Contact lenses are a substitute for people that don’t want to wear eyeglasses. They come benefits like colored contacts and circle contacts, daily, weakly or monthly disposable, and many other perks. You can buy contact lenses online or from the doctor, there is something that is common and important for both, a prescription from an eye care professional. If you choose contact lenses for your eyes it is important that they fit you properly and comfortably to avoid any troubles and discomforts.
It is vital to keep in mind that the exam and prescription for contact lenses are different from eyeglasses. It initially includes a thorough examination of the eye and determining its general health before moving forward to the next step i.e. measurements.
Why is it important to have a prescription:
Just like any other medical problems you need a doctor’s prescription for contact lenses, in fact, it is more important. A poorly fit contact lens can cause serious eyesight problems from corneal abrasions to ulcers and other vision-threatening problems that might lead to loss of vision. The doctors will check the general condition of your eyes and check for some underlying conditions that might trouble you later on. Your doctor will ask you different questions to evaluate which kind of colored eye contacts and what brand is suitable for your eyes. If your eye is suitable for contact lenses the doctor will check the refraction error and determine which contact lenses, monthly, daily, weekly disposable, are best for you before moving to the measurements phase.
Measurements for a contact lens:
Like shoes, one size does not fit all, this is especially true for contact lenses. Contact lenses require some detailed measurements starting with the measurement of the curvature of the eye. A special type of instrument called a keratometer is used to measure the curvature of the cornea. Corneal curvature measurement is important for the proper fit for your contact lenses. People suffering from astigmatism have irregularly shaped curvature of the cornea making this measurement very vital for them.
The next step is to measure the size of the pupil of your eye. It can be measured simply with a ruler with different sizes of the pupil on it or for more accurate measurement with a biomicroscope.
Evaluation of the tear film:
Dry eyes are the most common problems associated with contact lens wearers. Our eyes have a natural mechanism to produce tears to keep our eyes moist. It is important to check the quantity and quality of tears eyes your produce so that they don’t cause irritation and itching later on. For this purpose the doctor with add a dye to your eyes and them viewing it with a slit lamp. Another method is to place a slit under your lower eyelid and leat it there for several minutes and then evaluate them. If you have dry eyes your doctor will recommend a special kind of contact lenses or a specific brand.
Trail and instructions:
Once the contact lenses are decided the doctor will instruct you how to insert and remove contact lenses. He will instruct you to wash your hands properly and other instructions about personal hygiene and how to clean and take care of your contact lenses.