My BasketShould I Get Assessed For Wearing Contact Lenses?
Whether you're considering a transition from glasses to contact lenses, seeking to renew your contact lens prescription, or eager to try contacts for the first time, a common question raised by our clients is whether a regular contact lens consultation is necessary alongside their yearly comprehensive eye exam. Our resounding answer is an emphatic "yes!"
Even if you already have a prescription for glasses, your prescription for contact lenses can be fairly different. It takes into account not only your refractive error (the correction you need) but also several other factors such as the dryness of your eyes, your lifestyle's level of activity, and even the shape of your eyeball, whether it is circular or oval. Contact lenses are intricate and customised to fit your eyes precisely, necessitating a personalised consultation to ensure a perfect match.
Furthermore, a regular contact lens consultation is indispensable for understanding your specific prescription requirements, tracking any changes that may have occurred over time, and considering the impact of any underlying medical conditions you may have. Even if you underwent an assessment years ago, it is crucial to have a recent evaluation within the past 12 months. Our vision and eye health evolves over time, often without us knowing or being able to visually detect a difference.
At our clinics, we highly recommend that all our clients undergo regular contact lens consultations with our highly qualified optometrists and eye care professionals. These consultations ensure that your contact lenses are perfectly suited to your current needs.
What Happens At A Contact Lens Consultation?
When you undergo a contact lens consultation, you can expect a series of essential steps designed to ensure optimal vision and eye health.
Thorough Eye Assessment
As contact lenses are medical devices, an eye examination is a crucial part of your consultation. Our optometrists employ a gentle approach and utilise innovative medical technology, such as Digital Retinal Photography and Optical Coherence Tomography scans, to assess your eyesight accurately. These advanced tools not only evaluate your vision but also aid in the early detection of potential diseases and conditions. Your comprehensive eye exam may include:
• A detailed discussion about your lifestyle, personal and family health history, medication usage, occupational and environmental factors, and more.
• Visual acuity measurements using reading charts to precisely determine the clarity of your vision in each eye.
• Tests to assess eye health, including depth perception, colour vision, peripheral vision, and the response of your pupils to light.
• Lens assessments to measure the appropriate power required for correcting near-sightedness, far-sightedness, or astigmatism.
• Eye focusing, eye teaming, and eye movement activities to evaluate how well your eyes focus, move, and work together.
• Comprehensive eye health examinations utilising advanced technologies to detect underlying conditions.
Consideration Of Your Lifestyle Preferences
We understand that different individuals have diverse lifestyles and unique vision needs. Our optometrists specialise in fitting contact lenses for various scenarios, including minor vision disturbances and specific conditions such as eye disease, high refractive errors, dry eyes, misshapen corneas, and active outdoor lifestyles. We take into account your specific requirements and preferences when recommending contact lens options.
Precise Eye Measurements
During the consultation, your optometrist will gather important measurements, including the curvature of your cornea—the clear front surface of your eye where the contact lens will sit. Additionally, the size of your pupil and iris may be measured to ensure an accurate fit.
Tear Film Evaluation
For individuals with dry eyes, a tear film evaluation may be conducted to determine the most suitable lenses that promote optimal eye moisture and comfort.
Contact Lens Fitting
Once your contact lenses are selected, your optometrist will ensure a proper fit. This includes checking the centration of the lens on your eye, assessing the movement of the lenses with blinking, and evaluating your visual acuity at both near and far distances. If you require different prescriptions within one lens, our optometrists can guide you in choosing bifocal or multifocal contact lenses that allow seamless switching between close-up and distant vision.
Hygiene Education
Maintaining proper hygiene is crucial for the health and comfort of your eyes when wearing contact lenses. During your appointment, we will provide guidance on how to use and care for your lenses hygienically.
By following this comprehensive process, our highly skilled optometrists ensure that your contact lenses are precisely fitted, promoting comfort, visual acuity, and long-term eye health. You can trust us to deliver personalised care tailored to your unique needs and lifestyle.
Why Do Optometrists Recommend Regular Contact Lens Consultations?
Regular contact lens consultations are highly recommended by optometrists for several important reasons.
Undetected Underlying Issues
Even if you already require contact lenses for vision correction, there could be underlying medical issues that contribute to your visual disturbances. Certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma or retinopathy, can have subtle early signs that may go unnoticed without professional examination. Optometrists possess the knowledge and experience to detect these issues and intervene early, promoting long-term eye health and improving your quality of life. That's why it is advisable to schedule an in-person comprehensive eye examination with a registered optometrist, even if you have no concerning symptoms. In Australia, it is recommended to undergo these examinations every two years, or annually if you are over the age of 65.
Early Detection of Eye Diseases
Numerous eye diseases exhibit few or no early symptoms and can develop at any age. However, experienced optometrists, aided by digital tools, can closely monitor subtle changes in your eyes over time, promptly identifying any concerns as they arise. This allows for early initiation of treatment and management plans, which may involve prescribing carefully tailored contact lenses to optimise your vision.
Changes in Prescription
Your eyes undergo subtle changes over time, even if you have had previous contact lens prescriptions. Therefore, it is crucial to visit trusted optometrists annually to ensure the accuracy and currency of your prescriptions. Wearing contact lenses with an incorrect prescription, even if only slightly off, can lead to eye strain, headaches, dry eyes, and other discomforts.
Custom-Fitted Contact Lenses
Despite remarkable advancements in contact lens technology, a custom contact lens consultation is necessary to ensure that the lenses not only match your vision prescription but also fit comfortably on your eyes. During the consultation, a qualified optometrist can assess and address the following aspects:
• Comfort levels after wearing the contact lenses for a few hours and evaluating their performance over the course of a week or two. Adjustments, such as changing the lens material, can enhance comfort.
• Determining the desired frequency of contact lens replacement. Depending on your comfort, lifestyle, and budget, you may prefer lenses that are changed weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or annually. Individuals with dry eye disease, diabetes, or allergies may require more frequent replacements.
By regularly consulting with optometrists for contact lens evaluations, you can ensure the most suitable lenses for your individual needs, promoting comfort, vision clarity, and overall eye health.
Contact Lens Consultations With Stacey & Stacey
To obtain the ideal contact lenses tailored to your needs, a personalised contact lens consultation with your optometrist at Stacey & Stacey is the first step. During this consultation, your eye care professional will assess your vision, identify any existing problems or disturbances, and gain a thorough understanding of your lifestyle, work requirements, and other essential factors. This comprehensive evaluation allows us to provide you with an optimal contact lens prescription.
Our team takes pride in their meticulous approach, paying close attention to detail and involving you in every aspect of your eye care. We want you to have a clear understanding of the contact lenses you will be wearing and how they will best support your vision.
Once your prescription is determined, we continue to work closely with you to ensure your contact lenses are comfortable. We take into account various factors, such as selecting the most suitable lens material and replacement schedule that align with your lifestyle, preferences, and budget. We understand that everyone is unique, and we strive to find the perfect fit for you. Over time, we actively monitor changes in your eyes and make adjustments to your prescription as needed.
As a dedicated team committed to optimising your eyesight, we provide high-quality contact lenses sourced from leading manufacturers. We stay up-to-date with the latest technological advancements to ensure we offer the best eyewear products available. With us, you can be confident that you are in the hands of experts who are passionate about helping you make the most of your vision.
To book your contact lens consultation, contact one of our friendly clinics here.