Contact lenses are not one size fits all since lenses vary by shape, size, and material. A thorough contact lens examination is necessary to avoid the side effects of an improper fitting lens such as irritation, redness, and blurry vision.
Prior to Examination
First, the doctor will assess your overall eye health and vision. An updated glasses prescription is necessary in order to determine the appropriate contact lens prescription.
The doctor will then discuss different contact lens options and guide you in deciding which lens is optimal based on several factors including your prescription, lifestyle, and any eye conditions such as dry eye or allergies.
A basic sphere lens will be appropriate for some patients, however toric lenses will be necessary for those with a larger amount of astigmatism. For those over the age of 40 and having trouble seeing up close, monovision or multifocal lenses are a great option to be less reliant on reading glasses.
Most lenses come in a daily, biweekly, or monthly option. Prescription availability, lifestyle, price, and ocular surface conditions will all be factors in determining which of these options are the most appropriate.
After choosing the preferred lens, the doctor will then give you trial contact lenses.
The Contact Lens Examinations Procedure
If you are new to contact lens wear, a lesson will be given to ensure you can safely insert and remove the lenses.
You will then have the vision and fit of the lenses assessed by the doctor. The contact lens prescription may be changed depending on the visual acuity achieved with the trial lenses. For monovision and multifocal lenses, the goal is functional vision for real life tasks. Based on the fit of the lens on the eye, the brand or size may need to be changed.
After the Exam
If you are new to contacts or switching to a new brand, you will be given trial lenses to wear at home for 1 week to ensure the lenses are optimal. After the trial period, you will have a brief follow-up exam to confirm the lenses are working well for you. Once the contact lens prescription is finalized, a supply of contact lenses can be ordered.
