Your Complete Guide to Contact Lens Exams
A contact lens exam has two parts: a full eye health check and a lens fitting tailored to your eyes.
Contact Lenses and Your Lifestyle
Contact lenses are a great alternative to eyeglasses — and they work for a wide range of lifestyles. Not every patient wears contacts every day. Some people wear them only on weekends, for sports, or for special occasions. That flexibility is one of the biggest benefits of contact lens wear. If you decide to try contacts, it is important that your lenses fit properly and that you follow safe hygiene habits. A contact lens exam includes a full eye exam plus a separate fitting and measurement visit.
The Importance of a Comprehensive Eye Exam
Whether or not you have vision problems, regular eye exams keep your eyes healthy and catch early signs of developing conditions. A full eye health exam checks both the quality of your vision and the health of your eye structures. Your eye doctor will determine your glasses prescription during this exam. However, a glasses prescription alone is not enough for contact lenses — contacts need their own separate measurements. Your doctor will also check for any eye health issues that could affect your comfort and success with contact lens wear.
The Contact Lens Consultation
The contact lens industry keeps improving, offering more comfortable and convenient options than ever before. During the consultation, your eye doctor will ask about your lifestyle and health to find the right lens type for you. You will discuss options such as daily disposable versus monthly disposable lenses, and soft lenses versus rigid gas permeable (GP) lenses — a type of firm lens that can give sharper vision. If you have astigmatism (an irregular eye curve that causes blurry vision) or dry eye syndrome (a condition where your eyes do not make enough moisture), your doctor may recommend specific lens types or brands. This is also the time to ask about colored contact lenses. If you are over 40 and need help reading small print — a condition called presbyopia — your doctor may suggest multifocal lenses or a combination of multifocal and monovision lenses.
Contact Lens Fitting: Key Measurements
One size does not fit all with contact lenses. Your eye doctor takes several measurements to find lenses that fit safely and comfortably. Corneal curvature — the curve of the front surface of your eye — is measured with a tool called a keratometer. If you have astigmatism, your doctor may fit a toric lens, which is shaped to match an irregular cornea. For more detail, a corneal topography map may be taken. Your pupil and iris (the colored ring of your eye) size may also be measured, especially for gas permeable lenses. A tear film evaluation checks whether your eyes produce enough moisture to keep lenses comfortable. During this test, a drop of liquid dye is placed on your eye and viewed with a slit lamp, or a small strip of paper is placed under the eyelid to measure tear production. If your tear film is weak, your doctor may recommend lenses made to hold moisture better.
Contact Lens Trial and Prescription
After choosing the best lens candidate for your eyes, your doctor may have you try on a pair to confirm the fit before ordering. The lenses are inserted and worn for 15–20 minutes. Your doctor then checks the fit, movement, and how the lens interacts with your tear film. If the lenses are a good fit, your final prescription is written and the lenses are ordered. You will also receive clear care and hygiene instructions — including how to insert and remove your lenses, how long to wear them each day, and how to store them properly.
Follow-Up After Your Fitting
Your eye doctor may ask you to schedule a follow-up visit after about a week of wearing your trial lenses. This visit checks that the lenses are fitting well and that your eyes are adjusting. If you feel discomfort or dryness before that appointment, do not wait — contact the office right away. Your doctor may try a different lens type, a different contact lens cleaning solution, or adjust your wearing schedule to help you get the most from your lenses.
