Your first contact lenses: what to expect at the fitting
Most first-time wearers are more worried about touching their eye than anything else. Here is how the visit actually goes.
Almost everyone who comes in for a first contact lens fitting says the same thing: "I don't think I can touch my eye." By the end of the visit, nearly all of them can. Here is what the appointment involves, so there are no surprises.
1. A contact lens exam, not just a glasses exam
A contact lens prescription is different from a glasses prescription. Because the lens sits on the eye rather than an inch in front of it, the power is different, and we also need to measure the curve and size of your cornea so the lens fits the way it should. Dr. Dolan does this as part of a comprehensive exam and checks the surface of your eye and your tear film, which tells us which lens materials will feel best for you.
2. Choosing the right kind of lens
Most first-time wearers do best in daily disposables: a fresh, sterile lens every morning, nothing to clean, nothing to store. Monthly lenses cost less over a year and suit people who wear contacts every day. If you have astigmatism, there are toric lenses shaped to correct it; if you're over 40 and reading is getting harder, multifocal contacts are far better than they used to be. We'll talk through your routine, your budget and your eyes and recommend one or two to try.
3. The lesson
This is the part people dread and the part that goes better than they expect. One of our staff sits with you, one on one, and walks you through washing your hands, checking the lens is right-side out, and placing it on your eye. Then removing it. Then doing both again. We go at your pace; some people get it in two minutes, some take twenty, and nobody is rushed out. You leave when you can put lenses in and take them out on your own, with confidence.
4. Trial lenses and a follow-up
You'll go home with trial lenses to wear for a week or so. Then you come back and tell us, honestly, how they felt: end-of-day dryness, comfort, sharpness, whether they moved. Dr. Dolan checks the fit on the eye and adjusts the lens or the power if needed. Only then do we finalize your prescription and order your supply.
A few tips for the first weeks
- Build up wearing time gradually over the first few days.
- Never sleep in lenses unless Dr. Dolan has specifically prescribed a lens for it.
- Keep your glasses handy for tired or irritated days.
- If an eye is red, painful or light-sensitive, take the lens out and call us.
Ready to try? Call (248) 375-0040 and ask for a contact lens exam. Most vision plans, including VSP, cover the exam and fitting.
20/20 Vision is an independent optometry practice and designer eyewear boutique at 3110 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, MI 48309, serving Rochester Hills, Rochester, Oakland Township, Auburn Hills and Troy since 1980. Eye exams with Dr. David Dolan, OD. In-network with VSP.