There are many varieties and brands of contact lenses available to the consumer today. Basically, they are either hard or soft, but people seem to be psychologically more at ease with soft lenses. Now a lens has been developed that is thinner than Saran Wrap.
Dr. Kassalow has his practice with two other contact-lens specialists — Dr. Paul Farkas and Dr. Barry Farkas. They not only deal with difficult cases, but are also constantly involved with research on contact lenses. Their latest work includes the investigation of what is known as the membrane lens, a type of soft contact lens no thicker than Saran Wrap.
The membrane lens can be worn while sleeping and for up to three months without removal. Dr. Kassalow says that reasonable care should be taken to protect the lenses, which can tear or crack. They should also be sterilized regularly in a hot or cold solution to prevent contamination and stored in a saline solution when not worn.
At present, Dr. Kassalow and both Drs. Farkas, as well as a small number of optometrists and ophthalmologists across the country, are authorized to dispense the membrane lenses on a research basis only. This means that the doctors prescribe the lenses at their discretion and a careful follow-through with documentation on each patient is required. The membrane lenses are expected to win Food and Drug Administration approval within a few months.
There are many varieties and brands of lenses available to the consumer today. Basically, the lenses fall into two categories, hard and soft, each with its advantages and disadvantages.
The hard, or “firm,” lens, as some doctors prefer to call it, is easier to handle, is less expensive and, for some eye conditions, gives better visual acuity. The hard lenses are advisable for those with severe astigmatism (unusual curvature of the usually spherical cornea) or cataracts. A new hard lens, which has just been approved by the F.D.A., will be available for general distribution this coming June. It is made of silicone and the traditional hard lens plastic material. It is porous enough to allow the eye to “breathe” to a much greater extent than ever before, which makes the lens far more comfortable to the wearer.
Soft lenses are pieces of clear plastic with an almost gel‐like consistency. “About 70 percent of our patients wear soft lenses,” says Dr. Paul Farkas. “People seem to be more psychologically at ease with the concept of 'soft’ and it is of course true that one can usually wear the soft lenses with comfort from the very start.”
Most brands of lenses, whether hard or soft, need only be sterilized with cold chemical solutions rather than with the boiling method of the past.
There are many people who have tried to wear contact lenses and failed. According to Dr. Kassala'', “Failures may be due to improper fitting and/or poor instructions and lab work.” In hard lenses, Dr. Kassalow continued, the cause of failure could be a sensitivity to the presence of a foreign body in the eye, while in soft lenses, the failure could be an allergy to the chemicals used. Correct fit is the single most important aspect of wearing contact lenses successfully and all three doctors liken it to an art.
Both optometrists and ophthalmologists can fit contact lenses. In some states — New York for example — opticians also can get licenses to fit them under the supervision of a doctor.
One can begin to wear contact lenses at any age but when treating a child most doctors prefer to wait until the child himself is willing to wear them.
Fear of wearing contacts is not uncommon. Most people are conditioned to hate or fear the idea of getting things in their eyes and part of the popularity of soft lenses is that they are so comfortable they practically eliminate such anxiety. If a patient has extreme tension, however, Dr. Paul Farkas resorts to hypnosis, “when conventional techniques fail.”
Hypnosis takes the form of a suggestion to the patient that there is no need to blink when the lens is inserted. Only one or two sessions are usually needed and the cost is US in addition to the regular fee.
Contact lenses can lead to personality changes. “Some of the near‐sighted people who come to us are introverted and bookish,” says Dr. Farkas. “We see some amazing responses when a patient makes the conversion to contact lenses. They become more relaxed and open, especially the children.”
Men are becoming increasingly interested in contact lenses as technology makes them easier and easier to wear. “About 35 percent of our patients are men, a significant increase from three years ago,” says Dr. Kassalow.
Patients must be selective when they are looking for a contact‐lens specialist. “Word of mouth is perhaps the best way to find a doctor,” advises Dr. Farkas. “If someone is happy with his lenses and the service that goes with them, that's a good recommendation. Experience also counts. Get someone who has worked a great deal with a variety of lenses.” One can also call a local medical society or optometric society for a list of names of practitioners.
Prices for contacts vary widely. Hard lenses can be obtained for as little as $30 and can run up to $350. Soft lenses range from $100 to $600. The membrane lenses, when they are F.D.A. approved, will be about $200 more than conventional soft lenses. The differential in price covers the amount of professional time involved in the fitting, instruction and follow‐through office visits. ■
When a patient is unable to use the contact lenses because of extreme tension, one or two sessions of hypnosis may be recommended as a part of the treatment. Through hypnosis, the patient can learn not to blink when the lens is inserted.
https://www.nytimes.com/1979/04/22/archives/beauty-getting-the-right-contacts.html
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