Toric Contact Lenses

Understanding Your Toric Lens Prescription

A toric contact lens prescription includes more information than a standard spherical prescription. Here's what each value means:

• Sphere (SPH): Corrects short-sightedness (minus values) or long-sightedness (plus values) — the same as a standard prescription.
• Cylinder (CYL): The amount of astigmatic correction needed. If this value is present on your prescription, you likely need toric lenses.
• Axis: A number between 0 and 180 that indicates the orientation of your astigmatism on the cornea. This tells the lens which direction to align.
• Base Curve (BC) and Diameter (DIA): These define the physical fit of the lens on your eye and are determined by your optometrist during a contact lens fitting.

If your prescription includes a CYL value, you have astigmatism that needs toric correction. If you're unsure how to read your prescription, your optometrist or our customer service team can help.

How Toric Lenses Work

Toric lenses solve a problem that standard spherical lenses can't — correcting two different focal points on the same eye.

• Dual Optical Powers: A single toric lens corrects both the cylindrical astigmatic error and any spherical short- or long-sightedness in the same lens.
• Axis-Specific Correction: Your toric prescription includes a cylinder power and an axis measurement, which tells the lens exactly where to sit and how to orient on your cornea.
• Stabilisation Systems: Toric lenses use engineering features — such as ballast weighting, thin zones, or geometric design — to keep the lens locked in the correct position, so the optical powers align with your astigmatism axis with every blink.
• Multiple Schedules: Available in all replacement schedules — daily disposables, fortnightly, and monthly lenses, giving you flexibility to match your lifestyle and budget.

Is a Toric Lens Right for You?

Not everyone with astigmatism automatically needs a toric lens — but for many patients, it makes a significant difference to the quality of their vision.

A toric lens is likely right for you if:

• Professional Diagnosis: Your optometrist has diagnosed you with astigmatism and issued a toric contact lens prescription


• Visual Symptoms: You've worn spherical lenses in the past and experienced persistent blurring, ghosting, or fluctuating vision


• Specific Parameters: Your prescription includes a CYL and axis value

You may need a different approach if:

• Mild Astigmatism: Your astigmatism is very mild — patients with a low cylinder value sometimes achieve clear, comfortable vision in a standard spherical lens; your optometrist is best placed to advise


• Presbyopia and Astigmatism: If you have both astigmatism and presbyopia (age-related difficulty focusing up close) — in this case, a toric multifocal lens such as Biofinity Toric Multifocal may be more appropriate; speak with your optometrist before ordering.

Any change to your contact lens brand or wearing schedule must always be assessed and approved by your optometrist first.

Browse Toric Lenses by Replacement Schedule

Not sure which replacement schedule suits you? Daily lenses offer maximum convenience with no cleaning required. Fortnightly and monthly lenses are a cost-effective choice for everyday wearers. Your optometrist can help you decide.

Daily toric lenses

• 1-Day ACUVUE OASYS for Astigmatism — an excellent choice for patients with busy, digitally demanding days; HydraLuxe™ Technology mimics your natural tear film for consistent moisture and stable vision all day
• 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST for Astigmatism — LACREON® Technology provides a long-lasting moisture cushion for 20+ hours; a trusted, comfortable daily toric for everyday wear
• DAILIES TOTAL1 for Astigmatism — the only water gradient daily toric lens available; nearly 100% water at the outer surface makes it particularly well suited to patients with dry or sensitive eyes
• Precision1 for Astigmatism — SMARTSURFACE® Technology maintains a moisture-rich lens surface throughout the day; a strong everyday option for patients new to daily toric wear
• CLARITI 1DAY TORIC — Wetloc® Technology locks in moisture while delivering high oxygen transmissibility; an excellent value daily silicone hydrogel toric from CooperVision
• MyDay Daily Toric — CooperVision's softest daily silicone hydrogel toric; covers over 95% of toric prescriptions, making it a versatile option for patients with higher levels of astigmatism
• BioTrue ONEday for Astigmatism — maintains 98% of its moisture for up to 16 hours; high definition optics reduce halos and glare for consistently clear vision throughout the day
• Soflens Daily Disposable for Astigmatism — high definition optics reduce blurriness, halos and glare; a reliable, no-fuss daily toric from Bausch + Lomb
• AQUACOMFORT PLUS Toric — a daily toric from Alcon offering comfortable all-day astigmatism correction in a convenient daily disposable format

Fortnightly toric lenses

• ACUVUE OASYS for Astigmatism — one of the most trusted toric lenses we recommend; HYDRACLEAR® Plus Technology delivers outstanding comfort while Eyelid Stabilised™ Design keeps vision clear and steady throughout an active day
• SofLens for Astigmatism — a fortnightly toric from Bausch + Lomb designed for clear vision and reliable all-day comfort (made to order — please allow additional lead time)
• cAir Toric — a fortnightly toric option from CooperVision

Monthly toric lenses

• Biofinity Toric — one of our most frequently recommended monthly torics; covers over 99.9% of toric prescriptions with exceptional vision stability and all-day comfort from CooperVision
• Biofinity XR Toric — specifically designed for patients with complex or high astigmatic prescriptions; ask your optometrist whether this is appropriate for your parameters
• PureVision 2 HD for Astigmatism — High Definition™ Optics reduce halos and glare for crisp, clear vision; the only silicone hydrogel toric designed to control spherical aberration across the full power range

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes toric lenses different from normal contact lenses?
Standard spherical lenses have a single optical power across the whole lens surface. Toric lenses have two optical powers — one for the cylindrical astigmatic error and one for short- or long-sightedness — built into specific meridians of the lens. They also include a stabilisation system to keep the correct powers aligned with your astigmatism axis at all times.

Can I wear daily toric lenses if I have astigmatism?
Yes. Daily toric lenses like 1-Day ACUVUE OASYS for Astigmatism, 1-DAY ACUVUE MOIST for Astigmatism, and DAILIES TOTAL1 for Astigmatism are excellent options for wearers who want the convenience of a single-use daily lens with reliable astigmatic correction.

Why are toric lenses more expensive than regular contact lenses?
Toric lenses are generally priced higher than spherical lenses due to the additional manufacturing complexity required to produce the precise cylindrical correction and stabilisation geometry. The exact cost depends on the brand and replacement schedule. Fortnightly and monthly toric lenses generally offer better value per day of wear compared to daily toric options.

Do I need a special prescription for toric contact lenses?
Yes. A toric lens prescription includes additional parameters compared to a standard spherical prescription — specifically the cylinder power and axis angle of your astigmatism. Your optometrist must formally fit and measure your toric prescription to ensure the lens sits and rotates correctly on your specific cornea.

What if I have astigmatism and need reading glasses too?
If you have both astigmatism and presbyopia (difficulty reading up close due to age), a toric multifocal lens may be an option. Speak with your optometrist about whether Biofinity Toric Multifocal is appropriate for your prescription before ordering.

Are there coloured contact lenses for astigmatism?
None of the brands we currently stock offer coloured toric lenses and they are not widely available. It's also worth noting that if you have astigmatism, wearing standard coloured spherical lenses is not appropriate — a spherical lens cannot correct your astigmatic error, which means your vision will remain blurred or distorted regardless of how comfortable the lens feels. Wearing the wrong lens type can also mask the need for proper correction and put unnecessary strain on your eyes. If coloured lenses are something you're interested in, speak with your optometrist first — they can advise whether any coloured toric options are suitable for your prescription.