Is the quality of vision with contact lenses adequate? Not in all instances.
There are several circumstances in which contact lenses (CLs) provide vision inferior to that possible with spectacles. Over time, both soft and rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lenses accumulate deposits that can cloud vision. RGP lenses are especially prone to scratching; some varieties may even become crazed, giving a spiderweb quality to vision. Certain uncommon corneal complications associated with lens wear--infection, neovascularization, ulcers, and severe epithelial edema--may also impair vision, sometimes permanently. CLs often provide less than optimal vision for patients with presbyopia or severe astigmatism. Difficulties with axis stabilization arise with both soft and rigid toric lenses, and these can take several attempts to resolve. Monovision fitting currently offers the best option for presbyopes, but it has an effect on stereopsis, compromising depth perception. Furthermore, patients often require considerable time before adapting to monovision lens use. Finally, even under normal circumstances, certain inherent features of CLs can diminish visual acuity. The water in soft lenses diffuses light; the loss of visual crispness is particularly notable with high-water-content lenses. On the other hand, the small diameter of RGP lenses often contributes to ghosting--a phenomenon in which the edge of the lenses is visible whenever the pupils are widely dilated.
Department of Ophthalmology, Tulane Medical School, New Orleans, LA 70112.
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D001251:Astigmatism / Q000628:therapy; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D011305:Presbyopia / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity