3 Near-Future Tasks You Didn't Know Contacts Could Do
For those 30 million or so people in America whose eyesight is less than perfect, contact lenses can be a godsend -- allowing one to see without your glasses getting in the way. However, did you know that your contact lenses could soon be doing double (or triple, or quadruple) duty -- not just improving your eyesight exponentially but affecting everything from your future vision to your medication? If you're wondering what new technology can do for your contacts (along with your overall health and well-being), then here's what you need to know.
Preventing Eyesight Degradation
It has been a fact since eyeglasses were invented that no matter how long you wear vision-correcting paraphernalia, your vision will inevitably get worse as time goes on. But new contact technology might make that fact a fable. Scientists have identified that, while there is no current way to stop the progression of myopia (what is generally called nearsightedness) eventually settling in, contact lenses made specifically for this purpose could slow the onset of myopia. While it is possible for today's contact lenses to do the same thing, lenses made expressly for this purpose will be even better at it.
Assisting in Medication Delivery
It's really hard to take medication for one's eyes -- from drops that cure pinkeye to oral medication that has to fight through different barriers within the body to get where it needs to be, the whole process can be annoying and tedious. However, this annoyance may soon be a thing of the past, with doctors and optometrists taking a second look at the possibility of using contacts to deliver medicine straight to the eye's surface. This approach would allow doctors to directly treat diseases straight on the ocular surface, which could lead to better treatment and faster recovery times.
Fixing Vision Oddities
In case you're wondering if, with all of this technological discovery, contact lenses will still serve their original function to improve the way you see the world, never fear: they're just going to get better at it. Scientists are discovering ways for contact lenses to not only better take care of people whose eyesight has gradually worsened because of age, but also for those who are more sensitive to light. These photosensitive individuals can get contact lenses with a slight red tint, which helps prevent the harsh glare and brightness associated with light, improving not only their vision, but their overall lived experience.
For more information and options, talk with an optometrist, such as those at Glacier Eye Clinic.