Contact Lens Exam
If you wear contact lenses or would like to wear contact lenses, then you need a contact lens exam.
During a contact lens exam at Ensight Eyecare, our eye doctor will evaluate your eye health and vision and ask about your lifestyle and hobbies to ensure they recommends the right contact lens for your eyes, vision, and lifestyle.
Many new contact lenses accommodate astigmatism, presbyopia, and more. If you’ve tried wearing contact lenses in the past but stopped wearing them because they were uncomfortable, we may be able to help you.
What is a contact lens exam?
The contact lens exam is part of a comprehensive eye exam. During your contact lens exam in Andalusia, our eye doctor will evaluate the size and shape of your eyes and will also check for any eye health issues that may affect your comfort while wearing contact lenses.
We will measure your cornea to determine the curvature and size of your contact lens and will also measure the size of your pupils. Astigmatism may require you to wear a toric lens (a special type of lens that counteracts flaws on the surface of your eyes). We may also evaluate your tear film to determine if you have a condition known as dry eye.
Once these tests are complete, our optometrist will prescribe contact lenses based on your eye health and vision needs. We may provide you with trial contact lenses and ask you to wear them for a week or so. You will then come back in for a follow-up exam to ensure your lenses fit you well, provide you with clear vision, and feel comfortable. Our eye doctor will also provide you with a prescription that designates the contact lens type, power, base curve (a shape matching the curvature of your eye), and diameter.
Why do I need an exam for contact lenses?
Contact lenses are classified as medical devices, which means you need a contact lens prescription to wear them. If you wear contact lenses or plan to wear contact lenses, let us know when you schedule an appointment for your comprehensive eye exam, so we can perform the contact lens exam during your appointment.
Types of contact lenses
There are many different types of contact lenses to accommodate most people’s visual needs and eye health, including specialty lenses. Our eye doctors can prescribe all types of contact lenses. Even if you’ve been told in the past that you can’t wear regular soft contact lenses, or if you’ve tried them and it was unsuccessful, you may still be a candidate for specialty contact lenses.
- Soft contact lenses are the most common type of contact lens and the most prescribed. Traditional soft contact lenses are made of soft plastic polymers and water and allow oxygen to reach the eyes. There are different wear schedules for soft contact lenses based on your prescription. It’s important to follow the recommended wear schedule so that your eyes remain healthy, and you can continue to comfortably wear soft contact lenses. Your doctor may recommend daily contact lenses, which means you only wear a pair of lenses for one day and then discard them. Other options include weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly lenses.
- Tinted or cosmetic contact lenses are soft contact lenses that change the color of the iris (the colored part of the eye). These lenses can be used for cosmetic or decorative purposes, such as for Halloween.
- Toric contact lenses are made to correct astigmatism and are available in both soft and gas-permeable designs. These contact lenses have one power that is horizontal and one power that is vertical, and there’s a weight at the bottom so that they remain centered on the eyes.
- Bifocal contact lenses allow people to see clearly up close and in the distance. These lenses are like bifocal glasses in that they have two separate powers, and they’re available in soft and gas-permeable forms.
- Specialty contact lenses include scleral lenses and rigid gas permeable lenses.
There are many options available, and our eye doctors are experts in fitting contact lenses based on your vision and eye health needs.
Schedule Your Contact Lens Exam in Andalusia
Whether you wear contact lenses already or would like to, you need a contact lens exam. Schedule an appointment today and let us help you achieve the best possible vision with contacts.
