Why Visit A Specialty Contact Lens Practice? | Specialty Contacts In Algonquin, Illinois

In medicine, there are conditions that are not treated by general practitioners. Ideally, when a particular condition is severe or a sort of complication arises, general practitioners often refer their patients to experts referred to as specialists. This is not done because the doctor doesn’t understand the condition but because it deserves the attention of an expert for the right medical care.

In optometry, there are eye doctors who fit specialty contact lenses, even though many optometrists do not know much about it or prefer not to fit them. Broadly speaking, any general care optometrist or eye doctor can check for eye diseases and disorders, write the perfect prescription for new glasses, and teach patients how to put on contact lenses in a healthy fashion. Most people will be satisfied with this general care, but there are individuals with corneal irregularities that disrupt this traditional eye care practice. These “hard-to-fit” contact lens patients, for instance, are not candidates for wearing standard contact lenses and struggle with standard prescription eyeglasses.

Are Your Eyes Hard To Fit?

Do you have trouble wearing contact lenses that they are painful or constantly uncomfortable? You may fall under the category of a hard to fit patient. However, most hard-to-fit patients are often told they simply can’t wear contact lenses or presented with gas permeable lenses for a solution. Their eye condition makes contact lens wear challenging, to put it simply.

The Following Conditions Are The Major Culprits In Such Cases

Astigmatism
Dry eyes
Giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC)
Keratoconus
Post-refractive surgery like LASIK
Corneal irregularity or corneal dystrophy
Post-Corneal Transplant
Myopia in children

Any of these problems will typically require advanced care beyond the scope of the standard general care optometrist.

What does it mean that an optometrist does "Hard To Fit Contacts"?

A contact lens practice has an eye doctor who has taken an interest and developed a specialty contact lens focus to bring hard-to-fit patients relief no matter what sort of eye condition they have. Our optometrists welcome all types of patients from children to adults who seek advanced contact lens solutions.

While not every pair of eyes are considered as hard to fit, our optometrists can identify and recommend a unique solution that best suits the patient’s visual needs. Whether someone needs a pair of eyeglasses, standard contact lenses, or specialty contact lenses, our aim is to bring your vision back into focus so you can live comfortably.

Contact lens optometrists begin as general care optometrists and then specialize after years of experience, specialty training with advanced contact lens options such as Scleral lenses and Ortho K lenses, and investments in advanced fitting equipment . Nearly all specialty contact lens eye doctors are optometrists and do not perform eye surgery, since numerous years of analyzing patients with different eye conditions and correcting their vision through custom-tailored contact lenses requires a level of commitment that most surgeons avoid.

In addition to their years of experience treating different patients of various eye conditions, optometrists that focus on contact lens fittings use up-to-date contact lens technology to help diagnose and measure the health of the cornea — a vital piece of equipment for custom contact lens design.

Our optometrists have researched more about the latest technology in contact lenses and options for treatment than other eye doctors to ensure every patient receives a quick, comfortable fit. At Atkinson Eye Care in , Illinois, we aim for a minimal number of trial fits, so every patient can quickly return to living their lives.

Call Us 847-262-3166

Book An Appointment

How Can A Specialty Contact Lens Optometrist Treat Your Eye Conditions?

If you have any corneal irregularity or visual disorder that prevents the use of contact lenses, schedule a consult with our incredible team of contact lens optometrists. The first step of any treatment is the diagnosis, which requires an eye doctor to review your medical health, and ultimately devise a plan to treat the challenging eye conditions.

Every contact lens specialist will start a consultation using diagnostic tools, digital imaging, and corneal topography to produce high-resolution images of your eye. Details of the surfaces of your eye, the cornea, and even the optic nerve will be captured and our optometrists will create a visual solution for your specific corneal problem. The most common specialty contact lens used are Scleral lenses. Ortho-K lenses are typically worn by children for myopia management or adults who want an alternative to LASIK eye surgery.

Scleral Lenses

These are custom made large diameter gas permeable contact lenses that rest on the sclera and create tear-filled vault over the cornea. By doing this, the lenses are able to functionally replace the irregular cornea with a perfectly smooth optical surface to correct vision problems. They are sometimes referred to as ocular surface prostheses and take care of such disorders as keratoconus, dry eyes syndrome, corneal ectasia, Steven-Johnson syndrome, and many other corneal dystrophies.

Furthermore, scleral lenses are also recommended for patients with neurotrophic keratitis, aniridia, microphthalmia, SjÖgren’s syndrome, higher aberration of the eye, pellucid degeneration, injuries to the eyes and surgical complications. Also, the lenses can help people with eyes that are too sensitive for smaller corneal-type lenses like in the case of astigmatism.

Ortho-K Lenses

Our optometrist may also recommend the use of an Orthokeratology (Ortho-k/CRT) lens for your vision. These are specially designed gas permeable contact lenses that you wear overnight to correct your eyesight and reduce your dependence on glasses or other contact lenses without any surgical procedure. They are worn at night when you want to sleep and removed in the morning, leaving you with excellent vision during the day without the need for glasses or contact lenses.

This means that they work on your eyesight while you sleep, gently reshaping the front surface (cornea) so that your vision is better the next day when you wake and remove the lenses. They are also called corneal reshaping lenses. They can correct such refractive problems as nearsightedness, astigmatism, and hyperopia in children. They can also help with presbyopia in some cases.

A general care optometrist can help with lots of eye problems but when there are complications or you find it difficult wearing contact lenses, a contact lens specialist is the right eye doctor to consult.

The reason why Ortho K is so important, is because research shows that medium and high myopia increases a child's risk of serious eye diseases that can lead to vision loss later in life. For children with myopia (nearsighted) a myopia management option such as Ortho K is critical to reducing the risk of vision loss later in life.

Meet Our Specialty Contact Lens Optometrists

Dr. William Atkinson, O.D.

Dr. William Atkinson found a passion for the sciences when he was attending Pleasant Plains High School in central Illinois, and began to search for ways he could help people and apply the sciences in the process. He landed on optometry, a field in which he still remains excited to come...

Serving Patients From

Algonquin | Chicagoland | Northwest Suburbs | Rockford | and the state of Illinois

Don’t let discomfort or eye pain turn your corneal condition into a bigger problem. Visit us today to help you select the right contact lens for your needs. Our passionate optometrists will examine the issue with your eye and extent of the eye disorder or visual issue. With this, we will recommend the perfect contact lens that will help improve your vision. Above all, we offer high quality contact lenses at affordable prices. Irrespective of your situation, we have the ideal contact lens solution for you.

Contact us today to know more about our specialty contact lens services. The staff at our Algonquin eye clinic, are available to attend to your visual needs to help guide you to achieving amazing vision.

Call Us 847-262-3166

Book An Appointment