are able to wear your contact lenses will depend on the lens type and the specific recommendations of your Big Sky Eye Care Optometrist based on your contact lens examination, contact lens fitting and the evaluation of your tolerance for overnight wear. In general, it is important for your eyes to have a rest without lenses for at least one night following each scheduled removal. Thus, you must have a pair of backup eyeglasses even if you wear extended wear contact lenses or contact lenses of any type.

Remember when you had only two choices in contact lenses? “Hard” (rigid gas permeable) lenses were best for crisp, clear vision, but were often irritating and uncomfortable. Soft lenses were the most comfortable, but often provided less-than-optimal vision. Now, a technological breakthrough makes having to choose a thing of the past.SynergEyes hybrid contact lenses offer the best of both worlds. The soft skirt offers all day comfort while the “breathable” rigid center keeps eyes healthy while providing crisp, clear vision…even at night.SynergEyes offers a wide variety of hybrid contact lenses to meet your visual needs. Whether you have Astigmatism, need vision correction for distance, close up, reading or to help correct keratoconus, SynergEyes contact lenses will provide you with comfortable and crisp vision all day long. For more information on your specific vision needs call Big Sky Eye Care today.

A type of specialty lens contact lens that has become popular among people who don’t even have a need for vision correction are contacts that have the sole purpose of changing the appearance of your eyes. These are sometimes called “Plano”, “Zero-Powered” or “Non-Corrective” lenses. Wearers of these contact lenses can temporarily change a brown eyes to blue.EVEN THOUGH THESE COLORED LENSES MAY NOT CORRECT VISION, THEY ARE A MEDICAL DEVICE AND THE FDA STRICTLY REGULATES THEM (This is because, even with correction, they pose the identical risks to patients that “regular’ contact lenses pose. These include:• Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye• Corneal Abrasions• Corneal Ulcers• Vision Impairment