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Contact Lenses
 Contact lenses, when used properly, are very convenient. With the latest advancements in technology, contacts are extremely comfortable. Most of the time, you’ll hardly know you’re wearing them, though you’ll certainly notice how clear and accurate your vision is. Contact lenses are small lenses worn on the the cornea to correct vision.
We recommend wearing contct lenses in conojunction with eye glasses. This allows you to best meet your overall lifestyle needs while protecting the integrity of your overall eye health.
Many patients choose contact lenses for their primary vision correction and glasses at the end of the day. We also have a lot of patients who wear glasses and have activities and events where they'd rather not wear their glasses and therefor choose contact lenses for these times.
Drs. Healey and Gavin will discuss the contact lenses option that is best for you.
Contact Lens Types
The types of contact lenses available have expanded in the past few years. There are contact lenses available for almost everyone. Many of our patients were told in the past that they couldn't wear contacts, or unsuccessfully tried contact lenses. Most vision needs can now be addressed with contact lenses. If you were previously not a candidate for contact lenses, your prescription and vision needs may now be addressed.
Daily Disposable Contact Lenses - contacts worn for one day and discarded; excellent for those with allergies and/or dryness; no cleaning; very convenient.
Bi-weekly and Monthly Disposable Contact Lenses - contacts worn daily, stored overnight in a cleaning solution and discarded as prescribed.
Toric Contact Lenses or Astigmatic Contact Lenses - contacts correcting astigmatism; newer prescription ranges allow successful fitting of patients with significant amounts of astigmatism.
Bifocal Contact Lenses - contacts with vision correction to see far away and up close; eliminates the need for reading glasses over standard contacts.
Color Contact Lenses - contacts change the color of the wearers eyes and provides the necessary prescription
Custom Designed Contact Lenses - contacts custom made (including Rigid Gas Permeable contact lenses) to exact measurements and specifications for one individual; sometimes required in cases of disease or injury.
CONTACT LENS INSERTION AND REMOVAL
INSERTION:
• Always wash your hands carefully before touching your eyes or handling your contact lenses.
• Position yourself in front of a mirror in a well lit area.
• Carefully remove the contact lens from the case by pouring it into your hand.
• Place the contact lens on the tip of the forefinger of your dominant hand (coordinated hand).
• Verify that the lens is not inside out. (The edges of the lens flare out when it is inside out)
• Place the middle finger of your dominant hand close to the lower lashes and hold the lower lid down.
• Place the non-dominant hand (uncoordinated hand) over the top of your head so that your view in the mirror is not obstructed.
• Then place the fingers of the non-dominant hand very close to the lashes on the upper lid and lift the upper lid up.
• Bring the lens close to the eye and place it on the eye either right in the center or slightly towards one side of the eye.
• Once the lens is on the eye, move your forefinger away from the eye, release your upper and lower lids, and close your eyes.
• The contact lens will usually center itself.
• If it does not, close your eyes and manipulate the lens through closed lids or keep your eyes open and manipulate the lens using finger pressure on the upper and lower eyelids.
REMOVAL:
• Always wash your hands carefully before touching your eyes or handling your contact lenses.
• Position yourself in front of a mirror in a well lit area.
• Place the middle finger of your dominant hand (coordinated hand) close to the lower lashes and hold the lower lid down.
• Place the non-dominant hand (uncoordinated hand) over the top of your head so that your view in the mirror is not obstructed.
• Then place the fingers of the non-dominant hand very close to the lashes on the upper lid and lift the upper lid up.
• With the forefinger and thumb of the dominant hand push inward on the lower portion of the eye.
• Bring those fingers together, wrinkling the lens. • Once wrinkled, the lens is easily removed.
Contact Lens Care Made Easy
Contact lenses are prescription medical devices. To make sure your eyes and vision are healthy while wearing contact lenses, please follow these guidelines and the instructions recommended by Drs. Healey and Gavin.
Warning: Ocular complications and/or long-term corneal damage are the consequences of contact lenses worn longer than recommended. Oftentimes, your lenses will still feel good even when you are over-wearing them. Do not wear your lenses overnight unless they are approved for extended wear and Dr. Healey or Gavin has discussed this with you. Overnight wear increases the risk of infection and other complications.
DO always remove your contact lenses at least one hour before going to bed to allow for proper oxygen nourishment to the cornea.
DO schedule and keep follow-up appointments with your eye doctor.
DO wear your contact lenses for at least 4 hours the day of your follow-up appointment unless you are experiencing discomfort.
DON’T wear your lenses longer than 12 hours a day until your first follow-up visit with your doctor, unless the doctor has specifically told you otherwise.
DON’T continue use of contact lenses if your eyes become red, irritated, painful, or if your vision gets worse while wearing lenses. Immediately take out the lenses and clean them. Let your eyes get back to normal and if the problem persists, contact our office.
DON’T exceed the wearing times suggested, even if your lenses still feel comfortable. Studies have proven that the eye needs time to adapt to contact lenses, and your wearing schedule is based on those studies.
Caring For Your Contacts
Deposits and infectious organisms such as bacteria, viruses, etc., can build up on the surface of all contact lenses. For this reason, it is very important to keep them clean and disinfected.
There are three steps in contact lens care:
1. Cleaning removes dirt, mucous, and other debris that gets on the lenses during wear.
2. Disinfecting kills bacteria (germs) on the lenses. Disinfecting is essential to prevent serious eye infections.
3. Rinsing removes the other solutions from the lenses and prepares the lenses for wear.
The best way to properly care for your lenses is to develop a care routine.
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