Eye health resource
Contact Lenses for Astigmatism: Toric, GP & Scleral
People with astigmatism can often wear contact lenses. Learn how soft toric, corneal GP/RGP, and scleral lenses differ and why the best choice depends on your eyes.
Reviewed for accuracy by Justin Bazan, OD on .
Astigmatism does not mean you cannot wear contact lenses. Many people with astigmatism do very well in soft toric lenses, while others benefit from corneal GP/RGP or scleral designs depending on the prescription, corneal shape, ocular surface, visual needs, and comfort.
What Is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a refractive error caused by the way the cornea and/or the crystalline lens bends light. Instead of focusing light evenly, different meridians of the eye have different optical powers. That can blur or distort vision at distance and near.
Astigmatism can occur by itself or along with nearsightedness or farsightedness. The amount and orientation are described in an eyeglass prescription using cylinder and axis values.
Soft Toric Contact Lenses
Soft toric lenses are one of the most common contact lens options for astigmatism. Unlike a simple spherical contact lens, a toric lens has different powers in different meridians and includes a stabilization design so the correction stays oriented properly on the eye.
There is no single stabilization method used by every toric lens. Designs vary by manufacturer and lens, and a successful fit depends on how the particular lens centers, rotates, moves, and performs on your eye.
Some patients find an excellent soft toric option quickly; others need trial lenses or small prescription/design changes before vision and comfort are consistent.
Corneal GP/RGP Lenses
Corneal gas-permeable lenses are smaller rigid lenses made from oxygen-permeable materials. Because a GP/RGP lens maintains its shape over the cornea, it can provide very crisp optics for some patients with astigmatism or irregular corneal shape.
They feel different from soft contact lenses and may require an adaptation period. Whether they are preferable to a soft toric lens depends on the individual, not simply on the amount of astigmatism.
Scleral Lenses
Scleral lenses are larger gas-permeable lenses that vault over the cornea and rest on the sclera, the white part of the eye. A fluid reservoir sits between the lens and cornea.
They can be especially useful for irregular corneas, keratoconus, significant ocular-surface disease, or situations where conventional soft or corneal GP lenses do not provide the vision or comfort needed. Scleral fitting is more specialized and generally requires individualized measurements, trial lenses, and follow-up.
Which Contact Lens Is Best for Astigmatism?
There is no universal winner. The best lens is the one that provides safe wear, stable vision, a healthy fit, and acceptable comfort for your particular eyes and lifestyle.
A contact lens fitting evaluates more than the numbers on an eyeglass prescription. The doctor also considers corneal shape, tear film, how the lens centers and moves, how stable the vision is between blinks, and how your eyes respond to wear.
Astigmatism Contact Lens Fittings at Park Slope Eye
Park Slope Eye fits routine and more complex contact lenses, including toric, corneal GP/RGP, and scleral designs. If ordinary soft lenses have not worked well for you, that does not necessarily mean contact lenses are not an option.
Learn more about our contact lens exams and fittings.
Originally published . Substantially updated .