Personalized lens fittings for hard-to-fit eyes at our north Fort Worth office, serving Keller and nearby communities.
Not every patient sees clearly or comfortably with standard contact lenses. If your contacts feel dry, blurry, unstable, scratchy, or uncomfortable by the end of the day, you may need a more customized approach.
At True Eye Center of Keller, Dr. Shabree Nichols Caleb provides specialty contact lens fittings for patients in Keller, North Fort Worth, Southlake, Colleyville, Alliance, and surrounding North Texas communities. Specialty contact lenses may help patients with dry eye, irregular corneas, keratoconus, high prescriptions, astigmatism, post-surgical corneal changes, or ongoing discomfort with traditional soft contacts.
Our goal is simple: help you achieve clearer, more comfortable vision with contact lenses designed around the shape, health, and needs of your eyes.
What Are Specialty Contact Lenses?
Specialty contact lenses are custom-fit lenses designed for patients who may not get their best vision or comfort from standard soft contact lenses.
While many patients do well with traditional daily, toric, multifocal, or extended-wear contacts, others need lenses that are more precisely matched to the shape of the eye, the condition of the cornea, the tear film, or the patient’s visual demands.
Specialty lenses may be recommended for patients with:
- Keratoconus
- Irregular corneas
- High astigmatism
- Dry eye-related contact lens discomfort
- Hard-to-fit eyes
- High prescriptions
- Corneal scarring
- Post-surgical corneal changes
- Presbyopia or multifocal vision needs
- Blurry or unstable vision in regular contacts
- Discomfort with standard soft lenses
A specialty contact lens fitting is more detailed than a standard contact lens exam because it may require advanced measurements, corneal evaluation, trial lenses, follow-up visits, and fine-tuning for comfort and clarity.
Who May Benefit from Specialty Contact Lenses?
You may be a good candidate for specialty contact lenses if you have been told you are “hard to fit” or if regular contacts have not worked well for you.
Specialty contacts may help if you experience:
- Contacts that feel dry or uncomfortable
- Blurry vision that changes throughout the day
- Lenses that move too much or do not stay centered
- Poor vision with glasses or standard contacts
- Astigmatism that is difficult to correct
- Keratoconus or an irregular corneal shape
- Eye discomfort from dry eye
- Strong prescriptions
- Contact lens intolerance
- Difficulty wearing lenses for a full day
- Past eye surgery that changed the corneal shape
If you have tried contacts before and gave up because they were uncomfortable or did not provide clear vision, a specialty lens evaluation may give you more options.
Specialty Contact Lens Options
Different eyes need different lens designs. During your fitting, Dr. Caleb will evaluate your eye shape, prescription, tear film, corneal health, and comfort needs to determine which type of lens may be appropriate.
Scleral Contact Lenses
Scleral lenses are larger custom lenses that rest on the white part of the eye rather than directly on the cornea. Because they vault over the corneal surface, they can create a smooth optical surface and may be helpful for patients with irregular corneas, keratoconus, dry eye, or discomfort with traditional lenses.
Scleral lenses may be considered for:
- Keratoconus
- Irregular astigmatism
- Dry eye symptoms
- Corneal scarring
- Post-surgical corneal changes
- Patients who cannot tolerate regular lenses
- Patients who need stable, customized vision correction
The space between the scleral lens and the cornea is filled with sterile saline before the lens is placed on the eye. This can help create a more comfortable wearing experience for certain patients, especially those with more complex eye surface needs.
Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses
Rigid gas permeable lenses, often called RGP or GP lenses, are firm lenses that can provide crisp vision by creating a more regular optical surface over the cornea.
RGP lenses may be useful for patients with:
- Keratoconus
- Irregular corneas
- Higher astigmatism
- Blurry vision with soft lenses
- Vision that is not sharp enough with glasses
Some patients adapt well to RGP lenses, while others may need a different specialty design depending on comfort, corneal shape, and lens stability.
Hybrid Contact Lenses
Hybrid contact lenses combine a firm center with a soft outer skirt. The firm center is designed to support clearer optics, while the soft outer portion may improve comfort for some patients.
Hybrid lenses may be considered for:
- Astigmatism
- Keratoconus
- Irregular corneas
- Patients who need sharper vision than soft lenses provide
- Patients who have difficulty adapting to smaller RGP lenses
Toric and Multifocal Contact Lenses
Some patients do not need advanced specialty lenses but may still need more precise fitting with toric or multifocal contacts.
Toric contacts are designed for astigmatism. Multifocal contacts help patients who need correction for both distance and near vision.
At True Eye Center of Keller, contact lens exams may include daily wear lenses, extended wear lenses, toric lenses, and multifocal lenses when appropriate.
Custom Soft Contact Lenses
Some patients with higher prescriptions, unusual parameters, or unique comfort needs may benefit from custom soft lenses. These lenses may offer more flexibility than standard off-the-shelf options.
Custom soft lenses may be helpful for:
- Higher prescriptions
- Astigmatism
- Patients needing specific lens parameters
- Patients who want a soft lens option but need a more customized fit
Specialty Contacts for Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a condition where the cornea becomes thinner and more cone-shaped over time. This irregular shape can cause distorted or blurry vision that may not be fully corrected with glasses or standard soft contacts.
Specialty contact lenses may help by creating a smoother front surface for light to pass through, improving visual clarity for many patients with irregular corneal shape.
Patients with keratoconus may benefit from:
- Rigid gas permeable lenses
- Scleral lenses
- Hybrid lenses
- Custom soft lenses
- Careful corneal mapping and monitoring
If you have keratoconus or have been told that your cornea is irregular, a specialty contact lens evaluation can help determine which lens design may provide the best balance of vision, comfort, and eye health.
Specialty Contacts for Dry Eye and Contact Lens Discomfort
Dry eye can make contact lenses feel uncomfortable, especially later in the day. Patients may describe their lenses as dry, gritty, cloudy, tight, scratchy, or difficult to wear for long periods.
Contact lens discomfort may be related to:
- Tear film instability
- Meibomian gland dysfunction
- Allergies
- Lens material
- Lens fit
- Wearing schedule
- Screen use
- Environmental dryness
- Inflammation or irritation
For some patients, changing lens type, material, solution, replacement schedule, or wearing time can make a meaningful difference. For others, dry eye treatment or specialty lens designs may be needed.
Scleral lenses may be an option for certain patients with more advanced dry eye symptoms because the lens design can create a fluid reservoir between the lens and the cornea.
Why Corneal Topography Matters for Specialty Contacts
Specialty contact lens fittings often require more precise measurements than a standard contact lens exam. Corneal topography is an advanced diagnostic test that maps the shape and curvature of the cornea.
This information can help guide specialty lens design for patients with:
- Keratoconus
- Irregular astigmatism
- Corneal distortion
- Post-surgical corneal changes
- Hard-to-fit eyes
- Unstable contact lens vision
- Specialty contact lens needs
Corneal mapping helps the doctor better understand the surface of the eye and choose a lens design that is more likely to provide stable, comfortable, and clear vision.
What to Expect During a Specialty Contact Lens Fitting
A specialty contact lens fitting is usually more detailed than a routine contact lens exam. The process may include several steps so your lenses can be properly evaluated and adjusted.
Your visit may include:
- Review of your contact lens history
- Discussion of comfort, vision, and wearing time
- Review of dry eye symptoms
- Prescription evaluation
- Corneal health assessment
- Tear film evaluation
- Corneal topography or advanced measurements when needed
- Trial lens fitting
- Lens movement and alignment evaluation
- Vision testing through trial lenses
- Lens handling and care education
- Follow-up visits for adjustments
Because specialty contacts are custom fitted, it may take more than one appointment to finalize the right design. This careful process helps improve the chance of a comfortable, healthy, and successful fit.
Why Choose True Eye Center of Keller for Specialty Contact Lenses?
Patients choose True Eye Center of Keller because the practice combines medical eye care, contact lens expertise, advanced technology, and personal attention.
Dr. Shabree Nichols Caleb is a board-certified therapeutic optometrist who specializes in the management, treatment, and prevention of eye diseases, routine eye care, and specialty contact lens fittings. She is also trained in diabetic eye care, glaucoma care, retinal disease, pediatric care, refractive surgery management, and cataract co-management.
Our specialty contact lens care is designed for patients who need more than a basic lens prescription. Whether you have dry eye, keratoconus, high astigmatism, contact lens discomfort, or a history of unsuccessful contact lens wear, our team can help evaluate your options.
Serving Keller, North Fort Worth, and Nearby Communities
True Eye Center of Keller serves patients throughout Keller, North Fort Worth, Southlake, Colleyville, Alliance, Trophy Club, Roanoke, Westlake, Watauga, Haslet, and nearby North Texas communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are specialty contact lenses?
Specialty contact lenses are custom-fit lenses designed for patients who may not see clearly or comfortably with standard soft contact lenses. They may be used for keratoconus, irregular corneas, dry eye, high prescriptions, astigmatism, or hard-to-fit eyes.
Who needs specialty contact lenses?
You may need specialty contact lenses if regular contacts are uncomfortable, blurry, unstable, or unable to correct your vision well. Patients with keratoconus, irregular corneas, dry eye, high astigmatism, or post-surgical corneal changes may also benefit.
Are scleral lenses good for dry eye?
Scleral lenses may help certain patients with moderate to severe dry eye or ocular surface problems because they vault over the cornea and hold a fluid reservoir between the lens and the eye.
Can specialty contacts help keratoconus?
Yes. Specialty contact lenses are commonly used to help improve vision for patients with keratoconus. Lens options may include RGP lenses, scleral lenses, hybrid lenses, or custom soft lenses depending on the shape of the cornea and the patient’s comfort needs.
What is corneal topography?
Corneal topography is a diagnostic test that maps the shape and curvature of the cornea. It is often helpful for fitting specialty contact lenses and evaluating irregular corneas or keratoconus.
Are specialty contact lenses comfortable?
Many patients find specialty contact lenses comfortable once the correct design is selected and properly fitted. Comfort depends on the lens type, eye shape, tear film, ocular surface health, and adaptation period.
How long does a specialty contact lens fitting take?
Specialty contact lens fittings often require more time than standard contact lens exams. The process may involve measurements, trial lenses, custom ordering, and follow-up visits to fine-tune fit and vision.
Can I wear contacts if I have astigmatism?
Yes. Many patients with astigmatism can wear contact lenses. Depending on the amount and type of astigmatism, options may include toric soft lenses, RGP lenses, hybrid lenses, scleral lenses, or custom soft lenses.
What if I tried contacts before and gave up?
If you stopped wearing contacts because they were uncomfortable or blurry, you may still have options. Specialty contact lenses can sometimes help patients who did not succeed with standard lenses.
Does True Eye Center of Keller offer specialty contact lens fittings?
Yes. True Eye Center of Keller provides contact lens exams and specialty contact lens fittings for patients in Keller, North Fort Worth, Southlake, Colleyville, Alliance, and nearby communities.
Schedule Your Eye Care Appointment
If standard contacts have not given you the comfort or clarity you need, specialty contact lenses may offer a better path forward.
Schedule a specialty contact lens evaluation at True Eye Center of Keller to discuss your symptoms, eye shape, prescription, and lens options.
