If you don’t like the idea of wearing glasses, you’re not alone. More than 30 million Americans have made contact lenses their choice for vision correction. At Clear Vision Optometry in Austin, Texas, the staff strives to provide patients with the contact lenses that best meet their individual needs. They offer complete eye and vision evaluations, as well as contact lens fitting exams, to patients in the greater Austin metropolitan area. To schedule an appointment for a vision evaluation and contact lens exam at Clear Vision Optometry, call the office or book online today.
Prior to prescribing contact lenses, Dr. Trinh performs a comprehensive eye exam and vision evaluation to assess your eye health and determine what level of vision correction you require. She evaluates refractive error, commonly known as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, by measuring how your eyes focus when there's a series of different lenses in front of them.
After establishing your prescription, Dr. Trinh performs a contact lens exam to evaluate your vision with contacts. She also measures your eye surface to determine the size and type of contacts that work best for you. Because contact lenses sit directly on the eye’s surface, it’s essential that they fit properly to prevent ocular damage.
Once you have the correct fit and prescription for your contact lenses, you need to choose the type that’s right for you. The two main types of contact lenses are:
Soft contacts — These are the most commonly prescribed lenses because they’re very comfortable. Multifocal soft contacts are available for patients with astigmatisms.
Hard contacts — Also known as rigid or gas-permeable lenses, hard contacts can be used to correct severe nearsightedness or astigmatism. Hard contacts give you sharper vision than soft contacts, and they’re less likely to harbor bacteria.
In addition to choosing between soft and hard lenses, you need to choose whether you want disposable, daily, or extended-wear contacts. Extended-wear contacts need to be changed weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on the type.
Contact lenses are a safe, effective, and convenient form of vision correction, but it’s important to remember that they’re also medical devices that require proper care. Wearing lenses that aren’t specifically made for your eyes, keeping your lenses in your eyes longer than recommended, and not washing your hands before changing your lenses can cause pain and irritation, bacterial infections, and even permanent vision loss. To keep your eyes healthy with contact lenses, always:
