A contact lens is a thin piece of polymer designed to be applied to the front surface of your eye called the cornea. When a contact lens is fitted properly to the shape of your cornea with an accurate prescription, it can be a safe and effective means to correcting your astigmatism, myopia, hyperopia, and presbyopia in lieu of eyeglasses. Contact lenses can also be used as a therapeutic treatment for conditions such as keratoconus or corneal abrasions.
During your contact lens examination, we will measure the shape of your cornea and overall health of your eyes to make sure that you are a good candidate for contact lens wear. One aspect that we will evaluate for very carefully is dry eyes. Having dry eyes can often make wearing contact lenses uncomfortable, but now there are lenses designed to minimize those symptoms. Proper contact lens fitting is essential for helping you reach and maintain the clearest vision without jeopardizing comfort or health. Once the fitting is done, you will leave our office with a pair of custom trial lenses to test out in an everyday environment. You will revisit with our doctor in about a week to discuss and re-evaluate if those contact lenses are working for you. If not, we will try something different, with the end goal of being able to meet your satisfaction. We understand that every set of eyes is different, so we will strive to find contact lenses that will fit you. When you are happy with your fit, we can help you order your lenses, and often times with rebates to help you save money.
Although we love contact lenses, our doctors do recommend a good balance between your contact lens and eyeglasses wear to ensure the health of your eye is not compromised. Contact lens negligence or over-wear can increase the incidence of eye infections such as corneal ulcers, which can result in permanent loss of vision or inability to wear contacts in the future. Our doctors recommend that every contact lens patient have a pair of eyeglasses as a back up in case of allergies, eye infections, trauma, or any other mishaps that may hinder you from wearing your contact lens. We want to make sure that you are still functional in times when contacts cannot be worn.
Types of Contact Lenses we fit and prescribe
Daily Disposable Lenses
Daily lenses are probably the fasting growing modality in the market today. Daily disposables are not only the healthiest way to wear contact lenses, but also the most convenient and cleanest. Due to rising number in poor lens compliance, dry eyes, and eye allergies, daily disposables are becoming a popular choice in lens modality. Research has also shown an increased health benefit of daily lenses wear, citing an overall reduced likelihood of needing additional doctor’s office visits or medications due to contact lens related eye problems. Although the cost of daily disposable contact is initially higher when compared to an annual supply of biweekly or monthly lenses, this cost can be offset by not needing to purchase contact lens cases and cleaning solution. Ultimately, the total cost will be similar to biweekly or even monthly lenses. Be sure to ask us about great rebates on these daily lenses too!
Bi-weekly and Monthly Disposable Lenses
Bi-weekly and monthly planned replacement soft contact lenses are the most commonly used lenses due to its great comfort and wide range of powers, types, and fits. Many of the most advance lenses are found in this modality. The only draw back is the daily removal and cleaning of these lenses and cases. A compatible cleaning solution will be required to maintain good eye health, lens comfort and hygiene.
Colored or Tinted Lenses
Colored contact lenses fit similarly to other disposable lenses. These lenses are also fitted with your prescription so you can achieve your look while can still enjoying good vision. Colored lenses also come in “plano,” where there is no prescription for those who do not need prescription, but would like these lenses strictly for cosmetic reasons.
Toric lenses
Have you been told that you cannot wear soft contact lenses due to your astigmatism? Well now you don’t have to worry about that since technology in astigmatic correction has improved greatly. We are able to fit most patients with astigmatic prescriptions into comfortable soft lenses. They come in same wear modality as other soft contact lenses: daily, biweekly, and monthly disposables.
Multifocal Lenses
Father time is relentless and getting older, well it’s inevitable. At a certain age, usually around 45, your up-close vision will begin worsen and you’ll notice you need to hold things further away to be clear. Or you’ll be in a dimly lit restaurant and reading the menu has become increasingly difficult, you are probably experiencing a phenomenon called presbyopia. Don’t worry, it happens to everyone, and traditionally this is when you will need a bifocal or progressive style lense for your glasses. However, if wearing glasses is not the option you want, then you’ll be excited to know about a relatively new advancement in contact lens technology called multifocal contact lenses. You can wear these lenses and have good vision up close and far away, without the aid of glasses. If you’re interested in trying out these lenses, our doctors can discuss this option with you.
Rigid Gas Permeables (RGPs) and Scleral Lenses
Hard contact lenses (RGPs) and scleral lenses are custom made lenses that are used to correct difficult prescriptions that soft lenses may be unable to do. Each of these lenses are carefully custom crafted to fit your eye and your eye only, through careful measurements of the size and curvature of your cornea. If you’ve been told that you cannot wear contact lenses due to the unusual amount of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or irregularity of your cornea due to scarring or keratoconus, then these may be the only option for you. There may be an adjustment period for the initial feel but if fitted correctly the comfort should naturally come. Because some fits may take several attempts, please be patient with the process, as it may take several fittings to obtain the desired results.
