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A new addition to the family of contact lens
are toric contact lenses. These toric contact lenses correct astigmatism
and are available as gas permeable or soft lenses. In soflens, toric
lenses are available as either a monthly disposable contact lens or as
an annual lens. Toric lenses are designed to stay in the same position
whilst being worn. Toric lenses provide the same level of comfort and
clarity of vision as other soft and gas permeable lenses.
Toric contact lenses are made from the same materials as regular
("spherical") contact lenses, so they can be either soft or RGP. The
difference is in the design of the lens. Toric lenses come with two
powers in them, created with curvatures at different angles (one for
astigmatism, the other for either myopia or hyperopia). There is also a
mechanism to keep the contact lens relatively stable on the eye when you
blink or look around. To provide crisp vision, toric contact lenses do
not rotate on your eye.
Toric lenses are to be cared for just
like other contact lenses. Toric contact lens cleaning requires a good
contact lens cleaner and a solution. This will help you to take care of
contact lenses dry eyes. Properly fitting a toric lens takes more of
your eye care practitioner's time and requires more expertise than
regular contacts. Consequently, you can expect that a fitting for toric
will be more expensive than a regular contact lens fitting. The lenses
themselves also cost more than spherical lenses.
Many brands of
soft toric lenses are available today, so you can choose the brand with
the best characteristics for your particular eyes. Torics are available
as frequent replacement, disposable and even daily disposable contact
lenses. Torics are also available in many colors that either change or
enhance your natural eye color. Some colors are available as disposable
colored contact lense; but most colored torics are non-disposable,
conventional contact lenses. Multifocal torics correct presbyopia. These
are generally non-disposable as well. There are some soft toric
multifocal brands, but often an RGP lens is prescribed in this case.
However, there are also some contact lens problems with the toric lenses.
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