Contact Lens Fitting

Imagine a world where you can enjoy crystal-clear vision without the inconvenience of glasses. Thanks to modern advancements in optometry, contact lenses offer the freedom and flexibility to experience life without any optical hindrance. However, finding the perfect fit for contact lenses requires a personalized and precise approach. In this blog post, we delve into the art of contact lens fitting, exploring its importance, the process involved, and the benefits it brings to your visual experience.

Understanding the Need for Contact Lens Fitting

Contact lenses are more than just vision correction tools; they are medical devices that interact directly with your eyes. A proper contact lens fitting is essential to ensure that your lenses fit comfortably, provide optimal vision correction, and maintain the health of your eyes. Each person’s eyes are unique, with variations in size, shape, and curvature. An expert contact lens fitting takes these individual differences into account, offering a customized solution that meets your visual needs.

If you have never used contact lenses before, you should see an eye doctor first for a thorough eye exam. You will receive the most up-to-date prescription, and your eyes will be checked for any conditions that could interfere with contact lens wear.

A contact lens prescription is not the same as your glasses prescription.

Contact lenses come in different shapes, materials, and strengths. A good fitting is important because it will ensure the most comfortable wear.

The Contact Lens Fitting Process

The contact lens fitting process is a thorough and individualized procedure performed by an eye care professional to ensure the proper selection and fitting of contact lenses. Here is a step-by-step overview of the contact lens fitting process:

1. Comprehensive Eye Examination: The process begins with a comprehensive eye examination conducted by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. The eye doctor will assess your overall eye health, check your visual acuity, and determine your eyeglass prescription if you already wear glasses.
2. Lifestyle and Vision Needs Assessment: During the examination, the eye care professional will discuss your lifestyle, activities, and specific vision needs. This information helps in choosing the most suitable type of contact lenses for your daily routine.
3. Eye Measurements: Accurate measurements of your eyes are crucial for a proper contact lens fit. The eye doctor will measure the curvature of your cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) and the size of your pupils to determine the appropriate lens size and shape.
4. Trial Lenses: You will be provided with trial contact lenses to wear for a specific period. These trial lenses are typically disposable and allow you to experience how the lenses feel on your eyes. During this trial period, the eye doctor may also assess how well the lenses correct your vision.
5. Lens Comfort and Vision Evaluation: Throughout the trial period, you will be asked to provide feedback on the comfort and vision quality of the trial lenses. This information helps the eye care professional make any necessary adjustments to the prescription or lens type.
6. Finalizing the Prescription: Based on your feedback and the results of the trial, the eye doctor will finalize the contact lens prescription. The prescription will include details such as the lens power, base curve, diameter, and brand.
7. Lens Care and Hygiene Education: Proper lens care and hygiene are crucial for maintaining healthy eyes while wearing contact lenses. The eye care professional will provide you with instructions on how to clean, disinfect, and store your lenses, as well as how to handle them safely.
8. Follow-Up Visits: After receiving your contact lenses, follow-up visits will be scheduled to ensure that the lenses fit well and provide clear vision without causing any discomfort or eye irritation. These follow-up visits are also an opportunity to address any concerns or questions you may have.
9. Regular Check-ups: Once you have successfully adapted to your contact lenses, regular check-ups with your eye care professional are essential. These routine visits help monitor your eye health, assess the contact lens fit, and update your prescription if needed.

Benefits of a Well-Fitted Contact Lens:

• Clear and Comfortable Vision: A properly fitted contact lens provides clear and stable vision throughout the day, reducing visual disturbances and eye strain.
• Enhanced Comfort: Comfort is crucial for contact lens wearers. An expert fitting ensures that your lenses sit comfortably on your eyes, minimizing irritation and dryness.
• Reduced Risk of Complications: A precise fit helps maintain good eye health and reduces the risk of complications such as corneal abrasions or infections.
• Active Lifestyle: Contact lenses offer freedom of movement, making them an excellent choice for sports, outdoor activities, and special occasions.

A well-fitted pair of contact lenses can transform the way you experience the world, offering unmatched visual clarity and comfort. Trusting the expertise of an optometrist for a thorough contact lens fitting is essential to ensure that your lenses meet your unique visual needs and maintain the health of your eyes. Embrace the art of precision with a contact lens fitting, and open the door to a life of boundless vision and convenience.

Contact Lenses Can Be Grouped By

1. Frequency:

• Daily disposables
• Bi-weekly disposables
• Monthly disposables

2. Lens types:

• Spherical (for nearsightedness or farsightedness)
• Torical (for astigmatism)
• Multifocal (If you need correction for presbyopia but dislike the idea of reading glasses or bifocal eyeglasses)
• Colored contact lenses

3. Material:

• Soft contact lenses (these are the disposable lenses)
• Rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lenses (hard contact lenses) (they are custom-made to fit perfectly)

When you book an appointment for a contact lens fitting, we will determine the best fitting lens based on your lifestyle and the shape and health of your eyes. In most cases, you’ll have the opportunity to try lenses on the same day as your exam, if you have a common prescription.

We will teach you proper contact lens care and also possible consequences if proper care is not taken. We continue with long-term follow-up to monitor the condition of your eyes and lenses and to ensure that proper hygiene is being maintained.