Perhaps you’ve worn glasses for years but want to switch to contact lenses. Maybe you need vision correction and prefer to start with contacts as opposed to glasses. Either way, you’ll feel more confident knowing what to expect during the exam and fitting process. As you’ll discover, it’s not as complicated as you might think.

 

Contact Lens Fitting

When shopping for clothes or shoes, you want things to fit for optimal comfort. The same applies when having contacts fitted. However, because this involves your eyes, it’s essential to wear contacts made specifically for your eyes. Although everyone’s eyes are similarly shaped, they’re all unique.
Properly fitting contacts will ensure both comfort and safety. As explained by leading optometrists, contacts are a type of medical device. So, they follow strict protocols to help patients see better while protecting the health of their eyes.

 

Eye Assessment

An optometrist will assess your vision and the health of your eyes to ensure you’re a good candidate for contact lenses. As part of the exam, they’ll factor in the severity of your vision problem, your lifestyle, and any identified disorders.

While not impossible, an eye doctor might have a more difficult time fitting you for contacts if you have any of the following conditions:
 

• Blepharitis

• Dry Eye

• Ocular Allergies

• Unique Prescription
  
   

Evaluating Your Prescription

If you currently wear glasses, their prescription and those for contact lenses will likely differ. Even if you have a unique prescription for both eyes or just one, a skilled optometrist will work with you to find the right fit.

 

Measuring Your Eyes

Measuring your eyes allows an optometrist to choose the best contact lenses. Along with comfort and safety, they need to make sure they’ll stay in place. At the same time, this helps confirm your prescription. Optometrists use various diagnostic tools for this, which include a slit lamp and corneal topographer.

In particular, they need to determine the size of the pupil and iris, the shape of the cornea, and the curvature of your eyes. With the exam and assessment complete, an eye doctor will then recommend the appropriate type of contact lenses. From there, they’ll place them in your eyes.

After a few minutes, they’ll ask you how the lenses feel, followed by re-examining your eyes with the contacts in. Next, the optometrist will provide you with step-by-step instructions regarding how to put the contacts in and take them out. In addition, they’ll instruct you on proper cleaning and care.

Typically, you’ll go home with a trial pair. After a week or two, you’ll return to the eye clinic for a follow-up visit. If you’re not having any issues, you can then order several pairs of contacts. Otherwise, the optometrist can make the necessary adjustments before you order lenses.

At Chinone Optometry, we take our patients’ vision seriously. To schedule an appointment, you can visit our Concord or Colma, California, office. For outstanding care, call 925-682-8885 or 650-992-1800, respectively.