What are the Best Contact Lenses for Keratoconus?

If you suffer from Keratoconus, an eye condition that severely warps the corneas, then you are probably all too aware of the different alternatives you have for treatment. While some Keratoconus doctors recommend surgery at every opportunity, at the California Keratoconus Center, our first choice is for a non-surgical Keratoconus treatment, most frequently using specialized contact lenses. However, if you’ve had other Optometrists try to fit you for Keratoconus contact lenses, you know how difficult it can be to find comfortable contact lenses that also help you see better.

Many traditional contacts do not center properly on corneas affected by Keratoconus, which can cause pain, slippage, and blurry vision. Although there are many contact lenses for Keratoconus, no single design is right for every person at every stage of this complex disease. Each lens offers its own particular advantages and disadvantages. Dr. Barry Leonard, “The Keratoconus Doctor” and Director of the California Keratoconus Center in Los Angeles can design “The Perfect Keratoconus Contact Lens For You” so you can live a normal life with Keratoconus.

In the past, measuring the surface of an eye with Keratoconus was difficult, but recent advances in corneal mapping technology have made this much more precise. Dr. Leonard is one of about 50 Keratoconus specialists in America to have equipment that allows us to map the surface of your cornea and the sclera with ten times the precision as before, resulting in a better fitting contact lens for Keratoconus.

Contacts for Keratoconus: What Are My Options?

Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses

Rigid Gas Permeable lenses (also known as RGPs or simply GPs) are one of the most popular contact lenses for Keratoconus. These stable contact lenses essentially act as a second surface for the eye, compensating for the irregularities of the cornea and functioning as the eye’s new reflective surface. Its tear film sits between the cornea and the back of the contact lens, providing a gentle, comfortable fit. In order to properly compensate for the damage done by Keratoconus, a rigid gas permeable lens must be perfectly fitted and contoured to the shape of your eye.

Hybrid Contact Lenses

At their center, hybrid contacts are essentially identical to rigid gas permeable lenses. However, these modified alternatives have a soft peripheral skirting that fits comfortably and smoothly against the cornea. Hybrid lenses can be more fully customized to fit your eyes’ size and shape. Their RGP center provides crisp, clear vision, while the all-day wearability of their gentle outer rim makes them “disappear” like a soft contact lens. They are roughly the same size as traditional contacts, and their increased customization and convenience makes them a popular choice for patients with irregularly shaped eyes.
Contact Lenses For Keratoconus

Scleral Contact Lenses

Scleral contact lenses are a specific type of gas permeable contact lenses that are designed to vault over the cornea and rest entirely on the whites of the eyes (known as the “sclera”). Since they can be much larger than soft contacts and standard gas permeable lenses, scleral lenses can accommodate many different corneal shapes.

They also rest on the surface of the eye with a much higher degree of stability, remaining in place despite blinks and tears. In addition, the space behind the scleral contact stores fluids, maintaining the eye’s natural moisture and making these lenses a fantastic choice for dry eyes that cannot tolerate traditional contact lenses.

These characteristics make them a comfortable, reliable choice for many patients whose eyes do not accept traditional contact lenses, including those with Keratoconus. Since scleral contacts are designed to fit each individual wearer, they require a lengthier measuring process, usually involving the Eaglet Eye Surface Profiler.

Custom Soft Contact Lens for Keratoconus and Irregular Corneas

We also have available new technology for custom reverse geometry soft lenses for Keratoconus, Post-Surgical Ectasia and High Astigmatism. This can give visual acuity comparable to that of rigid options with all-day comfort that ensures all-day wear, every day.

Contact The California Keratoconus Center

Ready to explore the options and find the contact lenses for Keratoconus that best suit your lifestyle? Dr. Barry Leonard, Director of the California Keratoconus Center, has earned a reputation as the most trusted Keratoconus doctor for non-surgical Keratoconus Treatment in the area. We have the experience, knowledge, and advanced technology to make your contact fitting as quick and painless as possible. Call us today at 818-891-6711 to schedule your appointment!

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