Contact lenses are a safe, effective way to improve your vision as an alternative to eyeglasses. If you already wear contact lenses, need a prescription change, or want to switch from glasses, a visit to your optometrist can determine the best type suited for you.
Regular eye exams are crucial to protect your ocular health and vision, and contact lens exams and fittings are no different. As the conditions of your eyes constantly change, a contact lens exam and fitting help your optometrist recommend the best contact lenses for your specific needs.
So, how often do you need to have a contact lens fitting? Let’s explore contact lenses and discuss the frequency of lens fitting in detail.
Contact lenses have different strengths, materials, sizes, and wear times. They can be tailored or customized for individual eyes and are more convenient than eyeglasses.
When you consider getting contact lenses, buying online is not an option since they are medical devices, and one size doesn’t fit all. Depending on your needs and preferences, the best approach to choosing contact lenses is to consult your optometrist and discuss the different lens types.
A contact lens exam and fitting are different from regular eye exams since they require additional tests to ensure correct fit and prescription based on eye shape. During this time, your optometrist checks to see that your eyes are healthy enough to wear contact lenses.
A contact lens exam will include your medical and eye health history, your lifestyle, your prescription, or if you have a refractive error. Keratometry or corneal topography is a test used to measure the cornea’s curvature by focusing light and measuring the reflection to determine the proper fit.
Other tests performed in a contact lens exam include pupil and iris measurements, so contacts fit the eye and look more natural. Dry eyes are more common in long-term contact wearers as they cover part of the eye, which reduces the amount of oxygen and moisture in the cornea.
If these concerns remain unchecked, dry eyes can cause damage to the surface of the eye. Symptoms of dry eyes are redness, inflammation, burning, and scratchiness in the eyes. For this reason, your optometrist will also perform a tear film evaluation.
A contact lens fitting includes getting a trial pair of contacts to try. If it is your first time wearing contacts, your optometrist will teach you how to insert, remove, and care for them. If your eyes don’t tolerate them after a trial period, they may change some parameters.
You may need specialty lenses based on your eye exam and existing eye conditions. These can include the following:
Even if there’s no change in prescription, it’s still important that you visit your optometrist to monitor any changes to your eyes and eye health. Knowing how often to have a contact lens fitted is part of wearing contact lenses and maintaining a healthy eye environment.
After receiving a new pair of contact lenses, your optometrist may recommend you return after 2 weeks for a follow-up evaluation and possibly after 6 months to ensure comfort and clear vision. There are many factors to consider when determining how often you need a lens fitting after that.
You should have at least one regular fitting each year. Although, this could be every 6 months, depending on which type of contact lens you use and how frequently your prescription needs adjusting. The daily wear and tear on the eye caused by wearing contacts can cause damage over time. It’s imperative to seek advice if you experience any of the following signs:
Contact lenses can offer sharper and clearer vision when properly fitted by an optometrist. They are also comfortable and may not be felt in the eye at all.
The frequency of contact lens fittings depends on the individual, their comfort level, and vision needs. If you are looking for the right fit of contact lenses, contact Perspectives Vision Clinic.
Contact lenses can be a great way to gain clear, comfortable vision without dealing with glasses. But when the fit of your lenses isn’t right, your vision can suffer.
If you want to start wearing contacts, or if your current contacts have become uncomfortable or offer less than crystal-clear vision, a contact lens exam and fitting at your eye doctor’s office is essential.
A comprehensive contact lens exam and fitting gives your eye doctor a chance to measure your eyes, check their health, and help you find a comfortable fit, type, and brand of contact lens that suits your life. Here’s what you can expect from these appointments.
A contact lens prescription is different from your eyeglasses prescription, in part because your contacts sit directly on your eyes. Your exam will include a discussion of your plans for contacts, including how often you’ll wear them, an assessment of your vision and eye health, and precise measurements to fit your contacts.
In your eye exam, your optometrist can answer any questions you have about wearing contacts, including what kind of lenses might be right for you, like daily disposables or monthlies.
Dailies are easy because you throw them out after wear and don’t need to worry about cleaning and storing them, though they can be more prone to tearing and generally cost a bit more. They might make sense for you if you only plan to wear your contacts once in a while, like for special occasions, or if you don’t want to deal with cleaning lenses every day. Monthlies can be more affordable and durable for regular wear, and can be more affordable.
You can also talk to your eye doctor about soft contact lenses versus rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses. Soft contacts are the most commonly prescribed contacts and are quite comfortable right away for most wearers.
Some people prefer the clarity of vision and dry eye relief they get from RGP lenses. RGPs can also be a better option for people with a high astigmatism prescription. The downside of RGPs is that the more rigid lens material can take longer to get used to wearing.
Hybrid lenses combine the clarity of RGPs with the comfort of soft contacts, though they’re a more expensive option.
Your optometrist will assess the health of your eyes to make sure contacts are a safe and comfortable vision correction option for you.
Some people with dry eyes will need to treat their symptoms first before they can wear contacts, because contacts can make dry eyes worse, or even cause damage to the cornea. Some people with dry eyes may be able to wear specialty contacts, like scleral lenses, successfully.
Some severe allergies might also make contact lens wear uncomfortable and inadvisable. However, your eye doctor may be able to recommend a change in allergy medication or lens type (for example from monthlies to daily disposables) that can help.
Your optometrist will test your vision and take detailed measurements of the surface of your eye. They will use a keratometer to determine the curvature of your cornea and to measure the degree of astigmatism if present. (People with astigmatism can get great vision from contact lenses, but it generally takes a little longer to find the right fit.)
Your doctor might also use corneal topography to take a detailed 3D map of the surface of your eye. And they may measure your iris and pupil, either with a ruler or an automated device.
If you’re a good candidate for wearing contacts, your eye doctor might be able to proceed with a lens fitting right away. But if you require specialty lenses they will need to order the lenses into the clinic ahead of a separate fitting appointment.
In your contact lens fitting, you’ll learn how to insert and remove your contacts if contacts are new for you. It can be a bit strange to touch the surface of your eye at first, so give yourself time to adjust to the new sensation.
Your doctor can assess your eyes and vision after a few minutes of wear. They will check the clarity of your vision, ask you about comfort, and view the surface of your eye with a slit lamp microscope.
Depending on the results of this initial assessment, you’ll be asked to wear your contacts for at least a few hours, or take them home and wear them frequently over the next several days or weeks so your eye doctor can assess the fit, your comfort, and your visual acuity after some wear time.
If you’re not satisfied with your contacts for any reason—from the quality of your vision to how they feel on your eye—you can work with your doctor to find a better fit. And once you find that right fit, your doctor will let you know when you should schedule your next eye exam. People who wear contact lenses should typically see their optometrist at least once a year.
When you wear contact lenses, you’re coming in close contact with the surface of your eye regularly, putting you at an increased risk of eye infections and scratches to the cornea.
In your fitting appointment, your doctor will give you directions on taking care of your eyes and your contacts. Some good basic hygiene guidelines can help you reduce those risks and keep your eyes healthier, including:
If you’re excited to wear contact lenses, make the first step by booking a contact lens exam and fitting with Eyes Now. Our experienced optometrists can help you find the right lens for your life.