The 4 Types of Glaucoma and How They Affect Your Eyes
Glaucoma comes in many forms, and all of them are equally dangerous. Four types can cause your vision to deteriorate slowly. A trained ophthalmologist can detect all four.
Am I a Candidate for Contacts?
Better vision is easier and more accessible than ever, and 45 million Americans now wear contact lenses. If you think you’d like to join that number, your chances are good. Most people who wear glasses can make the switch to contacts without issues. However, there are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not you’re a good candidate for contacts.
At Harlem VistaSite Eye Care in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, Brittni Rodriguez, OD, can consult with you about the possibility of wearing contact lenses and help you decide if it’s a good move for you.
Types of contact lenses
Formerly, contact lenses were only advised for people with little or no imperfections in the shapes or structure of their eyes. However, now that technology has advanced, many people who were shut out of wearing contacts because of astigmatism or corneal imperfections can enjoy the freedom and convenience of contacts.
Contact lens types include:
- Soft lenses that are worn once and then discarded
- Soft lenses that are designed to be cleaned daily for 14 or 30 days of use
- Hard gas-permeable lenses that allow oxygen to reach the eye and last longer
- Bifocal lenses that allow for short- and long-distance vision
- Monovision lenses that allow near vision in one eye and far vision in the other
- Toric lenses that correct for astigmatism
- Ortho-K lenses that reshape your cornea while they’re being worn
Good candidates for contact lenses
If you wear glasses frequently, and your eyes are healthy, you’re probably a good candidate for contact lenses. You may want contacts instead of eyeglasses for aesthetic reasons, or because you play sports or engage in other activities that make glasses impractical.
Astigmatism can be corrected with contacts now and give you better peripheral vision. And, if you aren’t a candidate for laser surgery, the Ortho-K option can give you great vision when you wear contacts.
Reasons to skip contact lenses
There are a few reasons you might not want to wear contacts. It’s extremely important to keep your contacts and storage devices clean and disinfected, or you could get an eye infection. If you routinely try to sleep with your contacts in, fall asleep with makeup on that can get into your eyes, or have a hard time following a routine, then contacts might not be right for you. These risks are typically higher among teens, so if you’re considering letting your teenager get contact lenses, make sure they take care of their contacts well.
If you think you or your teen may be ready for contact lenses, book an appointment online or over the phone with Harlem VistaSite Eye Care today.
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