Standard contact lenses only come in certain sizes and prescriptions. Custom soft contact lenses are made to match your exact eye shape, size, and vision needs. They help people who cannot wear regular contacts see clearly and comfortably.
Custom lenses help with high levels of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism that standard contacts cannot handle. They can be made for prescriptions up to plus or minus 25.00 diopters or higher.
If your eyes are unusually large or small, or if your cornea is shaped differently, custom lenses give you a better fit. They work well for steep, flat, or uniquely shaped corneas. If your cornea is not smooth, these lenses can create a more even surface for clearer and steadier vision.
If you have had eye surgery like LASIK or RK, custom lenses can be shaped to fit your changed cornea. This can help you see more clearly than with standard contacts.
Custom lenses fit your eyes better, allowing tears and oxygen to flow normally. This reduces dryness and discomfort throughout the day.
Special custom soft lenses for children can slow how quickly nearsightedness worsens. This may lower the risk of eye problems later in life.
If you are extremely nearsighted or farsighted, you already know that options are limited. Standard contacts might not go high enough. Glasses can be thick and heavy, causing image distortion and poor side vision.
Custom lenses can be made for nearly any prescription, including very high minus or plus powers. Some extended range lenses go up to plus or minus 20 diopters, but custom options can exceed this.
Contact lenses rest right on your eye. This avoids the thick look of strong glasses. Objects look much closer to their normal size, and you avoid most of the shrinkage and side blur that thick glasses can cause.
Custom lenses fit well on larger or longer eyes, which are common with strong nearsightedness. They stay in place so your lenses will not move around, pop out, or feel loose.
Astigmatism means your eye has an irregular shape. This causes blurred or ghosted vision at all distances. Standard soft toric lenses correct up to about minus 2.75 diopters of cylinder power. If you have more than this, standard lenses may not work well for you.
Custom lenses can provide up to minus 8.00 or minus 10.00 diopters of cylinder correction. This is important for patients whose astigmatism is outside normal ranges.
Astigmatism is not just about power. Alignment is everything. Custom lenses can be ordered in single degree increments. This matches your exact prescription for crisper, more stable vision.
Modern custom toric lenses use special designs to keep the lens from rotating. These include dynamic thickness profiles, prism ballast, or customized edge lifts. Your astigmatism correction stays perfectly in place all day.
Clinical studies suggest that patients with moderate to very high astigmatism report significant improvements in vision and comfort with custom soft toric lenses. Many patients achieve vision quality close to glasses without the discomfort of rigid lenses.
SpecialEyes lenses offer sphere powers up to plus or minus 25.00 diopters. Cylinder correction reaches up to minus 8.00 diopters. Astigmatism greater than minus 3.00 diopters is easily managed.
These lenses come in sphere, toric, and multifocal toric options. Each lens is built around your exact corneal shape, pupil size, and visual axis.
Keratoconus is a condition where the cornea thins and bulges into a cone shape. This causes blurry vision, glare, and light sensitivity. Standard contacts often do not fit well or provide clear vision.
Custom soft lenses like KeraSoft IC and NovaKone are designed specifically for mild to moderate keratoconus. They provide better comfort than rigid lenses while improving vision.
For severe keratoconus or highly irregular corneas, rigid gas permeable or scleral lenses may provide better stability and sharper vision. Your eye doctor can help determine which type is best for your eyes.
Custom soft lenses may not match the visual sharpness of rigid or scleral lenses in all cases. However, they can provide good everyday vision and easier adaptation for those who do not tolerate harder lens types.
Every custom lens fitting begins with detailed eye measurements. We measure corneal curvature using keratometry and corneal topography. Horizontal iris diameter ensures the lens is the right size. Sagittal depth makes sure the lens is not too tight or too loose.
A first pair of custom lenses is ordered and fit to your eyes in the office. We check for comfort, lens movement, and clarity. Over refraction fine tunes your prescription with the trial lens on the eye.
It is common to make one or more tweaks to the lens shape or power. Custom labs allow for exchanges until the fit is right. If achieving stability proves difficult even after adjustments, your doctor may discuss rigid or scleral lenses as alternatives.
You will learn how to insert, remove, clean, and store your lenses safely. Because custom lenses are not daily disposables, proper cleaning is essential for eye health.
Regular appointments ensure your lenses remain comfortable and your eyes stay healthy over time.
Most custom soft lenses use silicone hydrogel materials. These deliver high oxygen to your cornea. This supports long term eye health, even for thicker high power or high astigmatism designs.
Most custom lenses are replaced quarterly, every six months, or yearly. Daily disposables are not typically available at extreme powers due to manufacturing limits. Your doctor will recommend the best schedule for your lenses.
Custom soft lenses do not always give the same extremely sharp vision as rigid gas permeable or scleral lenses. You might trade a bit of sharpness for better comfort and easier handling.
Custom soft contact lenses may not be recommended if you:
Dr. Nathan Schramm, OD, FSLS, FBCLA holds both the FSLS and FBCLA fellowships. He is one of approximately 300 optometrists worldwide with the FSLS credential and one of 250 with the FBCLA. He co-founded the International Congress of Scleral Contacts and has led important clinical research in wavefront guided scleral lenses.
Dr. Thanh Mai, OD, FSLS, FIAOMC is experienced and patient focused. He is especially skilled in fitting lenses for children and those with complicated vision needs. He holds the FSLS fellowship and previously served as President of the Orange County Optometric Society.
Insight Vision Center Optometry uses advanced imaging and measurement tools to design each lens precisely for your eyes. These include Pentacam corneal tomography, the Tomey WaveDyn Aberrometer, and AS-OCT anterior segment imaging.
After your initial fitting appointment, custom lenses typically take one to three weeks to manufacture. Your doctor will schedule a follow up visit to check the fit and make any needed adjustments.
Most custom soft lenses are not approved for overnight wear. Sleeping in contacts increases the risk of eye infections. Your doctor will tell you the safest wearing schedule for your specific lenses.
Many custom lens manufacturers allow exchanges within a certain time period. If your prescription changes significantly, your doctor can order updated lenses. Regular eye exams help catch prescription changes early.
Custom soft lenses handle similarly to regular soft contacts. They may be slightly larger or thicker depending on your prescription. Most patients learn to insert and remove them quickly with a little practice.
Yes. Children and teens with very high prescriptions or unusual eye shapes can often wear custom soft lenses. Our doctors have experience fitting young patients and teaching them proper lens care.
If standard contacts do not come in your prescription, feel uncomfortable, or do not stay in place, you may benefit from custom lenses. A comprehensive contact lens evaluation can determine which options are best for your eyes.
