What Happens At Your Eye Exam
During a comprehensive eye exam for contact lenses, your eye care professional can tell you if contacts are right for you. When scheduling your appointment, be sure to mention the following points so you book the correct appointment:
- Your vision history Describe any new issues youre experiencing and let them know if you currently wear glasses or contact lenses.
- You want contact lenses Let them know youre interested in contacts and be sure to specify that you want a contact lens fitting appointment.
- Your current contact lenses or eye glasses prescription, if you have them.
- Your vision insurance card information, if you have that.
At your appointment, your doctor will ask you questions about your hobbies, activities, and lifestyle to determine the best types of contacts for you.
Then, your doctor will take measurements to determine the diameter, curvature, and health of your eyes.
Next, youll discuss the types of contact lenses that may be right for you. Once youve been fitted, theyll check your vision once more.
Finally, youll learn how to care for lenses. Youll be taught how to put in, take out, and properly care for your contacts. You most likely will have to put them in and remove them before you leave.
Iris And Pupil Measurements
During your appointment, we may choose to use the ruler approach of a specialized machine to measure the diameter of your pupil and iris. In addition to fitting your eyes perfectly, your contact lenses should also blend in flawlessly. Pupil and iris measurements will help ensure that your contact lenses look natural.
Fitting Your Contact Lens Type
Contact lenses are available for vision correction and fashion, in soft materials or hard. Finding your best fit starts with a contact lens exam. We can learn about your eye care needs and recommend options based on your preferences and eye health. Ask our optometrists about our contact lens services for fittings and contact lens care.
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How Often Do You Need A Contact Lens Exam
Just like your regular eye exams, contact lens exams should occur yearly. Annual contact lens exams enable your provider to update or renew your prescription, check for any contact-related health issues, and allow you to ask your optometrist for any further recommendations.
To save time, you can always request that your contact lens exam be conducted at the same appointment as your comprehensive eye exam.
Medical Contact Lens Exam
Patients who have high refractive error , or keratoconus, or other corneal diseases or degenerations will benefit from a medical contact lens examination. Because the cornea is an important refractive surface, any corneal irregularities can cause blurred images, ghosting, and uncomfortable glare. After careful evaluation of the cornea, a specialty lens can be fitted to improve visual clarity better than what can typically be seen with glasses alone. Rigid lenses can be made very specifically to fit the curvature of the eye. Scleral lenses are specialty lenses that vault the irregular cornea entirely, offering a smooth refracting surface.
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You’ll Take Your Contacts Out During The Contact Lens Exam
After your optometrist has seen how you function in your contact lenses, your doctor will then ask you to remove your lenses. You’ll want to make sure that you have your case with you and your spare eyeglasses. In some cases, your optometrist may want to dilate your eyes which will make it difficult to put your lenses back in until the dilation liquid has dissipated.
With your contact lenses out, your exam will become more like a regular eyeglasses exam. Although, your optometrist will know to look for signs of contact lens over-wear. They will also check the health of your eye in relation to your contact lenses like if the lenses are causing your eyes to be unusually dry. They’ll also be able to see any signs of redness or pending infection that can come from improper contact lens care or usage.
After your optometrist proceeds with regular eye examination tests, including tests of your vision, periphery vision and eye health, they will discuss with you any specific, contact lens-related issues you may be having. If you are experiencing contact lens problems, your optometrist may recommend trialing another brand of contacts, drops for dry eye, or another type of contact lens depending on the health of your eyes and your lifestyle.
Browse Before Your Visit
We carry a wide variety of stylish eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses and brand name contact lenses. Take a look at our selection of eyewear brands and styles before your appointment!
Convenience & Comfort With Contacts
Contact lenses can be a convenient alternative to eyeglasses. When your contacts fit well, you may not notice youre wearing them. But when contacts fit poorly, the lenses might move around frequently, irritate your eyes, or offer limited vision correction.
Contact lens exams help us determine the best fit for your eyes. We can assess what type works for your eye health and lifestyle, and find customized solutions for hard-to-fit eyes. Our eye care team is dedicated to your visual comfort. Well work with you to find the right fit.
Book an appointment at Valley Optometric Group for a contact lens exam.
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Do Wear Contacts To Contact Lens Exam Follow
You obviously wont be able to wear contacts if your appointment is to get fitted for your first pairbut you should wear them to any required follow-up exams afterward. Thats because those follow-up exams are designed specifically to assess the comfort and effectiveness of your lenses, so your eye doctor needs to see them in action.
Arriving at a contact lens follow-up exam with your lenses in will also let your eye doctor see whether or not youve been wearing them properly. If you havent been, your eye doctor will be able to tell you what you can do to make the best possible use of your lenses.
What To Expect At A Contact Lens Exam
Are you thinking about getting contact lenses? If so, you need to know the difference between a regular eye exam and a contact lens exam. Whether you need a new contact lens prescription or would like to try contact lenses for the first time, you need to have a contact lens exam or be fit back into contacts .
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Why Do You Need To Have A Contact Lens Exam And A Comprehensive Eye Exam
This is a question many people who are considering getting contact lenses ask their eye doctors. There are several reasons you should include both of these exams as part of your eye care routine. Some of the reasons include:
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Whether you use corrective eyewear or not, you still need to undergo routine comprehensive eye exams.
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Comprehensive eye exams involve a visual acuity assessment to determine whether you have a refractive error.
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Prescriptions for contact lenses are different from those of eyeglasses.
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A contact lens exam will help your eye doctor determine the right lenses for you.
To learn more about regular eye exams and contact lens exams, visit Ocean Park Optometry at our office in Santa Monica, California. You can call 452-1039 today to schedule an appointment.
All Eye
- Tue to Fri9:30 AM – 12:00 PM & 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Sat9:00 AM – 12:00 PM & 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
A Comprehensive Eye Exam
To understand how a contact lens exam differs from a comprehensive eye exam, we need to understand what each entails. To begin with, a comprehensive eye exam checks the entire ocular system. Some people think eye exams are only necessary if some form of vision correction is needed, but thatâs incorrect. While eye exams detect vision problems, they also catch diseases and disorders. Early detection is key in treating conditions like glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration.
Itâs important to get regular eye checkups. During a comprehensive eye exam, your eye doctor can even find problems in other places other than your eyes. Diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure can affect the whole body in serious ways.
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Eye Exam Vs Comprehensive Eye Exam
There are 2 main types of eye exams. A comprehensive eye exam assesses eye health and vision, while a sight test is more limited in scope. Its similar to a routine physical with your family doctor versus a doctors appointment to discuss a specific health issue.
In both types of eye exams, your optometrist will assess your eyes. However, eye exams evaluate the visual system to help prevent and treat eye diseases and conditions.
Childrens eye exams can assess the development of visual abilities and provide recommendations when necessary. Early detection can stop vision problems from interfering with visual development, school performance, and issues with life-long vision.
Adult eye exams shift from visual development to achieving comfortable, healthy vision. Optometrists use eye exams to learn about a patients eye health and vision, including:
- Analysis of a patients vision needs at home, work, or leisure
- Assessment of prescription or refractive status
- Binocular vision assessment
- Diagnosis of eye health
- Discussion of family history
- Evaluation of colour vision
- Measurement of visual acuity in each eye
- Neurological assessment of the visual system
- Peripheral vision testing
- Screening for glaucoma
Additional testing and examinations may be included, depending on previous eye exams or the patients vision needs. For example, a diabetic eye exam considers issues related to diabetes and how they affect eye health, such as diabetic retinopathy.
Contact Lens Exam Vs Standard Eye Exam:
A standard eye exam checks the overall health of your eyes, how they are working together, and if any eye problems are present. A contact lens exam is specifically catered to ensure contacts are fitting both eyes properly and that the health of the eyes is not harmed by the contact lenses. The doctor will also evaluate the surface of your eye surface to determine what type of contacts are best for you. Because an eyeglass prescription is very different from a contact prescription, the doctor may need to perform a combination exam to ensure both your contacts and your eyeglasses are up to date and healthy.
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Eye Exams For Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are a great alternative to wearing eyeglasses. An often unknown fact is that not all patients wear contact lenses as their primary source of vision correction. Each patient is different, with some patients wearing contact lenses only on weekends, special occasions or just for sports. That is the beauty of contact lens wear, the flexibility it gives each individual patient and their lifestyle.
If you decide to opt for contact lens wear, it is very important that the lenses fit properly and comfortably and that you understand contact lens safety and hygiene. A contact lens exam will include both a comprehensive eye exam to check your overall eye health, your general vision prescription and then a contact lens consultation and measurement to determine the proper lens fit.
The Importance of a Comprehensive Eye Exam
Whether or not you have vision problems, it is important to have your eyes checked regularly to ensure they are healthy and that there are no signs of a developing eye condition. A comprehensive eye exam will check the general health of your eyes as well as the quality of your vision. During this exam the eye doctor will determine your prescription for eyeglasses, however this prescription alone is not sufficient for contact lenses. The doctor may also check for any eye health issues that could interfere with the comfort and success of contact lens wear.
The Contact Lens Consultation
Contact Lens Fitting
Corneal Curvature
Pupil or Iris Size
Follow-up
Dont Wear Contacts To Routine Eye Exams
For a routine eye exam to be effective, your eye doctor needs to be able to see how your eyes function by themselves. Having your lenses in during the exam can make it harder for them to determine the prescription you need.
If you are going for a routine eye exam, its best to remove your contact lenses at least 2 hours before your scheduled appointment. That way, your eyes will have plenty of time to adjust back to their normal state before the exam begins, and your eye doctor will be able to examine them accurately.
Finally, even though you shouldnt wear them, make sure you bring your contact lenses with you to the exam. This will help your doctor replace them more efficiently if necessary.
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Cost Of Contact Lens Exams
Contact lens exams are generally more expensive than regular exams for glasses. The reason for the higher cost is the additional tests that are required to evaluate the eye shape and size. Contact lenses are considered to be medical devices.
Whether you choose to wear contacts or eyeglasses, it is important to get regular eye exams. An annual eye examination will reveal whether you have new vision problems or not.
For more information on the different types of eye exams, visit Lakhani Vision Care at our office in Marietta, Georgia. You can call 770.509.9932 today to schedule an appointment.
Is A Contact Lens Fitting Necessary
Yes! Imagine getting a new pair of glasses but the frame is too wide so it continuously slips off the bridge of your nose. Or the arms are too short to reach behind your ear, skewing how the glasses fit on your face and hindering your vision. The same can happen with improperly fitted contact lenses. Poorly fit contact lenses can lead to a myriad of issues such as blurry vision, eye strain, headaches, red or dry eyes and infection.
A contact lens fitting is even more crucial if you have been diagnosed with any of the following:
- Nearsightedness . Distant objects are blurry. When your cornea curves too sharply or your eyeball is too elongated, light rays focus in front of your retina and this results in distance vision blur.
- Farsightedness . Nearby objects are blurry. When your cornea is too flat or your eyeball is underpowered, light focuses behind the retina instead of on it, resulting in blurry near vision,
- Astigmatism. When the cornea curves or flattens unevenly, it disrupts the focusing ability for near and distant vision, causing overall blurry vision.
All of the above are considered refractive errors which are classified as very common eye disorders that are a result of your eyes shape, power and genetic composition. In fact, astigmatism is one of the most common vision problems that impacts more than 150 million Americans.
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What Happens If You Wear The Wrong Size Contact Lenses
- Dislodged Contact. If the diameter is too wide or the base curve is too flat, the contact lens will fit loose on your eye and can slip out of place or dislodge when you blink or rub your eyes.
- Discomfort. If the diameter is too small or the base curve is too steep, this will result in a tight fit and will cause discomfort.
- Scratched Eye. The wrong size lenses can cause an abrasion on your cornea. This is why it is not recommended to swap coloured contact lenses with friends.
- Reduced vision. Improperly fit contact lenses can cause lipid or protein deposit accumulation over time even if you properly clean and care for your lenses. While protein build up in your eye doesnt sound so bad, excessive amounts can lead to discomfort, reduced vision and increased risk of infection.
Toric Contact Lens Exam
Based on the amount of astigmatism you have, you may need toric lenses to maximize the clarity of your vision through contacts. Toric contact lenses have special markings on them to show if the contact lens is aligning correctly on the eye. If the contact lens is not in alignment, blurry vision may occur and a different contact lens brand or prescription may be needed. This is one reason why glasses and contact lens prescriptions may not be the same. Another reason glasses and contact lens prescriptions may not be the same is that while glasses can be made to very specific degrees of astigmatism , soft contacts come in pre-fabricated amounts of astigmatism and offer an axis every 10 degrees .
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If You Notice Any Of These Symptoms Heres What You Need To Do
If the problem persists after youve cleaned the lens, immediately remove it and consult your Burnaby optometrist.
2. Seek Professional Help. Remove your lenses, put on your glasses and immediately seek help from your optometrist to avoid risk of infection and any permanent damage to your vision and eyes.
What Is A Comprehensive Eye Exam
During a comprehensive eye exam, your visual acuity will be tested using an eye chart. Several other tests will be performed to determine your eye health and whether prescription eyewear is required to correct your vision.
A comprehensive or eyeglasses exam commonly involves three basic steps. First, your doctor will ask you about your medical history and any vision problems youve been experiencing. Next, your doctor will assess the sharpness of your vision.
Tests performed in a comprehensive eye exam may include:
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Visual field test to check for the presence of blind spots in your peripheral vision
Finally, your doctor may administer drops to numb and/or dilate your eyes to measure your eye pressure and to examine the inside of your eye.
If you require vision correction, the doctor will then provide a prescription so you can order corrective lenses.
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