Contact lenses are a great alternative to eyeglasses. Contacts give you a natural appearance, and you don’t need to worry about having an eyeglass frame in your line of sight. You can even change the color of your eyes with contacts if you choose to do so. If you are thinking about getting contacts, you are going to need a contact lens exam. This is different than an eye exam, but it can be done on the same day if it is more convenient for you. There are a few things that you optometrist will do during your contact lens exam.
Contact Lens Prescription
Your contact lens prescription will be different than your eyeglass prescription. Since your eyeglasses sit about 12 millimeters away from your eyes and the contacts will fit directly on your eyes, the two prescriptions will not be the same. During your contact lens exam, your optometrist would determine your prescription.
Eye Measurements
Your eye doctor will need to measure the size of your eyes so that they can prescribe the correct size contacts. If the contact lens doesn’t fit correctly on your eye, it won’t fit correctly, and it can cause damage to your eye.
Discussing Your Contact Lens Options
There are several types of contacts on the market today. The type of lens that you choose would depend on your lifestyle and the health of your eyes.
- Daily lenses: These lenses are removed at the end of the day and thrown away. Each day, you would put a fresh pair in. These lenses keep you from needing to clean your lenses each night. They are also a great option if you have dry eye because they are water-based.
- Weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly lenses: If you choose these lenses, you will put a fresh pair in each week, every two weeks, or every month.
- Rigid gas permeable: These lenses are typically used for people with hard to fit eyes. They are less prone to infection, and they are protein resistant. They also help patients with keratoconus because they are strong enough to hold the shape of the eye.
Teaching
When your optometrist has found the right lens for your eyes, you will sit down with a tech to learn how to put the contacts in, how to take them out, and how to care for them. When you can properly handle your contacts, you would wear them home.
Follow-Up
After wearing your trial lens for a week or two, you would go back to the optometrist to make sure that the lenses are working correctly and that they are comfortable. If everything is fine, you will order your supply. If there is a problem, the necessary adjustments would be made.
Schedule an Appointment Today!
If you are thinking about getting contact lenses, you should contact the Redding Eyecare Center in CA. We perform contact lens fittings so that you will no longer need to rely on your glasses. You can call us at (530) 222-1233 to schedule an appointment today!