Why is Contact Lens Fitting so Important?
When fitting contact lenses for the first time, it is important to know the eyes’ features. Every cornea has different shape and size. If contact lenses are not fitted appropriately for your eyes, the lenses can cause damage and sometimes this damage is irreversible. There can be issues such as infections, corneal abrasion.
A returning contact lens user may need adjustment of the lens details due to changes in the eyes. It is recommended to have a check of the eyes’ condition every half year due to constant usage of contact lenses.
Which is the accurate place to fit the contact lens?
The cornea is the place to fit the contact lenses. Cornea is the transparent front part of your eye. It is crucial that the measurements of the contact lenses be accurate for a proper fit.
Measurements are also essential to be done by an optometrist or optician who specializes in contact lens fitting. At SB Optical, we will ensure that your contact lenses are the best fit for you. We then make the ordering process convenient – having only to call or email us in order to get your next batch of lenses. And every 6 months, we have your eyes and contact lens fit checked again.
How Will Your Eyes be Measured for Contact Lens Fitting?
Everyone’s eyes are different. Every eye can have different curvatures steeper and flatter.
Steps for contact lens fitting
Here are the steps taken to assure proper fit of contact lenses:
1) Your eyes will be measured using a device known as Keratometer. It measures the radius of the cornea and helps determine the curvature and shape of the eye
2) If the eye surface is irregular due to high astigmatism, a Toric lens will be a better choice. It can help a person to achieve better vision. This lens would require additional measurements to take. It will be a special order, and we can help you with that!
3) The iris (the colored part of the eye) can be measured as well using a ruler.
Next steps
5) A tear film test helps to evaluate if you have dry eye condition.
6) After finishing all the measurements, you will receive a trial pair of contact lenses.
7) After wearing the contact lenses for a while, we will examine your vision and the fitting of the lenses.
8)After three months, and after half a year you will have a follow-up appointment to assure proper fit and health of the eye following prolonged contact lens wear.
The Symptoms of Wearing Incorrect Contact Lenses
If you are wearing contact lenses that are not the proper fit for your eye, you may experience a wide variety of symptoms. First, wearing lenses will become uncomfortable as the day goes by. You will feel like the contact lens is a foreign object in your eye. You also may feel like something scratched your eye and it is now irritated. You may start to feel stinging or burning sensations as well.
Symptoms
Improperly fitted lenses can lead to decreased vision. For example, you can experience blurry vision or see halos around objects in your field of view. You can also experience increased tear formation or unusual secretions.
Your eye may become red, dry, and feel as if it is more sensitive to light. Sometimes, you may not experience any symptoms, but contact lenses can still cause damage in the long run, and we can detect that.
This is why it is so important to assure the proper fit of your lenses. At SB Optical, you will also receive training on how to wear lenses. Many of our new contact lens wearers find the training helpful. We will be there to assure you are comfortable and wearing the appropriate contact lenses. We also recommend giving your eyes a break, wearing lenses for half a day, and the other half wearing your glasses.