What To Expect At A Contact Lens Fitting

If you have been wearing glasses for a long time and have finally decided that you want to be fitted for contact lenses, you may be wondering what to expect. Being fitted for contact lenses is slightly different than being fitted for eyeglasses.

Your eye doctor will need to fit your contact lenses comfortably. If they're not sitting comfortably in your eyes, they can cause discomfort, make your vision blurry, and in severe cases may also cause damage to your eyes. You can see, then, why it is extremely important that these lenses are fitted correctly. Here's what you can expect when you are being fitted for contact lenses at your local eye care center.

Cornea Examination

Your cornea curvature measurements are some of the most important measurements your eye doctor will have to take to fit your contact lenses. This measurement is done so that your doctor can determine how much curvature should be in your contact lenses.

Iris Size

The colored portion of your eyes is called your iris. To fit your contact lenses, your doctor will need to measure this section of your eye. This measurement is extremely important, and it will be done with a device known as a biomicroscope. However, some eye doctors prefer to do it manually using a ruler.

Dry Eyes

Dry eyes are a common problem. If you have dry eyes and then decide to wear contact lenses, your symptoms can get worse. Your contact lenses will need to be kept moisturized. If they are not, then they will become extremely uncomfortable and your eyes will become very itchy and even drier.

One of the things that your doctor will do is ensure that you have enough tear film to keep your lenses comfortable and moist. If you don't have enough tear film, then contact lenses may not be a good option for you.

Trial Lenses

Before your eye doctor decides that you may be a good candidate for contact lenses, they may want to do a trial with contact lenses to see how well your eyes adapt. These trial lenses will be inserted for about twenty minutes. Once the trial is over, your doctor will examine your eyes again. They will want to see if there are any tears in your eye and to monitor the movement of the lenses. If all is well, your eye doctor will prescribe contact lenses for you.