contact  lenses

Contact lenses are a wonderful vision correction option. Over the last number of years, contact lenses have become easier to use and more effective than they have ever been.

​There are two major types of contact lenses and both have their place in eye care.

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) contacts have been a staple in eye care for many years. Depending on the patients prescription, RGP contact lenses can provide exceptional vision. In past years RGP contacts, have been our only truly effective option for treating patients with astigmatism. RGP contacts when fit correctly are very healthy and last a long time.

Soft Contact lenses in many instances have become the lens of choice for most patients. A soft contact lens is a soft rubber cup that rides on the surface of the eye. Soft contact lenses correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and are now very good at correcting astigmatism. We also have bifocal soft contact lenses.

The materials that soft contact lenses are made from are constantly being improved. The newest generation of these soft contact lens materials contain silicone (silicone hydrogel) which allows significantly more oxygen to pass through the lens, resulting in a healthier eye, and much more comfortable contact lens wear. We have also found that patients who wear these new silicone hydrogel lenses experience fewer prescription changes.
Solutions are an important component in contact lens wear. Solutions are definitely not "all the same". We live in an arid climate, and many of the solutions, especially when paired with some of the newer contact lens materials increase the dryness and discomfort of the contact lenses, especially late in the day.

If you have struggled to be comfortable wearing your contact lenses for the entire day, or have worn contacts in the past but have dropped out because of discomfort or inconvenience, please set up an appointment with Dr. Wilkes and see what can be done to put you back in contact lenses.