Contact Lens Exam

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If you’ve never worn contact lenses before, it can seem a bit intimidating. After all, you’re inserting something into your eye! Let’s ease your mind about the first step – your contact lens exam. This post will walk you through what’s involved in a contact lens exam and what you can expect every step of the way.
 

It begins with a comprehensive eye exam

Your eye doctor will first determine your overall eye health and vision. This includes a discussion of your health history and then a series of standard eye tests. These tests will evaluate eye focusing, eye teaming, depth perception, color vision, peripheral vision, and the response of your pupils to light. The doctor will also measure your eye fluid pressure to check for glaucoma, evaluate your retina and optic nerve, and test your vision with different lenses to assess whether contact lenses can improve your vision.
 

You may also need a tear film evaluation

If you have dry eyes, your eye doctor will perform a tear film evaluation to measure the amount of tear film on the surface of your eye. If your tear film is insufficient or you have chronic dry eyes, contact lenses may not be a good option for you. However, some newer contact lenses deliver moisture to the surface of the eye, making them a better choice for individuals with dry eye issues.
 

Then, a discussion about your contact lens preferences

If contact lenses are appropriate for you, it’s time to talk about your contact lens preferences. For example, do you want to enhance or change your eye color? Would you prefer daily disposable lenses or overnight contacts? Ask about the benefits or drawbacks of each, so that you can make the best decision. If you’re over 40, your doctor will likely discuss age-related vision changes and how contact lenses can address these issues.

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It's time for the contact lens training and fitting

After it has been confirmed that you are a good candidate for contact lenses, the next step is scheduling you back to the office for a contact lens training!  During the training, you will sit with one of our technicians where they will discuss best contact lens hygiene practices, as well as teach you how to properly insert and remove the contact lenses.  Once this process has become comfortable,  your eye doctor will examine the lenses on your eyes to ensure a good fit. He/she will check the alignment and movement of the lenses on the surface of your eye, and if the fit looks good, the last step is to ensure the prescription is correct.
 

Now it’s your turn to test it out

Your contact lens exam is over, but you’ll need to come back. Your doctor will usually have you wear the trial lenses for a week. After that, you’ll have a short follow-up exam to confirm that the lenses are working well for you, as well as to answer any remaining questions you may have about contact lenses.  At this point, you can then order a supply of contact lenses. If this is your first contact lens exam, don’t worry. Choose a qualified optometrist, and they’ll answer all your questions as you go. Just be sure to let them know you’re interested in contact lenses so that they know to allow for extra time in your appointment for the consultation and any specialized tests.