Contact Lens Exams from Your Optometrist

By the time you're presented with the prospect of corrective eyewear, you've already had a vision exam that revealed the nature of your refractive error and identified your corrective prescription, if you have that prescription for eyeglasses, why do you need an additional exam? The answer lies in the very nature of contact lenses. Since these devices will sit on your corneas, instead of merely being perched on your nose, they must fit both your eyes and your medical needs precisely to avoid potentially serious problems. Additionally, different types of contact lenses are designed for different habits and preferences, from single-use disposable lenses to extended-wear and permanent contacts. A contact lens exam enables your optometrist to pinpoint which contact lenses are best for you.

What to Expect During Your Contact Lens Exam

During your contact lens exams, your optometrist will perform detailed measurements of your corneas, pupils, and irises to ensure that the contacts you receive will fit perfectly. Corneal measurements are obtained through two methods: keratometry, which gives us a general picture of your corneal curvature, and corneal topography, which maps out every tiny irregularity in the corneal contours. Next, we will discuss how any medical or ocular issues may affect your choice of contacts. For example:

• Dry eye can be aggravated by certain contact lenses, requiring us to recommend moisture-retaining alternatives
• Severe refractive errors, or corneal abnormalities such as keratoconus, may not be correctable with ordinary soft contacts
• If you have astigmatism, you'll need contacts that won't rotate on the corners when you blink.

Last but not least, we will consider how you will use your contacts. Do you want to keep your lenses in for days at a time? Would you rather grab a fresh pair of lenses every day instead of cleaning and maintaining the same pair? This decision will help your optometrist choose contacts that suit your lifestyle.

Contact Lens Options from Your Eye Doctor

Once your contact lens exam is complete, we can recommend a variety of options to suit your specific requirements including hard-to-fit situations and conditions. You may do perfectly well with regular disposable or extended wear soft contacts. But we can also fit you with toric lenses for astigmatism, scleral lenses for keratoconus, moisture-retaining lenses for the dry eye, or multifocal lenses for presbyopia.

Get Started on Your Quest for Contacts

Now that you see where contact lens exams fit into the big picture of your quest for contacts, take that all-important step today by scheduling a contact lens exam at Dr. Howard Budner & Associates Optometrists. Our eye doctors are ready to help you find the ideal vision correction solution for your individual needs. Schedule today!