What is a stigmatism and how it can be corrected with toric contact lenses?

Discount toric contact lens

Actually it is not a stigmatism, but an astigmatism. It is a condition of the eye when cornea, lens, or both are irregularly shaped so that images aren't focused sharply on the retina. As a result, the eye has different focal points in different planes. For example, the image may be clearly focused on the retina in the horizontal plane, but in front of the retina in the vertical plane. So a person with astigmatism sees objects blurred at any distance.

Astigmatism is one of the most common vision problems. Usually it is a hereditary condition. It can also be caused by an eye injury that has caused scarring on the cornea, from some types of eye surgery, or from keratoconus, which is disease that causes a gradual thinning of the cornea.

Soft toric and RGP lenses can correct astigmatism

A few years ago the only solution for people with stigmatic eyes was RGP (ridged gas permeable) lenses. Now your choices are:

Regular RGP lenses (for mild case of astigmatism)
Toric RGP lenses
Toric soft contact lenses

RGP lens as the name suggests is a hard lens. It They maintain its shape on the eye and don’t take the unequal contours of an astigmatic eye like soft lenses do.

Ordinary RGP lenses are quite good for correcting not severe astigmatism, however, if the cornea is a very irregular shape a lens might become uncomfortable and unstable. In this case you need special toric RGP lenses. A toric RGP lens has a special-shaped back surface and matches the irregular shape of the eye more closely. That provides more stable and comfortable fit. It also keeps the lens from rotating on the eye.

Soft toric lenses are a recent development for astigmatism correction. They are more comfortable to wear than RGP lenses. Toric soft lenses are a special type of soft contact lens that has different curves in different meridians. Also the lens is usually heavier at the bottom, which prevents its rotation in the eye.

RGP of soft toric: which is better?

Both soft and RGP toric lenses are doing a very good job correcting astigmatism. RGP lenses last longer, so they are more cost-effective solution.

On the other hand, most soft toric lenses are 1-2 week disposables. And the more often you replace your lens – the healthier for your eyes. Also if you lose a soft toric lens it is not a big deal, just replace it with new.

Another advantage of soft toric contacts that they now also come in colors. The most popular color variety is Freshlook Colorblends Toric. So you can not only fix your vision, but also change the color of your eyes.

Which is better for astigmatism colored or clear toric contacts?

It makes absolutely no difference. Color toric lenses have exactly the same design as clear soft torics, except for the layer of color.