What are Hard to Fit Contacts? Answers from our Phoenix Optometrists
Many patients with eye conditions like astigmatism, dry eye, or presbyopia have been told that they aren’t ideal candidates for traditional contact lenses. Certain conditions or irregularly shaped cornea can make a patient’s eyes “hard to fit”. At Eye Doctors of Arizona, our team of experienced Phoenix optometrists has years of experience helping patients with various vision problems find hard to fit contacts suitable for their lifestyle.
What Makes Eyes “Hard to Fit”?
During an eye exam, your optometrist will identify conditions that could make normal contact lens wear difficult. Conditions that would require hard to fit contacts include:
- Astigmatism – a refractive vision error that occurs when an irregularly shaped cornea causes blurred or distorted vision.
- Dry Eyes – traditional contact lenses can make chronic dry eye symptoms worse, increasing dryness, irritation, redness, and lead to blurred vision.
- Keratoconus – a condition characterized by the thinning and bulging of the cornea into a cone-like shape.
- Presbyopia – a common vision conditions affecting patients 40 and older, characterized by the inability to focus.
- Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC) – an infection of the inner surface of the eye, normal contacts cause protein buildup that causes excess irritation
How an Optometrist Fits Hard to Fit Contacts
During your exam, your optometrist will determine if you have any limiting factors that would prevent the use of normal contact lenses. Depending on each patient’s conditions, the optometrist will recommend a hard to fit contact lens type such as:
- Rigid gas permeable lenses
- Scleral contact lenses
- Hybrid contact lenses
- Soft contact lenses
- Toric contact lenses
What to Expect During a Contact Lens Exam
During an exam, the eye doctor will identify any vision conditions, cornea irregularities, and other conditions that would make your eyes hard to fit. Unlike a regular eye exam, during a contact lens exam, they will then measure your eyes for contact lens size and evaluate tar production to determine the best type of lens for each patient.
Schedule a Contact Lens Exam with an Eye Doctor in Phoenix
Learn more about the difference between regular and hard to fit contacts. Call Eye Doctors of Arizona to schedule a comprehensive vision or contact lens exam.