If you have astigmatism, but were told that contact lenses aren't for you, it may be worth taking another look. Many people with astigmatism can achieve good vision with today's specially designed toric lenses. They're made the same materials as regular contact lenses, so toric contacts are available in both soft and RGP contact lenses.

Astigmatism is distorted vision typically caused by an irregularly shaped cornea. The cornea is the clear tissue on the front of your eye that covers the iris and the pupil. People who have astigmatism may also have myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness).

When you have astigmatism, you need contact lenses designed to correct both the myopic or hyperopic condition and the astigmatism. They do so by having more than one power shaped into them, and by having a stabilizing mechanism to keep the contact lens relatively stable on the eye when you blink, look up, down or from side to side.

A person who mainly has myopia or hyperopia, with little or no astigmatism, can wear traditional spherical contact lenses. (Spherical lenses may suffice if you have minor astigmatism, say, less than 1 diopter.) Unlike toric contacts, spherical contact lenses have just a single refractive power shaped into them and will correct vision no matter how the lens moves on the eye.

Most Important: A Good Fit

While most people who have astigmatism are happy with the vision they get from today's toric contact lenses, it's paramount to have a properly fitted toric lens to get good vision. If a toric lens is not fitted properly and moves as you blink or move your eye, your vision will not be sharp. Properly fitting a toric lens takes more of your eye care practitioner's time, and requires more expertise.

Because rigid lenses retain their shape and placement on the cornea better than soft lenses, rigid lenses tend to provide crisper vision to people who have astigmatism than soft contacts. Some toric lenses have a weighted area in the bottom of the lens to help them achieve stability.

Non-toric Options for Astigmatism

If you have a small amount of astigmatism, less than 1.00 diopter, you may be able to wear a regular spherical RGP or even a spherical soft lens. The rigidness of RGPs can help mask a need for an astigmatic correction, by helping your eye conform to the shape of the contact lens.

Likewise, some eye care professionals will fit you with a higher powered spherical soft lens to mask a small astigmatic correction. The results of this technique vary from one patient to the next, which is why the fitting process for astigmats may take some trial and error by both the doctor and patient.

If fitted properly, many people can successfully wear soft toric lenses, especially because there are many more toric lens choices today than there were just several years ago. And soft torics are now available as disposable or frequent replacement contacts, for those who want the convenience and health benefits of frequent lens replacement.

Visit an eye care practitioner who is comfortable fitting toric contact lenses to determine if they make sense for your eye care needs and to identify the best lens design for you.