Eye Exams for Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are a great alternative to wearing eyeglasses. Depending on your vision and lifestyle needs, contact lenses may be a great option for you! Whether you want to change the color of your eyes or avoid wearing glasses while you workout – we have a solution for you! Ask about a contact lens exam at your appointment.

If you decide to opt for contact lens wear, it is very important that the lenses fit properly and comfortably and that you understand contact lens safety and hygiene. A contact lens exam will include both a comprehensive eye exam to check your overall eye health, your general vision prescription and then a contact lens consultation and measurement to determine the proper lens fit.

During your contact lens exam, the doctor takes many things into consideration before prescribing the perfect lens for you. Things that need to be considered are:

• lifestyle and health

• replacement frequency preference (monthly, daily)

• soft vs rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses

• contact lens color preferences (clear vs cosmetic color lenses)

• single vision vs astigmatism (toric) vs presbyopic (multifocal) correction

In addition to your prescription, the doctor will need to take so specific measurements to ensure the contacts that are selected for you are the best option. These measurements include:

• Corneal Curvature: measuring the curve of the front surface of the eye is important in ensuring that your contacts are not too tight or loose and move around adequately.

• Pupil/Iris Size: this is an important measurement needed for specialty contact lenses.

• Tear Film Evaluation: having enough moisture on your eyes and in your contacts is a key factor when it comes to comfortable contact lens wear throughout the day.
  
  

Contact Lens Trial and Prescription

After deciding which pair of lenses could work best with your eyes, the doctor will have you try on a pair of lenses to confirm the fit and comfort before finalizing and ordering your lenses. If after the fitting, the lenses appear to be a good fit, your eye doctor will give you a prescription to order contacts. Your contact lens prescription will be different than your glasses prescription. 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.
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Follow-up

Your eye doctor may request that you schedule a follow-up appointment to check that your contact lenses are fitting properly and that your eyes are adjusting properly. If you are experiencing discomfort or dryness in your eyes you should visit your eye doctor as soon as possible. Your eye doctor may decide to try a different lens, a different contact lens disinfecting solution or to try an adjustment in your wearing schedule.