Contact Lens
Exam
At Buckeye Optometry in Marion, we offer comprehensive contact lens exams to help determine if contact lenses are a safe and effective option for you. During a contact lens exam, our experienced and highly skilled professionals will evaluate your eye health, assess your visual acuity, and measure your cornea shape and curvature. We will also ask questions about your lifestyle and hobbies to help us find the best contact lens type for your needs.
Contact lenses offer many advantages over eyeglasses! Contact lenses don’t fog up or smudge like eyeglasses, and they provide a more natural appearance as well as allow for better peripheral vision. Additionally, they are a more convenient option for athletes or anyone engaged in physical activities where eyeglasses can be cumbersome or get in the way.
If you’re thinking about switching to contact lenses, the first step is to schedule a contact lens exam to ensure you get the right type of lens for a comfortable fit and clear vision.
Contact lens exam
Contact lens exams are crucial for maintaining healthy eyes and ensuring clear and comfortable vision while wearing contact lenses. Our eye doctor will either perform your contact lens exam during a comprehensive eye exam or as a separate exam.
Our contact lens exams include:
- Eye health evaluation: Our eye doctor will check for any eye health issues that could cause discomfort while wearing contact lenses, such as dry eye syndrome, allergies, or infections.
- Cornea measurements: We will evaluate the size and shape of your eyes to help us determine the proper size and curve for your contact lens. We use a diagnostic instrument called autokeratometry to measure the curvature of the cornea (the front surface of your eye). This allows us to create a customized lens that fits comfortably and provides clear vision.
- Vision assessment: Our optometrist will perform a comprehensive eye exam to determine your prescription and evaluate your visual acuity.
- Contact lens fitting: We will fit you with contact lenses that are comfortable and provide clear vision. We offer a wide variety of contact lenses, including daily and extended wear soft lenses, toric lenses for astigmatism, monovision, orthokeratology (ortho-k), and rigid gas permeable lenses. After your fitting, you will also receive a contact lens prescription that designates the contact lens type, power, base curve (a shape matching the curvature of your eye), and diameter.
- Education on contact lens care: We will provide guidance and education on proper contact lens care as well as how to insert and remove contacts.
- Follow-up visits: At Buckeye Optometry, we provide 90 days of contact lens follow-up care to ensure the contact lenses fit comfortably and are not affecting your eye health.
Why do I need an exam for contact lenses?
Contact lenses are medical devices that sit directly on the eye and can potentially cause serious eye health issues if not fitted properly or used correctly. For this reason, you need a contact lens exam if you want to wear contact lenses. The goal of a contact lens exam is to determine the proper fit, type, and prescription of contact lenses for your eyes.
During a contact lens exam, our eye doctor will evaluate your eye health and vision to identify a contact lens that will not only provide clear vision but also fit comfortably and securely on your eyes.
A contact lens exam will also include education and training on how to properly insert, remove, and care for the contact lenses. Additionally, your eye doctor will offer advice on how to prevent and manage any potential complications that can result from contact lens wear.
Schedule a contact lens exam in Marion
The specialists at Buckeye Optometry have expertise in successfully fitting patients with the best contact lens for their visual needs, eye health, and lifestyle. Whether you wear contact lenses already or would like to, we are here to help you enjoy all the benefits contacts have to offer! Contact us today to schedule an appointment for your contact lens exam at our office in Marion.
Can I sleep in my contacts?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say no. That’s because sleeping in your contact lenses makes you six to eight times more likely to get an eye infection.
Serious eye infections can lead to corneal damage, surgery, and loss of vision or blindness.
It’s important to note that these infections can occur whether you’re wearing contact lenses to correct your vision or purely decorative lenses.
Can I use my eyeglass prescription to buy over-the-counter contact lenses?
You can’t use your current glasses prescription for contact lenses. While both can correct your vision, your prescription for glasses differs from a contact lens prescription in many ways. Also, each contact has a different shape, and examination is needed to determine what lens is safety for your eyes.
Is it safe for me to clean my contact lenses with a homemade solution?
You should never try a DIY contact lens solution, as this may cause eye infections and inflammations. Always use specific contact solutions made for your lenses, and never try to wet your lenses by putting them in your mouth to clean them.