What Happens During a Contact Lens Exam?

What Happens During a Contact Lens Exam?

If you’re new to contact lenses or considering switching from glasses, you might be wondering what to expect from a contact lens exam. While it’s similar in some ways to a regular eye exam, a contact lens exam involves several additional steps to ensure your eyes stay comfortable and healthy while wearing contacts. At McCabe Vision Center, we’re committed to making your contact lens experience safe, convenient, and tailored to your vision needs. Here’s what happens during a contact lens exam.

Initial Consultation and Vision Assessment

The exam begins with a discussion about your lifestyle, vision needs, and any previous experience with contact lenses. This is the time to share if you play sports, work long hours in front of screens, or have any specific vision requirements. Next, we’ll assess your current vision and prescription to get a baseline measurement. This involves tests similar to a standard eye exam, including reading from an eye chart and checking for clarity and range of vision.

Eye Health Evaluation

Contact lenses rest directly on the eye, so it’s crucial to ensure your eyes are healthy and capable of comfortably wearing lenses. We will examine the front surface of your eyes, including the cornea, conjunctiva, and eyelids, to check for any dryness, inflammation, or irregularities. The exam may include additional tests to assess the moisture levels in your eyes and rule out conditions that might make contact lens wear difficult, such as dry eye syndrome or corneal irregularities.

Measuring Your Eye Shape and Size

Contacts are not one-size-fits-all. Each individual’s eyes are unique in shape and size, which is why precise measurements are necessary for a comfortable and secure fit. We’ll take a series of measurements, including:

•          Corneal Curvature: Using a keratometer, we’ll measure the curvature of your cornea (the clear, outer layer of the eye). This helps in selecting the proper lens curvature to fit the front of your eye.

•          Pupil and Iris Size: Accurate measurement of your iris and pupil size ensures your contact lenses fit correctly and align with your eyes for optimal vision.

•          Tear Film Assessment: A healthy tear film is essential for comfortable contact lens wear. We’ll assess your tear film to determine if you might benefit from lenses designed to help retain moisture.

Lens Recommendations and Finding the Right Fit

Once your measurements are complete, we’ll provide trial lenses for you to wear in-office. These trial lenses allow us to assess the initial fit and give you a feel for what to expect. After placing the trial lenses on your eyes, we’ll check to make sure they fit properly, don’t cause irritation, and provide clear vision.

Instruction on Lens Care and Handling

For new wearers, we offer a tutorial on inserting, removing, and caring for your contact lenses. This step is essential to help you feel comfortable with your lenses and confident in your ability to handle them safely. We’ll also go over proper hygiene practices and demonstrate how to clean and store your lenses to ensure they stay in optimal condition.

Follow-Up and Fine-Tuning Your Prescription

A follow-up appointment is often recommended after wearing your trial lenses for a few days. This helps us assess how well your eyes have adjusted and determine if any changes to the lens type or prescription are needed. We want to ensure that you’re fully satisfied with your lenses, so we encourage you to share any feedback about comfort or clarity.

Schedule Your Contact Lens Exam at McCabe Vision Center Today

A contact lens exam is an essential step toward achieving clear, comfortable vision without the hassle of glasses. At McCabe Vision Center, we’re dedicated to providing you with a thorough and personalized experience, ensuring that your lenses not only fit well but also support your long-term eye health. Whether you’re new to contacts or simply updating your prescription, our team is here to guide you through every step and address any questions or concerns.

Schedule your contact lens exam with McCabe Vision Center and take the next step toward clear vision. Visit our office in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, or call (615) 904-9024 to book an appointment today.