Precision Contact Lenses

Astigmatism is a very common condition where the curvature of the front of the eye isn’t round, but is instead shaped more like a football or an egg. This means one curve is steeper or flatter than the curve 90 degrees away. Astigmatism won’t keep you from wearing contact lenses – it just means you need a different kind of lens.

Designing contact lenses for astigmatism can be as simple as creating a toric or curved lens, but in patients where there is too much astigmatism, or when the lens rotated on the eye, specialty designs may be required to maintain crisp vision.

Dr. Cohen has extensive experience with the prescription and management of patients who require contact lenses for astigmatism.

Dry eyes can make contact lens wear difficult and cause a number of symptoms, including:

• a gritty, dry feeling feeling as if something is in your eye
• a burning sensation
• eye redness (especially later in the day)
• blurred vision

If you have true dry eyes, the first step is to treat the condition, however you may have contact lens induced dryness where the type of lens you are wearing doesn’t interact well with your eye and your tears.

In moderate to severe cases, Dr Cohen is able to create a specialty scleral lens design that vaults the cornea to allow a tear layer to sit behind the lens and maintain constant contact with the eye, thus relieving dry eyes.  This type of design is highly specialized and Dr Cohen has many patients referred to him from around the south east to be fit using his techniques.

Giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) is an inflammatory reaction on the inner surface of the eyelids. One cause of GPC is protein deposits on soft contact lenses. (These deposits are from components of your tear film that stick to your lenses and become chemically altered.)

Usually, changing to a one-day disposable soft lens will solve this problem, since you just throw these lenses away at the end of the day before protein deposits can accumulate on them.

In some cases of GPC, a medicated eye drop may be required to reduce the inflammation before you can resume wearing contact lenses.

Presbyopia is the normal loss of focusing ability up close when you reach your 40’s.

Today, there are many designs of bifocal and multifocal contact lenses to correct presbyopia.

During your contact lens fitting we can help you decide whether bifocal/multifocal contact lenses or monovision is best for you.

Dr. Cohen is considered a multifocal contact lens expert and has built his contact lens practice successfully fitting these hard to fit lenses.

Keratoconus is a relatively uncommon eye condition where the cornea becomes thinner and bulges forward. The term “keratoconus” comes from the Greek terms for cornea (“kerato”) and cone-shaped (“conus”). The exact cause of keratoconus remains unknown, but it appears that oxidative damage from free radicals plays a role.

Gas permeable contact lenses have historically been the treatment option of choice for mild and moderate keratoconus. Because they are rigid, GP lenses can help contain the shape of the cornea to prevent further bulging of the cornea. They also can correct vision problems caused by keratoconus that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses or soft contacts.

The last few years have produced quite a bit of innovation in contact lenses for keratoconus. There are now several soft lenses for keratoconus, as well as many scleral lenses. These are large lenses made of GP material that remain completely above the cornea, with the outer edge of the lens resting on the white of the eye (sclera).

Another option is called “piggybacking,” where soft and GP lenses are worn together on the eye for greater comfort than a GP alone would provide. Hybrid contact lenses that have a GP center surrounded by a soft “skirt” can produce the same effect.

Dr. Cohen is experienced in dealing with Keratoconosis in patients and can discuss whether gas permeable, soft, or a combination of the two lenses would be the best solution for you.

Hundreds of thousands of people each year have LASIK surgery to correct their eyesight. Sometimes, vision problems remain after surgery that can’t be corrected with eyeglasses or a second surgical procedure. In these cases, Dr. Cohen often prescribes gas permeable contact lenses – including large GP scleral lenses – that can often restore visual acuity and eliminate problems like glare and halos at night. Scleral lenses remain the best options for these patients.