Contact Lens Exam

If you’ve never worn contact lenses before, it can seem a bit intimidating. After all, you’re inserting something into your eye! Let’s ease your mind about the first step – your contact lens exam. This post will walk you through what’s involved in a contact lens exam and what you can expect every step of the way.

It begins with a comprehensive eye exam

Dr. Waldron will first determine your overall eye health and vision. This includes a discussion of your health history and then a series of standard eye tests. These tests will evaluate eye focusing, eye teaming, depth perception, color vision, peripheral vision, and the response of your pupils to light. Dr. Waldron will also measure your eye’s fluid pressure to check for glaucoma, evaluate your retina and optic nerve, and test your vision with different lenses to assess whether contact lenses can improve your vision.

Then, a discussion about your contact lens preferences

If contact lenses are appropriate for you, it’s time to talk about your contact lens preferences. For example, do you want to enhance or change your eye color? Would you prefer daily disposable lenses or overnight contacts? Ask about the benefits or drawbacks of each, so that you make the best decision. If you’re over 40, Dr. Waldron will likely discuss age-related vision changes and how contact lenses can address these issues.

Next, Dr. Waldron will conduct eye surface measurements

Contact lenses require precise measurements of your eyes to fit properly. Using an instrument called a keratometer, our staff will measure the curvature of your cornea, the clear front surface of your eye. Next, the eyelids, lashes, and tearfilm will be evaluated. This is done through careful examination under a microscope called a slit lamp.