Toric contact lenses are designed to correct the vision problems caused by astigmatism. The lenses can be either the soft or RGP type and regular wear or frequent replacement. With a proper fit, toric contact lenses can provide the same kind of clear vision that a normally sighted person has.

Astigmatism is a abnormal vision condition, like nearsightedness or farsightedness. It's caused by a distortion in the eye which can usually be corrected with toric contact lenses. A normal cornea(where the contact lens is placed) is rounded evenly in all directions like a ball. But an astigmatic cornea, or sometimes the lens, is rounded more sharply in one direction, like a ball that's squeezed on opposite sides.

While correcting for astigmatism, toric contact lenses can also correct for nearsightedness or farsightedness. Torics require custom fitting because every cornea shape is different. And this means that if lenses require two different types of correction, they must be fitted with extra care to make sure their performance is satisfactory.

Although toric contact lenses are available in a soft lens, many people prefer RGP lenses because they hold their shape better. In fact, if the astigmatism is slight, a regular non-toric("spherical") RGP lens may be used. The cornea will conform to the spherical shape of the RGP lens and correct the minor astigmatism.

For the most part adjusting to toric contact lenses is the same as for any other type of contacts, with one exception. If the astigmatism was previously uncorrected, the brain was providing some automatic shape correction. So when first wearing toric lenses, the brain will continue to adjust shapes slightly until it adapts to the correction of the new lenses.

For a reliable source of discount toric contact lenses there's the world's largest contact lens store, 1-800 CONTACTS. Because they handle more contacts than anyone else, they can get you the best prices. And since they stock over 20 million lenses, your prescription is filled fast and delivered quickly. You even get free shipping if you order through their website.