What is a Contact Lens Fitting? Why It's a Crucial Step for Healthy Vision

Understanding a Contact Lens Fitting

A contact lens fitting is a specialized examination that goes beyond a standard eye exam. While an eye exam assesses your vision and determines your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses, a contact lens fitting focuses specifically on ensuring contact lenses will fit your eyes correctly and comfortably.

Why is a Contact Lens Fitting Important for Your Eye Health?

You might be wondering, why do you need a contact lens fitting if you already have an eye prescription? Here's why it's an indispensable part of the process:

1. Ensuring Proper Lens Fit: Just like shoes, contact lenses come in various sizes and curvatures. A contact lens fitting involves precise measurements of your cornea (the front surface of your eye) to determine the ideal size, shape, and curvature of lenses for your individual eyes. The wrong size contact lenses can cause significant discomfort, irritation, and even damage to your cornea.

2. Maintaining Optimal Eye Health: Properly fitted contact lenses allow for adequate tear circulation and oxygen flow to the cornea. Poorly fitting lenses can restrict these essential processes, leading to dryness, redness, inflammation, and an increased risk of serious eye infections.

3. Determining the Best Lens Material and Type: During a contact lens fitting, your eye doctor will also assess your lifestyle, visual needs, and any pre-existing eye conditions to recommend the most suitable type of contact lenses (e.g., soft, rigid gas permeable, daily disposable, extended wear) and lens material for optimal comfort and vision.

4. Providing Proper Wear and Care Instructions: A contact lens fitting includes crucial education on how to insert, remove, clean, and care for your specific type of contact lenses. Following these instructions diligently is essential for preventing complications and maintaining eye health.

The Role of an Eye Exam in the Contact Lens Process

It's important to note that a comprehensive eye exam is a prerequisite for a contact lens fitting. During the eye exam, your doctor will:

• Check your vision to determine your contact lens prescription, which may differ from your eyeglass prescription.

• Assess your overall eye health to identify any conditions that might affect your ability to wear contact lenses.

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