IndyCar Driver Gets Career Back on Track with Onefit Scleral Lenses
IndyCar driver Gabby Chaves, #88 of Harding Racing, visited Brad Altman, OD, FSLS of Aprima: Consultants in Eye Health, to be fit with new Onefit™ MED scleral lenses. Chaves, who has Keratoconus, has been wearing Onefit™ lenses since February 2017 and attributes the lenses with the best vision and eye comfort he has experienced in many years. Chaves has had immense success with Onefit lenses thus far, having achieved better than 20/20 vision in both eyes, resulting in an unrestricted IndyCar license and his best ever finish at the 2017 Indianapolis 500. When the advanced Onefit scleral lens design Onefit MED was released – specifically for highly irregular, medically indicated corneas like Chaves’ – he was referred to Dr. Altman to be re-fit in Onefit MED.
“The larger optical zone of the Onefit MED lens lends itself to greater peripheral views and even better lens stability – which will only benefit Chaves further in his racing career” said Dr. Brad Altman. “Onefit and Onefit MED scleral lenses are an excellent, game-changing option for all athletes who need vision correction that will enhance and not hinder their performance.”
Onefit MED scleral lenses are a highly intuitive new design from Blanchard Contact Lenses. It was developed to allow the practitioner to create a perfect fit for highly irregular, medically indicated corneas, including a wide range of ectasias – moderate to severe – as well as healthy corneas. Practitioners are able to fully customize the lens and fit by setting parameters for four fitting zones: central, mid-peripheral, limbal and edges.
“Crystal clear and sharp vision, exceptional comfort and stability, long-term corneal health, and protection from environmental hazards make Onefit MED lenses an ideal choice for athletes and active individuals such as Gabby Chaves” said Jean Blanchard, President of Blanchard Contact Lenses. “We look forward to the opportunity to bring Onefit lenses to other athletes, to help maximize their vision and performance” added Blanchard.
After being named Rookie of the Year in 2015, Chaves had problems with his vision deteriorating and was issued a restricted IndyCar license for the 2016 IndyCar season. He tried to make do with heavy prescription glasses and soft contact lenses – both of which were very uncomfortable for him when driving. Even with the glasses and soft contacts, he was still very close to failing the yearly IndyCar eye exam for the 2017 season, and the IndyCar eye doctor expressed serious concerns. So, in February 2017, Chaves found an eye care practitioner who performed a Corneal Cross-Linking procedure and prescribed him Onefit Scleral Lenses. Chaves went on to take 9th place in the Indianapolis 500 three months later – his best finish to date in the Indy 500.
“When driving at 240mph, the last thing you can afford to worry about is eye comfort or fluctuating vision” said Gabby Chaves. “I am very grateful to Onefit Scleral Lenses for helping to get my career back on track.”