Did you know that there are contact lenses especially made to fix your astigmatism? To begin, what is astigmatism? Astigmatism means that your eye has a differently shaped cornea (it's shaped like a football, as opposed to a normal, spherical cornea), which means that light entering your eye through the cornea can't come to a single focal point on the retina, resulting in blurred vision.
Contact lenses that correct astigmatism, which are called toric contact lenses, are constructed from the same material as regular spherical contact lenses. Toric lenses are designed differently from regular lenses. Compared to typical lenses, which have one power throughout the lens, toric lenses have two different powers; one which addresses astigmatism, and one which addresses trouble with distance vision. They have curvatures at different angles. Compared with regular lenses, which can easily move around on your eye and have no effect on your vision, toric lenses must stay in place. Contact lenses for astigmatism are therefore heavier on the bottom, and this helps them stay in place on your eye.
Toric lenses are available as soft disposable contact lenses, daily disposable lenses, and frequent replacement lenses. Toric lenses are also available as color contact lenses, and as multifocal lenses. Hard contact lenses, also called rigid gas permeable lenses, provide a stronger shape which allows them to stay put when you blink, but they aren't always as comfortable as soft lenses. .
Toric lens fittings often take longer than regular lens fittings. This is because it's a more complex product, and we want to make sure you're fitted just right. Nevertheless, with constant improvements in eye care, those with astigmatism can take advantage of the benefits of contact lenses, with many options to choose from.