Contact Lenses for Astigmatism in Marlton, NJ
Understanding Astigmatism and Why It Affects Contact Lens Wear
Astigmatism is a very common condition that affects how your eye focuses light. Knowing how your eye shape differs from a typical eye will help you understand why you need special contact lenses.
When you have astigmatism, your cornea is shaped more like a football than a basketball. A basketball curves the same amount in every direction, but a football has one curve that is steeper and another that is flatter. Your eye does the same thing, which causes light to focus unevenly and creates blur. Regular contact lenses cannot correct this irregular shape, but toric lenses are designed specifically for it.
Corneal astigmatism happens when the cornea itself is football shaped. Lenticular astigmatism happens when the lens inside your eye has the irregular shape. Most people have corneal astigmatism, which is easier to correct with contact lenses. Our ophthalmologists can tell which type you have using simple measurements during your eye exam.
Your astigmatism has a specific angle called the axis. This tells your doctor which direction the football shape is pointing. Some people have with the rule astigmatism where the steep curve runs up and down. Others have against the rule astigmatism where it runs side to side. A smaller group has oblique astigmatism where the curve is diagonal. The axis determines how your contact lens needs to be positioned on your eye to work correctly.
People with astigmatism often describe vision that looks almost clear but not quite sharp. Common complaints include:
- Letters or numbers having ghost images or double edges
- Headlights at night looking stretched or blurry
- Road signs being hard to read even though you can see them
- Needing to squint to make things look sharper
- Feeling like your eyes are working too hard all day
Why Toric Contact Lenses Are Different
Toric lenses have a special design that corrects the uneven curvature of your eye. Understanding how they work will help you appreciate the fitting process.
A standard spherical contact lens has the same power all the way around, like cutting a slice from a basketball. When this lens sits on your football shaped eye, it cannot correct the two different curves your astigmatism creates. The lens might make some parts of your vision clearer, but other parts will still be blurry. This is why you might have tried contacts before and felt like they just did not work.
Toric lenses have different powers in different parts of the lens, matching the football shape of your eye. These lenses have both a spherical power for nearsightedness or farsightedness and a cylindrical power for astigmatism. They also have an axis marking that must line up with the axis of your astigmatism to provide clear vision.
Unlike regular lenses that can rotate freely on your eye, toric lenses must stay in a specific position to keep the astigmatism correction lined up with your eye's irregular curve. If a toric lens rotates even 10 or 15 degrees, your vision will become blurry again. This is why toric lenses are made with special stabilization features to prevent rotation when you blink or look around.
How Toric Contact Lenses Stay Stable on Your Eye
The key to clear vision with astigmatism contacts is stabilization. Different lens brands use different methods to keep the lens from rotating.
This is one of the most common stabilization methods. The bottom of the lens is made thicker and heavier than the top, like adding a small weight to the bottom. Gravity and your lower eyelid push on this thicker zone, which helps keep the lens from spinning. When you blink or look around, the lens settles back into position quickly.
Some lenses use the opposite approach. Instead of making one area thicker, these lenses have thin zones at the top and bottom or on the sides. Your eyelids press against these thin areas and hold the lens steady. Dual thin and dynamic stabilization are variations of this design that use multiple thin zones for even better stability.
After placing a trial lens on your eye, your doctor will wait a few minutes for it to settle, then look at tiny marks on the lens that show its orientation. They will ask you to blink, look in different directions, and may even have you read or use your phone to see if the lens stays put during normal activities. If the lens rotates too much, they will try a different brand or design that works better with your unique eye shape.
Types of Contact Lenses Available for Astigmatism
At ReFocus Eye Health Marlton, we fit a wide range of contact lens options for astigmatism. You have more choices today than ever before, from daily disposable soft lenses to specialty rigid lenses that work for the most challenging prescriptions.
These are the most convenient option because you wear them once and throw them away. Daily disposable toric lenses are now available for low to moderate astigmatism in a wide range of prescriptions. They are ideal if you have allergies, dry eyes, or only wear contacts occasionally. You never need to clean them, and every day starts with a fresh, clean lens.
These reusable lenses are made from silicone hydrogel materials that let more oxygen reach your cornea. They cost less per day than dailies if you wear contacts full time, but you must clean and disinfect them every night. Monthly toric lenses are available in more prescription strengths than dailies, including higher astigmatism and more unusual axes.
RGP lenses are small, firm lenses that sit on your cornea and hold their shape instead of draping over it. For many people with astigmatism, a standard spherical RGP lens will provide clear vision without needing a toric design because the rigid lens masks the corneal irregularity. If you need more correction, our ophthalmologists can order a toric RGP with different curves on the front or back surface.
Hybrid lenses combine a rigid gas permeable center with a soft outer skirt. They offer the sharp vision of an RGP with more comfort than traditional rigid lenses. Scleral lenses are large lenses that vault over your entire cornea and rest on the white part of your eye. They work extremely well for irregular corneas, high astigmatism, or eyes that are very dry. Because they do not touch the cornea, they are often more comfortable than other rigid lenses and provide stable, clear vision all day.
If you have an unusual prescription, very high astigmatism, or an axis that is not available in regular lenses, our ophthalmologists can order custom soft toric lenses made specifically for your eyes. These lenses take longer to receive and cost more, but they can correct vision that standard lenses cannot.
Choosing the Right Replacement Schedule
How often you replace your lenses affects comfort, eye health, and overall cost. Our ophthalmologists will help you decide which schedule fits your needs and lifestyle.
Daily toric lenses are perfect for people with allergies because pollen and debris do not build up overnight. They are also great for occasional wear such as sports, special events, or traveling. You never worry about bringing solution or a lens case. If you have any sensitivity to lens cleaning solutions, dailies eliminate that concern completely.
If you wear contacts every day, reusable toric lenses are more economical. They come in a wider range of prescriptions and are available from more manufacturers. However, you must be diligent about cleaning them every night. Skipping proper care leads to protein and lipid deposits that make the lenses uncomfortable and can increase your risk of eye infections.
Think about how often you actually wear contacts. If you only wear them a few times a week for activities, daily disposables will likely cost less overall and be healthier for your eyes. If you wear contacts from the moment you wake up until bedtime every day, monthly lenses with proper care are usually the better value.
Contact Lens Materials and Eye Health
The material your lenses are made from affects how much oxygen reaches your eye, how comfortable they feel, and how well they resist dryness. At ReFocus Eye Health Marlton, we use advanced diagnostic equipment to match you with the best material for your eye health.
Traditional hydrogel lenses are soft and comfortable but do not let as much oxygen through to your cornea. Silicone hydrogel lenses transmit much more oxygen, which keeps your eyes healthier and whiter, especially if you wear contacts for long hours. Almost all modern monthly toric lenses are made from silicone hydrogel materials.
Your cornea gets oxygen from the air, not from blood vessels. When you put a contact lens on your eye, you block some of that oxygen. Low oxygen over time can cause your cornea to swell, grow new blood vessels, or become more prone to infections. Higher oxygen lenses reduce these risks, which is why our ophthalmologists may recommend silicone hydrogel materials if you wear lenses all day.
Different lens materials have different water content. Some lenses have special surface treatments that help them stay moist throughout the day. Water gradient designs have high water content at the surface that contacts your eye and lower water content inside for better stability. These designs can help if you struggle with end of day dryness.
What to Expect During Your Toric Lens Fitting
Fitting toric contact lenses takes more time and expertise than fitting regular lenses. Our ophthalmologists use advanced technology to ensure the lenses correct your astigmatism and stay stable throughout the day.
Our ophthalmologists will perform a detailed refraction to determine your glasses prescription, including the sphere, cylinder, and axis for each eye. This is more involved than a standard vision test because small changes in axis can significantly affect your vision with toric lenses.
Using a corneal topographer, our ophthalmologists will map the curves of your cornea. These measurements show how steep or flat your eye is and confirm the axis of your astigmatism. This information helps choose the best lens design and predicts how well the lens will fit your unique eye shape.
Your doctor will place a toric lens on your eye and ask you to blink and let it settle for a few minutes. During this time, the lens will find its natural position based on your eye shape and eyelid anatomy. Do not be surprised if the vision seems blurry at first before the lens stabilizes.
After the lens settles, your doctor will use a microscope to look at markings on the lens that show which way it is oriented. They will note how many degrees the lens has rotated from its intended position. A few degrees is normal and acceptable. Too much rotation means they need to try a different lens or compensate for the rotation when ordering your final lenses. They will also test your vision again while you wear the trial lens to see if the power needs adjustment.
Many patients need to return after wearing their lenses for a few days or a week. What works in the office may not work the same in real life. At the follow up, your doctor will recheck the fit, rotation, and vision to make sure everything is working correctly. They may adjust the prescription or try a different brand if needed. This is a normal part of the fitting process to ensure you get the best possible vision and comfort.
Solving Common Vision Problems with Toric Lenses
Even with the best fitting, toric lenses can have quirks. Most issues can be fixed with adjustments to the prescription, lens design, or wearing habits.
If your vision is clear when you look straight ahead but gets blurry after you blink or look around, your lens is probably rotating too much. Each time you blink, the lens shifts out of position and takes a moment to settle back. Our ophthalmologists can switch you to a lens with better stabilization or adjust the axis to compensate for consistent rotation.
Ghosting usually means the axis of the lens is slightly off from where it needs to be. Even if the lens looks stable, a small mismatch between the lens axis and your astigmatism axis will create subtle doubling of images. Your doctor can order lenses with a different axis to eliminate this problem.
Your pupils get larger in dim light, which means you use more of the lens surface. If the lens has even a small rotation or the power is not perfectly matched to your prescription, you may notice blur at night that you do not notice during the day. Additionally, your tear film may be drier at night, which can make lenses feel less stable. Using rewetting drops before driving at night can help.
If you have tried multiple brands and still cannot get stable, clear vision, custom lenses may be necessary. Custom lenses can be made with your exact axis, higher cylinder power, or a special base curve and diameter. They cost more and take longer to receive, but they solve problems that standard lenses cannot.
Managing Dry Eye with Contact Lenses
Dry eye and contact lens wear can be a frustrating combination. ReFocus Eye Health Marlton offers comprehensive dry eye treatment to make toric lenses work even if your eyes are on the dry side.
Tear film is essential for lens comfort and stability. When your tears evaporate too quickly or you do not produce enough tears, lenses can stick to your eye or slide around more than they should. Toric lenses are especially sensitive to this because they need a smooth tear layer to maintain their orientation.
Our ophthalmologists may want to improve your dry eye before fitting contacts. This might include warm compresses for your eyelids, omega 3 supplements, prescription eye drops, or treating meibomian gland dysfunction. Getting your tears healthier first makes lens fitting much more successful.
If you have dry eyes, daily disposable toric lenses are usually your best bet. Fresh lenses every day means no deposit buildup that can irritate your eyes. You also avoid any sensitivity to cleaning solutions. Many people who struggled with monthly lenses find that dailies work much better.
Scleral lenses vault over the cornea and hold a reservoir of fluid against your eye all day. This makes them incredibly comfortable for people with severe dry eye. If soft toric lenses never feel good or your eyes are red and irritated by the end of the day, ask our ophthalmologists about scleral lenses for astigmatism.
Contact Lenses for Screen Users
If you spend hours on computers, phones, or doing close work, you may notice your toric lenses feel less comfortable or your vision becomes less sharp as the day goes on.
When you focus on screens, you blink less often. Fewer blinks mean less tear production and more tear evaporation. Your contact lenses dry out, which makes them less stable and more likely to rotate. You may also notice your eyes feel tired or your vision fluctuates when you look up from the screen.
Position your screen so you look slightly downward at it rather than straight ahead or up. This reduces how wide your eyes are open and decreases tear evaporation. Use a humidifier near your desk if you work in dry air. Take breaks every 20 minutes to look at something far away for 20 seconds. These simple changes reduce eye strain and help lenses stay comfortable.
Put in rewetting drops before you start a long work session, not after your eyes are already dry and irritated. Pre treating your eyes helps maintain a stable tear film so your toric lenses stay in position. Keep drops at your desk and use them every couple of hours. Look for drops labeled as contact lens rewetting drops or approved for use with contacts.
Toric Lenses for Different Vision Needs
Many people with astigmatism also have other vision challenges. At ReFocus Eye Health Marlton, our multispecialty team can address multiple problems at once with advanced lens designs.
Presbyopia is the age related loss of near focusing ability that happens to everyone. If you have both astigmatism and presbyopia, you need toric multifocal lenses. These lenses have different zones for distance, intermediate, and near vision, plus the astigmatism correction. They are more challenging to fit than single vision toric lenses, and your brain may need a few weeks to adapt to them.
Another option for presbyopia is monovision, where one eye wears a toric lens set for distance and the other eye wears a toric lens set for near. Modified monovision uses a multifocal toric lens in one eye and a distance toric lens in the other. Our ophthalmologists can set up a trial to see if your brain adapts well to monovision before ordering lenses.
If you have strong distance prescriptions along with astigmatism, you may run into limits with standard soft toric lenses. Most off the shelf toric lenses only go up to moderate prescriptions. Beyond that, you need custom soft torics, RGP lenses, or hybrid lenses that are available in higher powers.
If you have keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, or irregular astigmatism after LASIK or an injury, soft toric lenses usually do not work well. Your cornea is too irregular for a soft lens to correct properly. In these cases, RGP lenses, hybrid lenses, or scleral lenses are much better choices because they create a smooth optical surface over the irregular cornea.
Contact Lenses for Sports and Active Lifestyles
Athletes and active people often prefer contact lenses over glasses. Toric lenses work well for sports as long as you follow some basic safety guidelines.
Contact lenses move with your eyes, do not fog up, and give you a wider field of view than glasses. They do not slide down your nose when you sweat and cannot get knocked off during contact sports. Toric lenses correct your astigmatism without the weight and bulk of glasses, and they work with any protective goggles or helmets.
Water and contact lenses are a risky combination. Tap water, pool water, hot tub water, and natural bodies of water all contain microorganisms that can cause serious eye infections. If you must wear contacts in water, use daily disposable lenses and throw them away immediately after. Better yet, wear prescription swim goggles and skip the contacts entirely.
Always bring extra lenses when traveling or going to sports events. Pack more than you think you will need in case a lens tears or gets lost. If you wear monthly lenses, bring a travel size bottle of solution and a clean case. For daily lenses, bring enough for each day plus extras. Also pack your glasses as a backup.
How to Care for Your Toric Lenses
Proper lens care prevents infections, keeps lenses comfortable, and makes them last as long as they should. Toric lenses have a few extra considerations compared to regular lenses.
Always wash your hands with soap and water before touching your lenses or your eyes. Dry your hands with a lint free towel. Even if your hands look clean, they carry bacteria and oils that can transfer to your lenses and cause infections or blur your vision.
Toric lenses have a specific orientation. Most brands have markings that help you tell if the lens is right side out and positioned correctly. Place the lens on your finger, make sure it looks like a bowl and not inside out, and insert it gently onto your eye. After insertion, blink a few times and give the lens a moment to settle into position before judging your vision.
Most toric lenses are not designed for overnight wear. Sleeping in lenses dramatically increases your risk of eye infections because your cornea gets less oxygen when your eyes are closed. Even if you accidentally fall asleep in lenses, remove them as soon as you wake up and let your eyes rest for a few hours before putting lenses back in.
If you wear two week or monthly lenses, clean them every single night. Rub each lens with solution for at least 10 seconds even if the solution is labeled no rub. Rubbing removes deposits that just soaking does not. Store lenses in fresh solution, never water. Replace your lens case every three months because cases harbor bacteria.
When to Contact Our Office Immediately
Most contact lens problems are minor, but some symptoms require urgent attention to prevent serious complications.
If your eye is painful, very red, or suddenly sensitive to light, remove your contact lens immediately and call ReFocus Eye Health Marlton. These symptoms could indicate an infection, corneal abrasion, or other serious problem. Do not try to tough it out or wait to see if it gets better on its own.
Blurry vision that does not improve after removing the lens, cleaning it, and reinserting it could mean something is wrong with your eye, not just the lens. It could be a corneal problem, inflammation, or a sign that your prescription has changed. Contact our office for an evaluation.
If a lens gets stuck on your eye and will not come out with gentle manipulation, put in rewetting drops and wait a few minutes for it to loosen. Do not force it. If it still will not come out, call our office right away for assistance.
If your lens consistently rotates in one eye and causes blurry vision, schedule an appointment with our ophthalmologists. Your doctor needs to evaluate the fit and possibly try a different lens design. Do not keep struggling with lenses that do not work properly.
Understanding the Cost of Toric Contact Lenses
Toric lenses cost more than standard lenses, but understanding why and planning your budget can make them more affordable.
Toric lenses are more complex to design and manufacture than spherical lenses. They require extra engineering for stabilization, more quality control to ensure proper axis alignment, and more inventory for eye doctors to stock because of all the different axis options. These factors increase the price for manufacturers and for patients.
Most vision insurance plans cover a contact lens fitting and a yearly supply of lenses, but toric and specialty lenses may have additional out of pocket costs. Check with your plan to see if they cover standard toric lenses fully or if there is an upgrade fee. Some plans treat custom torics as specialty lenses with higher copays.
Buying a full year supply of lenses at once often comes with a discount compared to buying boxes individually. Many contact lens manufacturers also offer rebates if you buy an annual supply. Ask our optical staff about current promotions. Rebates can save you significant money per year.
Daily disposable torics cost more per lens, but if you only wear contacts a few days a week, they may actually cost less overall than monthly lenses. Calculate the actual cost per wearing day. For full time wear, monthly lenses are usually cheaper, but dailies save you the cost of cleaning solution and lens cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most toric lenses are not approved for overnight wear. Sleeping in lenses that are not designed for it increases your risk of serious eye infections and reduces the oxygen supply to your cornea. A few toric lenses are FDA approved for extended wear, but even with approved lenses, our ophthalmologists recommend removing lenses every night to keep your eyes healthiest.
Your two eyes are not identical. One eye may have more astigmatism, a steeper or flatter cornea, or tighter eyelids that make it harder for the lens to stay stable. Your brain may also favor one eye over the other. Our ophthalmologists will work to optimize both eyes, but sometimes one eye will always be slightly less sharp. This is normal and usually not noticeable in daily life once your brain adapts.
Yes, children and teenagers can safely wear toric contact lenses if they are responsible enough to handle lens care. Daily disposable toric lenses are often the best choice for younger wearers because there is no cleaning involved and less risk of improper care. Our ophthalmologists fit responsible kids as young as 8 or 10 years old, especially if they participate in sports.
Absolutely. Fitting toric lenses often requires adjustments after you have worn them in real world conditions. Many patients need two or even three visits to fine tune the prescription, axis, or lens design. This is not a sign that anything is wrong. It is part of the normal process to ensure you get the best possible vision and comfort.
Many people with astigmatism are good candidates for LASIK, PRK, or other refractive surgeries. These procedures can correct astigmatism along with nearsightedness or farsightedness. If you are interested in refractive surgery, our ophthalmologists can evaluate whether it is right for you. Your age, corneal thickness, prescription stability, and overall eye health all factor into whether surgery is a good option.
Toric lenses have a more complex design with stabilization features and multiple prescription parameters. They cost more to manufacture and require more expertise to fit. Think of it like prescription glasses costing more than non prescription sunglasses because of the customization required for your specific vision needs.
Clear Vision for Life in the Greater Philadelphia Region
Astigmatism does not have to prevent you from enjoying the freedom and convenience of contact lenses. At ReFocus Eye Health Marlton, our ophthalmologists use the latest technology and fitting techniques to help patients from Marlton, Voorhees, Mount Laurel, and throughout the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area achieve clear, comfortable vision with toric contact lenses. If you have been frustrated by blurry vision or uncomfortable contacts in the past, we invite you to experience the difference that expert fitting and personalized care can make.
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William Byrnes
Dr Glass is very thorough in my eye exam. He takes the time to explain in what he saw during my eye exam. Katie is a very good at her position. The staff at the front desk is friendly and very helpful.
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Dr Glass is absolutely the best. He is one of the most personable and nicest doctors I’ve ever met. The nurses and office staff is great!
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