Not all prescriptions are best suited to the use of soft lenses. If you have a high prescription, high astigmatism, abnormally shaped cornea or other more complex needs, then specialty lenses can offer a better solution.
Specialty Contact Lenses
Corneal Lenses
Corneal lenses are smaller and harder than the more common soft lenses. The are made out of a rigid gas-permeable (RGP) material and are also known as hard lenses. This lens type offers a number of advantages of soft lenses; more durable, better optical quality, lower incidence of infections and others.
Orthokeratology Lenses
These specialty lenses are able to change the shape of the cornea and in doing so, provide a non-permanent vision correction. You will no longer need glasses. If you are unsuitable for laser vision correction or find it too expensive, this is a good option.
Mini Scleral Lenses
Mini-Sclerals are larger than cornea RGP lenses, and vault over the cornea, resting on the white of the eye. This can make hem more comfortable than RGP and correct more distorted corneas.
Scleral Lenses
Scleral lenses are the largest size rigid gas-permeable lenses that vault the cornea. They make a good option for those with more complex prescriptions but also have advantages for dry eye suffers.
Case Studies
15 year old Husna has been using Ortho-K lenses for the last 5 years for controlling myopia (short sightedness). She has found them to be an amazing experience and has not needed any glasses to wear at school. Her myopia has been under control since.
14 Year Old Hannah has been using Orth-K for Myopia for the last 4 years. Her parents both have very high myopia of over 5.00D. They were concerned and so Hannah started with soft lenses that control myopia but later upgraded to Ortho-K lenses. She finds them to be better and does not need any glasses.