Special Contacts for Special Conditions

Photo courtesy HowStuffWorks Shopper ProClear Compatibles are designed specifically for people with dry eye syndrome.

Contact lenses aren't for everyone. Some people have conditions that make them more difficult to fit, and others can't wear them at all. Contacts aren't recommended for people who:

• Have a history of corneal infections
• Work in an industry where they are exposed to chemical fumes, dust, or dirt
• Have allergies to lens-care products
• Are diabetic
• Are under the age of nine

Many people with dry eye syndrome can't wear regular contact lenses, because the lens dries up on their eye too quickly. Soft lenses that contain very little water work better for people with this condition, because they don't dry up as fast as normal lenses. There are also certain brands, such as Proclear Compatibles, that are designed specifically for people with dry eyes.

People with keratoconus have a thinning of the cornea that causes a cone-shaped bulge. A hard, gas-permeable contact lens is most effective for people with this condition, because it stays fixed on the cornea. People with extremely distorted corneas may need a piggybacking technique, in which they wear two lenses on each eye. A soft lens sits right on top of the cornea, and a gas-permeable lens is placed on top of it.

Giant papillary conjunctivitis is an inflammatory condition in which the eyes secrete proteins. Soft contact lenses don't tend to work well for people with GPC, because proteins deposit on the lens of their eyes and cloud them over. Daily disposable daily contacts may work better, because the proteins don't have enough time to accumulate. Hard, gas-permeable lenses also can work because the proteins don't tend to stick to them.

We'll discuss how to get and take care of contact lenses in the next section.