Do You Have Questions About Contact Lenses? Your East Orlando Optometrist Has the Answers!
There’s no doubt about it, eyeglasses can be bulky and annoying. That’s why so many of our East Orlando patients prefer the convenience, comfort and clarity of contact lenses. Contact lenses coordinate with your whole wardrobe and let your natural beauty show – with no frames in the way. In particular, daily wear contact lenses (best known as “dailies”) optimize your vision with all the advantages of contacts and a lower risk of eye infection than other types of lenses.
If you’re considering contact lenses for the first time or you’re wondering about switching to dailies, it’s important to get the facts straight before you make a final decision. To ensure that you are properly informed, Dr. Bob Yip, your East Orlando eye care professional, has prepared the following Q&A:
Do I Need A Specialized Eye Exam For Contact Lenses?
Contact lenses are not one-size-fits-all. Therefore, you need a thorough contact lens eye exam and fitting to make sure they fit your eyes perfectly.
Your vision prescription for eyeglasses cannot be used for contact lenses. Even if it is up-to-date with your correct lens powers, it is missing the diameter and base curve of your eyeballs.
Using specialized technology, we will measure your eyes to identify the right size lenses.
Contact lenses also come in a variety of types and materials, and wearing the wrong type can cause painful symptoms and damage your eye health.
Follow-up eye exams are critical. If you wear contacts, we recommend yearly evaluations to ensure that your eyes stay healthy and show no complications caused by contacts.
Are There Benefits To Wearing Dailies?
Yes! Daily wear contact lenses have a winning edge over other types of contacts, as they are worn once and then thrown away.
Bacteria never have a chance to cling to the lenses and multiply while they are on the surface of your eye. As a result, dailies are regarded widely as the healthiest option.
In addition, dailies may improve vision comfort for people who suffer eye allergies, since allergens and irritants don’t build up on the lens surface.
Last but not least, daily wear contact lenses do not require any cleaning solutions or cases, so they are less costly and caring for them is a snap. At the end of a long, hard day, you simply remove them, go to sleep and insert a fresh pair in the morning.
When travelling, all you need to pack is additional pairs of lenses. Teenagers in particular do great with dailies, as they are very likely to neglect proper care and cleaning.
Can I Sleep In My Contact Lenses?
Specific types of contacts can be worn while sleeping. Yet the risk of eye injury and health problems increases significantly with overnight wear.
If you’re interested in this type of long-term wearing schedule, consult with our East Orlando eye care specialist to see if it could work for you.
Is It Hard To Care For Contact Lenses?
Nowadays, contact lenses are much more advanced than ever. New disinfectants and solutions make it easy to clean and store your lenses.
In addition, daily wear contact lenses are the ultimate in convenience – as you toss them after one wear. With disposable dailies, cleaning or storage are a thing of the past!
Can I Play Sports While Wearing Contact Lenses?
In general, contacts and sports make a great team! You’ll enjoy clear vision, including peripheral vision, and you won’t have to cope with the nuisance of your eyeglasses falling off, getting smashed or fogging up.
The only exception is wearing contacts while swimming, as it can increase your risk of eye infection due to microorganisms that live in water. Consult with your eye doctor to discuss the best eyewear for water sports and activities.
What Are The Risks Of Wearing Contact Lenses?
If you don’t care for your lenses properly, you contribute greatly to the chances of developing an eye infection. Unfortunately, contact lens-related eye infections can cause lasting damage to your vision.
These infections are also painful and interfere with daily life. Yet when you practice healthy habits with your contacts, you increase your chances of having healthy eyes!
Tips To Keep Your Eyes Healthy With Contacts
Our East Orlando eye care specialist recommends that all contact lens wearers follow these guidelines to avoid eye injury and complications – while enjoying comfortable, clear vision:
- Follow your eye doctor’s instructions for disinfecting, storing and rinsing
- Remove your lenses according to schedule and discard them according to schedule
- Replace your contact lens case regularly
- Don’t wear contacts while sleeping, unless your eye doctor directs you to do so
- Don’t swim with your contacts
When considering contact lenses or switching to dailies, Dr. Bob Yip will answer all your questions and help you look clearly at pros and cons in the big picture!
Contact lens patients should always be seen once a year for a full exam.
Monthly disposable contact lenses are designed to be worn for 1 month.
Monthly disposable contact lenses are designed to be worn for 1 month.
Specially designed to incorporate multiple prescriptions, multifocal contact lenses are particularly popular for people with presbyopia
