Eye Exam For Contact Lenses
If you’re interested in an alternative to your eye glasses, consider contacts. When it comes to eyecare, contacts are versatile, comfortable and affordable and can be worn in place of glasses or as a substitute whenever you want.
Contact Lenses and Your Optometrists in North Austin, Texas
People who wear contact lenses all have different preferences and habits as to why they prefer contacts over standard glasses. Some enjoy wearing contacts on the weekends or for special occasion,s while others wear them daily and appreciate the versatility they provide. Regardless of when you choose to use them, your contacts will provide flexibility for you and your lifestyle.
If you have contacts or are considering them, it is important that
- Your contact lenses fit properly and comfortably
- You understand contact lens safety
- You embrace contact lens hygiene
- You schedule a comprehensive eye exam
Why You Need a Comprehensive Eye Exam
Regardless of whether you have glasses, need glasses or have perfect vision, it is important to have your eyes checked regularly. Routine (every two years) comprehensive eye exams ensure that your eyes are not only healthy, but that there aren’t any signs of an eye condition developing. In addition, a comprehensive eye exam is the test you want to schedule if you’re considering contact lenses. It will asses the general health of your eyes and also the strength of your vision. If you need glasses or contacts, your doctor may do further testing to make sure that your eye health will not suffer from using contacts. If you prefer contacts over glasses, your eye doctor will also perform a contact lens consultation and measure your eyes to determine the best lens size for you.
Your Contact Lens Consultation
Fitting and Testing
Each person requires an individual prescription and kind of contact lens and the easiest way to find out which kind you need is via measurement. If appropriate measurements aren’t taken, you risk discomfort, blurry vision, damaging your eyes. The most common way for a doctor to fit you for contacts is by measuring the curvature of your cornea. However, your doctor may also measure your iris and pupil size to determine if you require specialized lenses like Gas Permeable Contacts. (link astigmatism article).
Dry eyes are one of the most common problems that affect people who wear contact lenses. If your lenses are not continually hydrated and moistened, they can become uncomfortable, leaving your eyes dry and irritated. This often happens when people fall asleep before removing their contacts. Before prescribing you contacts, your eye doctor will want to perform a tear film evaluation. This test helps ompthamologists understand if your eyes produce enough tears to keep your contacts healthy and hydrated. If your tear film is weak, don’t fret. Your eye doctor probably has a recommendation for a specific type of lens that is successful in maintaining moisture.
Contact Lens Trial and Prescription
After deciding which pair of lenses could work best with your eyes, the eye doctor may have you try o n a pair of lenses to confirm the fit and comfort before finalizing and ordering your lenses. The doctor or assistant would insert the lenses and keep them in for 15-20 minutes before the doctor exams the fit, movement and tearing in your eye. If after the fitting, the lenses appear to be a good fit, your eye doctor will order the lenses for you. Your eye doctor will also provide care and hygiene instructions including how to insert and remove your lenses, how long to wear them and how to store them if relevant
Follow Up
Follow up appointments are standard when your eye doctor prescribes contacts. This second appointment ensures that after an amount of time, your lenses are fitting properly and your eyes are adjusting to the change well. If you’re experiencing eye pain or dryness after getting your contacts, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible to remedy the issue.
Daily Contact Lenses FAQ
Q: What are the latest trends in contact lenses?
A: Many contact lens manufacturers are now producing “daily” disposable contact lenses. These are lenses that are inserted in the morning and thrown away at night. This style of contact lens wear is both convenient and healthy. With these lenses, patients buy fewer solutions and don’t have to keep up with how old their lenses are and when to change them. Daily disposables are also beneficial in causing less allergy and dryness while reducing the risks of infection. Daily lenses are now offered in all types of prescriptions from distance vision to astigmatism and multifocal/bifocal prescriptions.
Q: Is wearing contacts better for sports activity?
A: Yes, wearing contacts provide a wider field of view thus preventing avoidable injuries. Prescription sports goggles work well but when your actively sweating you goggles will fog up and start to move around a lot. I recommend contacts a lot for my active patients.