What are Specialty Contact Lenses?

Specialty Contact Lenses

Many patients are told they “can’t wear contacts” because their prescription is too complex or their cornea isn’t a typical shape but that doesn’t mean they’re out of options. Specialty contact lenses are specifically engineered for eyes that need a more customized solution, offering clarity, comfort, and stability that standard soft lenses simply can’t achieve.

These advanced lenses are crafted using precise measurements and specialized designs, allowing us to restore vision for conditions that would otherwise limit traditional contact lens wear. For many individuals, specialty lenses open the door to clearer vision, greater comfort, and an improved quality of life.

What Are Specialty Contact Lenses?
Specialty contact lenses are custom-designed lenses that address unique visual needs or medical eye conditions. They use advanced materials, highly precise measurements, and specialized designs to improve comfort, clarity, and long-term eye health.

These lenses are often considered a medical device, not a cosmetic option, because they restore vision and protect compromised or irregular ocular surfaces.

Why and When Are They Medically Necessary?

Specialty contact lenses become medically necessary when:

• Standard soft lenses do not provide adequate vision
• The cornea is irregular, diseased, injured, or post-surgical
• A patient experiences discomfort or dryness with regular contacts
• A therapeutic lens is needed to protect the corneal surface

They offer significant benefits for conditions such as:

• Keratoconus (KC)
• Corneal ectasia
• Severe dry eye / ocular surface disease
• Post-LASIK/PRK irregularities
• Scarring from injury or infection
• Pellucid marginal degeneration
• High or complex prescriptions (astigmatism, presbyopia, anisometropia)

In many of these cases, specialty lenses provide what glasses and soft contacts cannot:
stable, clear vision and a rehabilitative surface for compromised corneas.

Types of Specialty Contact Lenses

1. Scleral Lenses

Large, vaulting lenses that rest on the white part of the eye (the sclera).

• Provide exceptional clarity for irregular corneas
• Create a fluid reservoir to moisturize the eye
• Often described as “vision restoration for the compromised cornea”

2. Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses

Smaller, breathable lenses that maintain a stable shape on the eye.

• Ideal for mild to moderate corneal irregularities
• Sharper vision than soft lenses
• Can be customized for complex prescriptions

3. Hybrid Lenses

Combine an RGP center with a soft skirt.

• RGP clarity with soft-lens comfort
• Great option for astigmatism or patients sensitive to traditional RGPs

4. Custom Soft Lenses

Thicker, specially designed soft lenses for high prescriptions or irregular corneas.

• Good choice for early keratoconus or mild distortions
• More comfortable for patients who prefer soft lenses

5. Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Nighttime reshaping lenses that provide clear daytime vision without wearing contacts.

• Used for vision correction
• A primary treatment to slow myopia progression in children

6. Prosthetic / Therapeutic Soft Lenses

Soft lenses designed to enhance appearance, reduce glare, or protect damaged tissue.

• Helpful for trauma, light sensitivity, or iris abnormalities
• Sometimes used for chronic pain or photophobia

Specialty Lens Fitting at Our Office

Fitting specialty lenses requires advanced technology, precise measurements, and dedicated follow-up care. Our doctors use corneal topography, imaging, and customized design software to create a lens tailored to your eyes — no two fits are the same.

​​​​​​​Our goal is simple: to restore the best possible vision while protecting long-term eye health.