Left uncorrected when eye care providers instead prescribe spherical soft lenses, astigmatism can lead to reduced visual acuity, visual fatigue, poor overall vision quality, and dropout.
Published by the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE), the bi-monthly publication is available at no charge by visiting ContactLensUpdate.com.
“The benefits of prescribing toric soft contact lenses for low to moderate astigmatism are important to consider, given that 45% of our patients have 0.75 D or more of refractive astigmatism, and 35% have 1.00 D or more,” said Daddi Fadel, DOptom, FSLS, FBCLA, FAAO, FIACLE, a clinical scientist at CORE.
“The inability to tolerate the visual disturbances caused by residual astigmatism is a major reason why many patients abandon soft contact lenses. Recognizing the advantages and surmounting obstacles like visual performance, comfort, cost, and chair time are essential for patients’ well-being. When assessing the cost-effectiveness of soft toric lenses compared to spherical ones in astigmatic individuals, practitioners should note that toric lenses provide significant advantages, often surpassing wearers’ expectations despite the increased cost. Prescribing toric soft contact lenses for low and moderate astigmatism should become a standard practice.”
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