Contact lenses, when used properly, are very convenient, and with the latest advancements in technology, they are extremely comfortable. Most of the time, you will hardly know you are wearing them, though you will certainly notice how clear and accurate your vision is. Contact lenses are small lenses worn on the surface of the eye, or cornea, to correct vision. We recommend wearing contact lenses in conjunction with eye glasses. This allows you to best meet your overall lifestyle needs while protecting the integrity of your overall eye health.
We will discuss the option that is best for you. Many patients choose contact lenses for their primary vision correction and glasses as a backup option. Many patients who wear glasses have activities and events such as sports or social activities where they would rather not wear their glasses and they choose contact lenses for these times.
Northern Vision Care offers “Complete Lens Care”. We provide:
- In-depth ocular health examinations to determine suitability for contact lens wear
- Individualized contact lens fittings
- Personal , detailed instruction on insertion and removal
- Personal , detailed instruction on contact lens care
- Regular schedule of check-ups for all contact patients
- Care for “Contact lens emergencies”
The types of contact lenses available have expanded dramatically in the past few years. There are contact lenses available for almost everyone. Many or our patients were told in the past that they could not wear contacts, or they tried unsuccessfully to wear contact lenses. You owe it to yourself to see what is new. We carry many options, and promise to do our best in selecting contact lenses that you will love wearing. Choose from the following list for a brief look at some of the options available.
If you are a first-time wearer, click here for wearing instructions.
Contact Lens Types
The type of contact lenses available has literally exploded in the past five years. There are now contact lenses available for almost everyone. New contacts are being introduced every year, meaning many of our patients were unable to wear contacts in the past are finding great success with them now. You owe it to yourself to see what is new. We carry many options, and promise to do our best in selecting contact lenses that you will love wearing. The following is a brief list of some of the options available. During your contact lens appointment a significant portion of the exam is spent discussing your visual needs in order to determine which contact lens style and design will best suite you.
Conventional Soft Lenses
Soft lenses are very comfortable and come in a variety of types, depending on the wearer’s needs. Conventional soft lenses are worn during the day, and cleaned and stored at night. Usually once a week the lenses must be cleaned using an enzymatic cleaner, which removes protein deposits. These lenses can last for a year or more if your prescription stays the same and you take good care of them. Custom soft lenses can now be designed to fit even ‘difficult to fit’ patients.
Disposable Soft Lenses
Disposable soft lenses are much more popular than conventional soft lenses. These lenses are worn for a period of time and then, of course, thrown away. Disposable lenses may be either daily, two week, or monthly modalities. These are perfect for many patients who were told they could not wear contact lenses because of allergies or mild dry eye conditions. They have a low cost per lens and are also popular for athletes and hobbyists who do not necessarily want to wear contact lenses every day. Disposable lenses now also correct astigmatism and presbyopia (age-related focusing changes).
Soft Colored Contact Lenses
Tinted soft lenses, available in conventional and disposable modalities can change or enhance your eye color. Even if you do not need corrective lenses, you can use “plano” colored contacts to change your eye color. It is important to be fitted by an eye doctor for colored contact lenses even if you do not need a prescription; wearing the wrong style can damage your cornea.
Multifocal Soft Lenses
Recent technology has greatly improved multifocal soft lenses. Many patients past their 40s who need bifocals or progressive lenses, can now enjoy the comfort and benefits of soft contact lenses.
Toric Soft Lenses
Toric lenses are used to correct astigmatism. Astigmatism is a vision condition where an irregularly shaped cornea affects the vision. In the past, the only options for those with astigmatism were either glasses or hard gas permeable contact lenses. Toric lenses, which are lenses with a special shape, now offer an alternative. There are many types of toric lenses to choose from in both disposable and conventional wear soft lenses.
Extended Wear Soft Lenses
Extended wear lenses, the result of new technology in lens materials, transmit more oxygen to the cornea of the eye. Some of these lens materials can be worn up to 30 days, day and night, removing just once a week for cleaning. Extended wear lenses provide an option for patients who must get up during the night, have demanding jobs in which they need the freedom from their glasses, or want to minimize the need for daily care.
Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses
As the name implies, these lenses are hard and gas permeable. If you’ve been told you cannot wear soft lenses, RGP lenses are often a great alternative. RGP lenses are available in specialized designs to correct just about any vision disorder.
Solutions
There are a variety of solutions available from many different manufacturers. The important thing to remember is that not every solution is right for every type of contact lens. Some contact lenses require the use of multi-purpose solutions, while others require separate solutions for the four steps in contact lens care: disinfecting, cleaning, rinsing, and weekly enzyming.
Use only the lens solutions that are recommended by the eye doctor. If you wish to change brands, check with our office first.
Contact Lens Care Made Easy
Warning: Ocular complications and/or long-term corneal damage are the consequences of contact lenses that are 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 your doctor has discussed this with you. Overnight wear increases the risk of infection and other complications.
Wearing Schedule
It will take at least a few days to several weeks for your eyes to get used to wearing contact lenses. The best way to insure maximum visual comfort and keep your eyes healthy is to patiently and faithfully adhere to this wearing schedule.
Visit our Video Library for a review of contact lens insertion, removal and care of your lenses.
Do:
- Schedule and keep follow-up appointments with your optometrist.
- Try to wear your contact lenses for at least 4 hours the day of your follow-up appointment unless you are experiencing discomfort.
- Always remove your contact lenses at least one hour before going to bed to allow for proper oxygen nourishment to the cornea.
- Wash your hands well before handling your contacts
- Come into the office if your eyes or contacts are uncomfortable, irritating or if you are not seeing clearly
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Use saliva to rinse or clean your contacts. Saliva contains a bacteria which can destroy your cornea in just 24 hours!
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 four steps in contact lens care--follow the care prescribed for your lenses:
- Cleaning removes dirt, mucous, and other debris that gets on the lenses during wear.
- Disinfecting kills bacteria (germs) on the lenses. Disinfecting is essential to prevent serious eye infections.
- Rinsing removes the other solutions from the lenses and prepares the lenses for wear.
- Enzyming uses enzyme drops or tablets to remove protein and other deposits that build up over time on the lenses. This step is only used with conventional wear contacts, not disposable lenses.
The best way to properly care for your lenses is to develop a care routine, then stick to that routine!
Remember to:
- Follow the directions outlined by your eye doctor. Oftentimes instructions are also listed on the packaging or the package insert for the contact lens solutions prescribed for you.
- Multi-purpose solutions can be used for more than one step in contact lens care. Read the label to see which functions the solutions can be used for.
- Rub your lenses well for at least 30 seconds per lens. Do not skip this step as it assists your lenses in their disinfection, and helps to loosen deposits.
- Many solutions can not be used together, and not all solutions are appropriate for all types of lenses. Only use solutions recommended by your eye doctor, and check with your eye doctor if you want to switch brands.
- When you remove your lenses, they must be cleaned, rinsed, and disinfected before they are worn again.
- Enzyming and cleaning are not a substitute for disinfecting.
- Lenses that have been stored for more than 12 hours may need to be cleaned, disinfected, and rinsed again.
- Make sure solution containers are kept closed tightly, stored upright, and kept in a clean, dry, cool place when you are not using them. Keep your case clean and replace it every 2-3 months to prevent bacterial growth.
- Don’t touch container bottle tips to any surface to prevent them from becoming contaminated.
- Throw away expired solutions. (Look on the bottle for the expiration date!)
- Use new solution in your contact lenses case every day.
- Discuss with your eye doctor the care for your lenses if you wear them while swimming in a pool or hot tub.
- Only use approved rewetting drops for lubricating or wetting your lenses. Never place the lenses in your mouth.
- Do not use tap water to rinse soft contact lenses.
- Be careful with makeup, lotions, creams and sprays-consider putting on lenses before makeup and remove them before removing makeup. Also, water-based makeup is less likely to damage lenses than oil-based makeup.
Here’s what you need to watch for:
Redness, blurriness, light sensitivity. Remove your lenses if you are experiencing any of these 3 things. If your eyes have not returned to normal after 24 hours, please contact our office. If you have any change in vision, comfort, or irritation, immediately remove your lenses. If there is no improvement within a couple of hours, please contact our office.