| By :
William Gabriel
People who have been told they have astigmatism may feel an initial pang of fear that they will be saddled with bifocal eye glasses for the rest of their life. Not to worry! Today, there are many ways to treat astigmatism; eye glasses are just one option. More often than not, contact lenses are the popular treatment option for this eye condition. That's right, contact lenses; toric contact lenses to be exact. Let's back up for just a moment. Just what is a "stigmatism"? Astigmatism (not a stigmatism) is an eye condition that can affect people of all ages. In normal conditions of the eye, the cornea is spherical in shape, perfectly round. The main function of the cornea is to bend light rays as they enter the eye and focus them at one point on the retina, which is located at the back of the eye. This process produces distinct vision and enables us to see things clearly. In astigmatic eyes, the cornea is not round but somewhat oblong or oval in shape. The result is that it fails to bend light on one single point, leading the eye to focus on two different points. As this occurs, vision is distorted. Toric contact lenses are special contact lenses made to fit the eye in a specific orientation so that light is reflected properly and vision is no longer blurred. Toric contact lenses are necessary because they require a customized prescription based on the unique curvature of your eye. Simply wearing reading glasses or normal contact lenses will not correct astigmatism. Toric contact lenses can be purchased in hard or soft lenses, so comfort is available. They can even be found in colored lens options. Some people say, if you must wear contact lenses, you may as well have some fun with it. Colored contact lenses are a great way to change up your appearance in a big way. Colored toric contact lenses are made using the same material as normal toric lenses; and are available in RGP (rigid gas permeable) or soft lenses. Colors range from blue to violet and just about any other shade in between. Some colored contact lenses even feature designs such as cat eyes, great for Halloween. Colored lenses come in the same options as non-colored lenses. You can choose to purchase colored lenses that need to be removed and cleaned nightly. This option is good because there is an extra cost to colored contact lenses. Lenses that are removed and cleaned each night typically have a lifespan of more than a year when well cared for. This can make up for the extra cost. There are also colored lenses that can be left in the eye continuously. However, the life span of this type of lens is just about one week. Some say you can stretch the lifespan of these lenses by removing and cleaning them every day; but the most you will get out of them is two weeks and you want to be sure not to extend their life at the expense of your vision. Colored contact lenses are fun and they serve a purpose, too. With the huge variety of colors, you can really show off your different sides and play up your favorite feature. However, with the cost of colored toric contact lenses being over $100, it pays to choose colors wisely.
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