Bifocal Contact Lenses

Whether you are nearsighted, farsighted or even if you do not need any visual correction, you will likely need the help of reading glasses when you reach your 40's. This is called presbyopia (prez-bee-oh-pee-uh). This change is a natural age-related change that occurs in everyone, unlike nearsightedness or farsightedness. With age, the structures within the eyes change and can no longer shift focus from far to near. Some of the early signs and symptoms of presbyopia are difficulties with near work or computer use and eye fatigue towards the end of the day. Many people are currently using bifocal or multifocal eyeglasses to help correct presbyopia.

If your work or lifestyle prevents you from comfortably wearing bifocals or multifocal eyeglasses, or if you are tired of constantly putting on and taking off your reading glasses, our doctors can evaluate to see if bifocal or multifocal contact lenses are for you.

Recent advances in contact lens designs have allowed wearers to drive, work on the computer and read without the need for eyeglasses. Depending on your prescription, soft lenses or gas permeable lenses may be prescribed for you. So regardless of your current success in traditional bifocal or multifocal glasses, bifocal contact lenses may better suit your needs.

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Corneal Reshaping

Orthokeratology (awr-thoh-ker-uh-tol-uh-jee), or corneal reshaping is the use of custom designed gas permeable contact lenses to reshape the cornea and correct for nearsightedness.  Patients who undergo orthokeratology wear their contact lenses at night, while sleeping, and generally do not require any vision correction during the day. For optimal vision correction, orthokeratology lenses are typically worn each night for a minimum of 8 hours. The results of orthokeratology are reversible and there is no permanent change to the cornea. Orthokeratology lenses are an excellent option for active adults and children who desire freedom from spectacle or contact lens wear during their daily tasks. FDA approved for the use in children, orthokeratology lenses are also an excellent option for the young athlete who swims, surfs or plays water polo.

The Stein Family Cornea and Contact Lens Center has participated in numerous clinical trials involving orthokeratology lenses and the faculty is certified to use numerous lens designs for the reduction of your nearsighted prescription.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call the Stein Family Cornea and Contact Lens Center at 714.449.7420.

Keratoconus

Keratoconus (KEHR-a-toh-kohn-nus) is a disorder that results in the thinning of the cornea (the clear front part of the eye). The condition generally affects both eyes (bilateral), but one eye tends to be more advanced (asymmetric) than the other.  In the beginning stages of keratoconus, patients may be able to achieve good vision with spectacles or soft contact lenses. As the condition progresses, and corneal surface irregularities increases, spectacles and soft lenses may no longer be able to provide acceptable vision. As a result, custom fitted gas permeable contact lenses may be necessary to restore optimal vision.

General facts on keratoconus

• Estimated occurrence is 1 out of every 2000 persons in the general population
• The disease may be diagnosed during late adolescence or early twenties
• There is no significant gender, ethnic or social pattern
• The exact cause of keratoconus is unknown
• Symptoms include blurry and/or distorted vision
• Some patients complain of itchy eyes or have associated eye rubbing tendencies
• The continued thinning of the cornea progresses slowly and may reach a plateau

Helpful Website links:

• http://www.nkcf.org
• www.allaboutvision.com

Management of keratoconus

• Contact lenses are not a cure for keratoconus.  They simply provide the best means to improve vision.
• 10-20% of keratoconus cases may eventually need a corneal transplant.
• Corneal transplantation is usually considered only in cases where contact lenses cannot be worn or do not provide adequate vision.
• The rate of corneal transplant success for keratoconus is approximately 95%, but as with all operations, it involves potentially serious risks.Surgeons may recommend Intacs, an insertion of two clear crescent-shaped plastic polymers into the front of the eye when contact lenses or glasses do not offer functional vision
• The goal of Intacs is to reduce the amount of distortion on the cornea caused by the keratoconus
• Eyeglasses or contact lenses may still be needed after surgery for vision correction.
• Laser surgery is strongly not recommended

The doctors of the Stein Family Cornea and Contact Lens Center have participated in long term studies on keratoconus and contact lens fitting. Our service offers customized care for patients with keratoconus including contact lens fitting, and corneal health management.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call the Stein Family Cornea and Contact Lens Center at 714.449.7420.

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Pediatric Contact Lenses

How old does one have to be to wear contact lenses? In the Pediatric Contact Lens Service at the Eye Care Center, we have fitted children as young as infants for eye conditions that would normally require them to wear bulky eyeglasses. Children with conditions such as high prescriptions, anisometropia (significantly different prescription between the two eyes), aphakia (an eye where the lens has been removed) and other focusing problems need to wear constant visual correction; otherwise the visual system may not develop normally. When a child needs vision correction but where one is never prescribed or worn, amblyopia, or "lazy eye", can develop and vision can be reduced permanently.

Since eyeglasses are never tolerated well by small children, contact lenses are the preferred method of vision correction for these patients. A team of doctors, including pediatric vision and contact lens experts, evaluates each case and provides individualized vision care for each child. Each patient is prescribed with contact lenses that are custom designed to their unique needs. These lenses maximize peripheral awareness of their environment, provide a more stable visual correction, and reduce image distortion caused by high powered spectacle lenses. From our experience, children adapt superbly well to contact lens wear.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call the Stein Family Cornea and Contact Lens Center at 714.449.7420.

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Contact Lenses for Post-Surgical and Irregular Corneas

Ocular injury, disease, infection or surgery can leave the corneal surface irregular. As a result, the cornea may be unable to precisely refract light that is entering the eye. Patients who have these types of corneas will experience poor vision from the visual distortions that cannot be corrected with conventional eyeglasses or soft contact lenses. For years, the Stein Family Cornea and Contact Lens Center has been helping these patients regain vision through the use of specialty designed contact lenses. Custom designed gas permeable lenses help to mask the surface irregularities of the damaged cornea in a way that eyeglasses and soft lenses can't. By designing lens systems that may combine gas permeable lenses with eyeglasses or gas permeable lenses with soft lenses (piggyback), our doctors are trained to utilize the most advanced contact lens designs and materials to help improve vision while maintaining optimal corneal health. Each patient will be prescribed a lens system that is healthy, comfortable and visually functional.

Patients who may benefit from this service may also include those who have had corneal transplant surgery, radial keratotomy surgery or those with corneal scarring and irregularities from injury or corneal disease. If you or someone you know are experiencing visual disturbance from any of these conditions, our Center may be able to help you.

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Prosthetic Eye Service

The Prosthetic Eye Service at the Eye Care Center helps people with injured, deformed, or disfigured seeing or non-seeing eyes. People who have lost eyes through accidents, disease or genetic abnormalities, as well as those already wearing prosthetic devices can be examined at the Prosthetic Eye Service for initial fitting, updates and maintenance of their current prosthesis.

Custom tinted and hand painted soft contact lenses

Prosthetic soft contact lens

The services provided include designing and fitting artificial eyes made of plastic and are hand-painted to match the patient's natural eye color. We also fit shell eyes designed to mask a disfigured or scarred eye. These therapeutic shells can include vision enhancing optics as well as improve the appearance of the patient's eye features. Many prosthetic options are available to enhance the appearance, vision or comfort of a scarred or deformed eye.

Presthetic eye

The Prosthetic Eye Service also offers complete eye tissue health assessment and care to individuals already using prosthetic devices in a sensitive and respectful manner. Regular eye prostheses check-ups are designed to maintain ocular tissue health and to maximize the cosmetic appearance and therapeutic effects of an ocular prosthetic.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call the Stein Family Cornea and Contact Lens Center at 714.449.7420.