Are Your Contacts a Healthy Fit?
Just like clothing has to fit right to give you a good look, so do your contact lenses! However, when contact lenses don’t fit right, the stakes are higher than when clothes hang wrong. Poor fitting contacts can cause blurry vision, discomfort and eye damage. Our eye doctors, in Lee’s Summit and Lenexa, MO, are qualified and experienced to perform precise contact lens eye exams and fittings. Why take a chance with lenses that are not perfect for your eyes? We’re here to ensure that your vision is sharp and your eyes stay healthy with contacts.
What to expect during an eye exam for contact lenses
At CustomEyes, we are thorough with your eye care. Your vision prescription for contact lenses will not always be the same as your eyeglasses lens powers, and we will verify your accurate prescription.
In addition to checking visual acuity during your comprehensive eye exam, our Lenexa and Lee’s Summit eye doctors will inspect for any ocular conditions that could interfere with wearing lenses comfortably. Some eye conditions that are not bothered by eyeglasses, such as mild dry eyes, may be irritated by wearing contact lenses. Using high-powered magnification, we will check your eye health thoroughly.
Dry eyes and contact lenses
Nowadays, many contact lenses are suitable for people with dry eye syndrome. Advanced engineering and modern materials led to the development of lenses that keep eyes moist, even when your tear film is insufficient. During your eye exam for contact lenses in Lenexa and Lee’s Summit, we will evaluate the quantity and/or quality of your tear composition. If your results indicate dry eye syndrome, then our eye care specialists will prescribe the ideal brand and type of contacts to maintain moisture effectively and prevent irritation.
Measurements needed for a good fit
Your eye doctor must take detailed measurements to ensure that your contact lenses are the right shape and size. To measure the curvature of your cornea, we will use a keratometer. If you have astigmatism, your cornea will not be rounded perfectly, and you’ll need to wear a specialized toric contact lens. If we find that you have a very irregular corneal curvature, we may use corneal topography to generate a detailed, accurate map of the surface.
The size of your pupil or iris is also significant for fitting contact lenses. Our optometrist will administer a slit lamp exam (biomicroscope) or measure manually with a ruler or card. These numbers are very important if you will be wearing rigid gas permeable (GP) contacts.
What type of contact lens is best?
There is no singular, best contact lens for everyone. A lot depends upon your individual lifestyle or personal preferences. We encourage you to tell us about yourself, your daily schedule, your recreational hobbies and activities. Along with your eye health and medical condition, we’ll factor all of this information into our recommendation for contact lenses.
We may prescribe soft contacts or hard gas permeable lenses. If you wear soft lenses, you may do better with daily disposables, while others prefer monthly contacts. People with presbyopia can wear either multifocal contacts, use a monovision system, or wear single-vision lenses and reading glasses. The options are endless, and we’ll help match you with the ultimate contact lens for your vision and life!
Follow-up eye exams are essential
Once you leave our office with your new lenses, we encourage you not to be a stranger! It is important to return regularly for comprehensive eye exams in our offices in Lenexa and Lee’s Summit, MO. Our eye doctor will check the condition and fit of your lenses, as well as the health of your eyes. Sometimes we’ll spot the beginning signs of a problem, which indicate the need for a new type of contact lenses or a new type of disinfectant.
Complete eye exams and expert fittings for contact lenses go far towards giving you clear, comfortable, and healthy vision. Altogether, our eye care specialists will make sure your look is exceptional!