A bandage lens, also called a therapeutic lens, is a special soft, very thin, high-water-content contact lens. In 1974 this hydrophilic lens was the first type to be used on an extended-wear basis, but without incorporating a prescription. It has a wide variety of uses before ocular surgery, after ocular surgery, and sometimes instead of surgery. It can also be therapeutic in conditions that do not respond to any other form of treatment.
The lens functions basically as a protective shield and prevents a damaged or ailing cornea from coming into contact with the eyelids and the air. Healing is thereby accelerated and pain is alleviated for as long as the lens is worn, which is on an extended basis (more than twenty-four hours). Read the rest of this entry »
Contact lenses are, in most cases, a far better solution once the aphake is convinced that the “newfangled” device is worth trying. Advantages are the normal appearance of the eye and crisp visual acuity. Since only 6 percent magnification of objects occurs, the images appear to be of normal size, fusion can take place, and excellent peripheral vision and depth perception will result. Therefore life can go back to normal, the cosmetic effect is far better, and most observers can’t tell that there’s ever been a cataract extraction. Read the rest of this entry »
Though the eventual comfort level is somewhere between that of a hard lens and a soft lens, a few wearers may complain of an initial scratchy sensation. Because of the nature of the materials, the lenses are often made slightly larger than conventional hard lenses. There are also difficulties in modifying and adjusting the fit of some of the lenses, and these lenses cannot be fenestrated successfully to relieve any dry-eye problem.
Astigmatism is not corrected quite as well as it is with conventional hard lenses. However, vision is appreciably sharper than with soft lenses, even the toric soft contacts.
Gas-permeable lenses are more expensive than hard lenses; they cost even more than conventional soft lenses. But since they are nearly as durable as hard lenses, replacement is less frequent. The lenses can, however, be chipped and scratched. Warping may occur with time, though damage is minimized with proper handling. CAB lenses can be stained by eye makeup and hairspray. The surface deposits that form easily on the silicone lenses can’t always be removed completely with the usual cleaning and soaking solutions. This is less prevalent with the CAB lenses.
The lenses are difficult to make and delivery time may take a few weeks. The right lens cannot be dotted to avoid confusing the right and left lenses.
This type of contact lens fills the need for many people who— for one reason or another—are not suitable for conventional hard or soft lenses. This is the lens for you if you:
Have found hard lenses uncomfortable, but are unwilling to give up their sharp visual acuity.
For a long time, tinted soft lenses were not available in this country because of lack of FDA approval. Because the lenses are large and extend beyond the iris onto the white part of the eye, a complete dark tint would also look rather odd. But the transparency of a nontinted lens makes it difficult to see, especially when dropped. The advertising campaign based on the soft lens’s near-perfect resemblance to a drop of water is no exaggeration. No tint also means no glare reduction, but since photosensitivity in soft-lens wearers is relatively rare, this is a minor disadvantage.
However, this ban may no longer be an issue for soft-lens wearers, because in June of 1981 a tinting process for soft lenses was made available. The physician may send any FDA approved soft contact lens to a special laboratory in North Carolina in order to be tinted according to certain specifications. Read the rest of this entry »
Handling such small, delicate objects takes some practice. In time, as you develop your own technique, you’ll be able to relax and insert, center, remove, and clean your lenses on autopilot.
Always wash and dry your hands before handling the lenses. Prepare your work area, be it sink or tabletop. Establish your routine and then stick to it to avoid mixing up the lenses. It’s advised that you always start with the right lens. I place a tiny dot on the rim of the right lens of my patients to allow them to distinguish it from the left lens and to banish the right-or-left problem forever. Whenever you rinse your lenses with water, be certain the water is cool. Never use hot water. Read the rest of this entry »
Contact Lenses Care .
