The American Optometric Association reports an estimated 45 million Americans wear contact lenses. Over the years, more and more people have made the switch from glasses to contact lenses. Technology has come a long way and evolved rapidly, providing contact-lens wearers with a broad spectrum of options. It’s safe to say there are contact lenses for just about everyone these days. Whether you have recently caught yourself squinting to read that street sign, or if you are simply interested in switching from glasses to contacts, making an appointment for a contact lens exam and fitting is the first step.

All of our First Eye Care locations offer contact lens exams and fittings, allowing you to find the right option for your needs. From soft contacts to hard lenses, dailies to monthly lenses, there are tons of different options for you to choose from. All of the eye doctors at First Eye Care are here to help you find the best solution for your needs. In today’s computer-centric world, it is more important than ever to take good care of your eyes and make sure you have the right contacts for your lifestyle. It is important to keep in mind that a routine eye exam is not the same thing as a contact lens exam. For individuals who wear contacts, an annual exam and fitting is necessary in order to make sure the contacts are fitting both eyes properly. Contact lens exams also give us the opportunity to ensure the lenses are not hindering your eye health.

First Eye Care’s contact lens exams and fittings include special tests that are not usually performed with comprehensive eye exams. If you are interested in contacts, or already wear them and need your prescription updated, contact one of the many First Eye Care locations and schedule a contact lens fitting today. Please keep in mind that a contact lens exam is not a replacement for a regular eye exam. We recommend making an appointment for both your annual comprehensive eye exam and a contact lens at the same time, as it is usually more convenient and economical to do so.

When you come into First Eye Care for a contact lens exam, the first part of the appointment will likely be devoted to talking about your options. There are so many different contact lens choices on the market today, so it will be important for your eye doctor to learn more about your lifestyle and preferences regarding contact lenses. Some contact lenses may be better for certain lifestyles, such as frequent travelers who may need to occasionally sleep in their contacts, those who work on a computer all day, and athletes with an active lifestyle. Once your doctor has a better idea about your lifestyle, you can expect your doctor to start by gathering several measurements, including:

This information will provide us with a clearer picture of your eye and what kind of contact lens may be best. In many cases, we will give you trial lenses and then use a biomicroscope to evaluate the fit. This will also give the doctor a chance to observe the alignment and movement of the lens as it sits on your eye’s surface. Wearing the trial lenses for a few minutes, at the very minimum, is important because the lens will need to stabilize in order for your doctor to see how it fits.