Contact Lens Exams & Fittings
If you or your child decides you want to wear contact lenses, the lenses have to fit properly and comfortably — and you have to know how to wear them safely. Here is what a contact lens exam at our South Florida offices involves.
An Exam for Contact Lenses
If you or your child decides they want to wear contact lenses, it is very important that the lenses fit properly and comfortably — and that you understand contact lens safety and hygiene. A contact lens exam includes both a comprehensive eye exam, to check your overall eye health and your general vision prescription, and a contact lens consultation and measurement to determine the proper lens fit.
In other words, it is two appointments' worth of work in one visit: the exam that tells us what your eyes need, and the fitting that tells us which lens can deliver it.
A Comprehensive Eye Exam
First we check your overall eye health — the front and back of the eye and the structures a contact lens sits on and against every day. Ocular health is part of every exam we do.
Your General Vision Prescription
A careful refraction determines your prescription — nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism — so we know what the lenses have to correct.
A Contact Lens Consultation & Fitting
Then the part a glasses exam does not include: a consultation about whether contact lenses suit your eyes and your day, plus the measurements that determine the fit. Safety and hygiene are covered here too, because wearing lenses well matters as much as choosing them.
A Binocularly Balanced Contact Lens Evaluation
Our doctors are developmental optometrists, so a contact lens evaluation here is binocularly balanced — the prescription is balanced between the two eyes so they work comfortably together, rather than each eye simply being checked on its own. The aim is a comfortable fit and comfortable vision once the lenses are in.
It is worth being clear about what contact lenses do and do not do. Like glasses, they correct refractive error — how light focuses in the eye. They do not change how well the two eyes team, track and focus together. If the complaint is eye strain, words moving on the page, losing your place while reading, double vision or headaches after near work, that is a different question, and it is answered by a developmental and binocular vision evaluation. Not sure which one you need? Start with the symptom checklist or browse the problems we treat.
Contact Lens Fitting
One size does not fit all. Contact lenses that do not fit properly could cause discomfort, blurry vision or even damage the eye — so your eye doctor takes measurements first.
Your eye doctor will need to take some measurements to properly fit your contact lenses. Here are some of the measurements and steps involved in a contact lens fitting:
Corneal Curvature
In order to assure that the fitting curve of the lens properly fits the curve of your eye, your doctor will measure the curvature of the cornea, or front surface of the eye. If you have astigmatism, the curvature of your cornea is not perfectly round — so a “toric” lens, designed specifically for an eye with astigmatism, would be fit to provide the best vision and lens fit.
Pupil or Iris Size
Your eye doctor may measure the size of your pupil or your iris (the colored area of your eye) with an instrument called a biomicroscope or slit lamp, or manually with a ruler or card.
Tear Film Evaluation
One of the most common problems affecting contact lens wear is dry eyes. If the lenses are not kept adequately hydrated and moist, they become uncomfortable and your eyes feel dry, irritated and itchy. Particularly if you have dry eye syndrome, your doctor will want to make sure you have a sufficient tear film to keep the lenses moist and comfortable — otherwise contact lenses may not be a suitable vision option.
Contact Lens Trial & Prescription
After deciding which pair of lenses could work best with your eyes, the eye doctor may have you try on a pair to confirm the fit and comfort before finalizing and ordering your lenses. The doctor or assistant would insert the lenses to examine the fit, movement and tearing in your eye. If the lenses appear to be a good fit, your eye doctor will order them for you — and will also provide care and hygiene instructions, including how to insert and remove your lenses, how long to wear them and how to store them if relevant.
Follow-Up
Your eye doctor may request that you schedule a follow-up appointment to check that your contact lenses are fitting properly and that your eyes are adjusting properly. If you are experiencing discomfort or dryness in your eyes, you should visit your eye doctor as soon as possible. Your eye doctor may decide to try a different lens, a different contact lens disinfecting solution, or an adjustment in your wearing schedule.
Contact Lens Exam FAQ
What is the difference between an eye exam and a contact lens exam?
A contact lens exam includes everything a comprehensive eye exam includes — an eye health check and your general vision prescription — and then adds a contact lens consultation and the measurements needed to determine the proper lens fit. Glasses sit in front of the eye; a contact lens sits on it, so the fit has to be measured.
Why do contact lenses have to be fitted?
One size does not fit all. Contact lenses that do not fit properly could cause discomfort, blurry vision or even damage to the eye, so your doctor measures the curvature of your cornea, the size of your pupil or iris and the quality of your tear film before choosing a lens.
Can I wear contact lenses if I have astigmatism?
Often, yes. With astigmatism the curvature of the cornea is not perfectly round, so a “toric” lens — designed specifically for an eye with astigmatism — would be fit to provide the best vision and lens fit. The measurements taken at your fitting determine whether that is the right option for you.
What if my eyes are dry?
Dry eyes are one of the most common problems affecting contact lens wear. Your doctor will evaluate your tear film to make sure it is sufficient to keep the lenses moist and comfortable. If it is not — particularly with dry eye syndrome — contact lenses may not be a suitable vision option, and we will talk through the alternatives.
Will someone show me how to use and care for my lenses?
Yes. Understanding contact lens safety and hygiene is part of the visit. Along with your lenses you will get care and hygiene instructions — how to insert and remove them, how long to wear them and how to store them if relevant. First-time wearers also have a separate insertion and removal training visit ($50), so you leave able to put lenses in and take them out on your own.
Do I need a contact lens fitting every year?
Yes. We call it a corneal health assessment and lens fitting because it is more than a one-time measurement: contact lenses sit directly on the cornea, so every year we check that your corneas are staying healthy and renew your contact lens prescription, which is required to keep ordering lenses. It is $100–$175 depending on the type of lens and adds about 20 minutes to your exam.
Can children wear contact lenses?
The exam is written for you or your child. Whether contact lenses are a good option depends on what the exam finds — eye health, the prescription and the tear film — and on being comfortable with the daily care routine. Bring the question to the visit and we will answer it for your child specifically.
My lenses are uncomfortable. What should I do?
If you are experiencing discomfort or dryness in your eyes, visit your eye doctor as soon as possible — call (561) 462-1245. Your doctor may try a different lens, a different disinfecting solution or an adjustment to your wearing schedule.
Related Reading & Services
Why Do Some People Need Glasses?
How light focuses in the eye, what nearsighted and farsighted actually mean, and why a prescription changes over time.
Comprehensive vs. Developmental Eye Exam
What a routine comprehensive exam covers, what a developmental evaluation adds, and why both matter.
Choosing the Right Glasses for Your Child
The other half of the optical conversation — frames that fit, hold up and actually get worn.
Ready for a Contact Lens Exam?
Book at our Coconut Creek, Boynton Beach, Boca Raton or West Palm Beach office and we will handle the whole visit — eye health, prescription and fitting — in one appointment. Questions first? Call (561) 462-1245.