Contact Lens Exams

Service Description

All contact lenses, even non-prescription cosmetic ones, are considered medical devices and require a prescription. After a comprehensive eye and vision examination, the doctor will perform tests specific to contact lens wear and review your visual needs and lifestyle. This will help the doctor determine if contact lenses are right for you and what your best contact lens options are. Since most people can wear more than one type of lens, it’s important to know what the choices are and the advantages and disadvantages to each. Contact lenses are available in rigid gas permeables or soft lenses, and may need to be changed daily, bi-weekly, monthly, and less commonly quarterly or annually. They can provide correction for most prescriptions including astigmatism and the normal age-related decline in near vision called presbyopia. All contact lenses reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the front surface of the eye to some degree. When the cornea's oxygen supply is significantly reduced, a condition called hypoxia, a number of problems such as red eyes, blurred vision, corneal swelling, and eye discomfort can occur. Hypoxia also can increase the risk of developing a number of eye infections. Today, with the introduction of newer materials like silicone hydrogels, which allow more oxygen to the eye, patients find it easier than ever to wear soft lenses comfortably. Clean and safe handling of contact lenses is the most critical aspect of successful long-term contact lens wear and a way to protect your vision. Contact lens-related eye infections and other injuries can lead to long-lasting damage but often are preventable. The doctor and staff will review individual instructions for wear and care and follow-up visits over a specified time. For more details on contact lenses, visit the American Optometric Association website at https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/caring-for-your-vision/contact-lenses.