Contact lenses are considered one of the best ways to correct vision. They allow you to lead an active lifestyle, play sports. Compared to glasses, they do not limit the field of view, they do not fog up when entering a warm room from a cold street.
But for the selection of contact lenses, you must first visit an ophthalmologist. Self-correction can lead to complications and even deterioration, rather than improvement of vision. You can check your eyesight in a municipal clinic, in private multidisciplinary medical centers or specialized ophthalmological clinics, as well as in optics salons where there is an ophthalmologist. If optical vision correction is required, the ophthalmologist will select glasses and/or contact lenses. And this is not only diopters, but also some other indicators. So what are the steps involved in fitting contact lenses?
Visit to the doctor
The most important step is a visit to the ophthalmologist. You need to start with what complaints you have – visual impairment, and the dynamics of its changes (how quickly and for how long vision deteriorates, it is hard to see near or far).
It is also necessary to clarify whether there are headaches, dizziness, a feeling of pressure in the eyes and other complaints, to note whether there are close relatives with poor vision or eye diseases and what kind – myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism, glaucoma, retinal pathology, etc. ).
Determination of the radius of curvature and the diameter of the cornea
In addition to the power of the lens (diopters), other indicators are also necessary for contact lenses – this is the so-called basic curvature, which depends on the radius of the cornea, as well as the diameter.
The base curvature of most commercially available contact lenses ranges from 8-9 mm. Depending on the basic curvature of the lens and the shape of the cornea, the fit of a contact lens can be normal, flat or steep.
With a flat fit, the lens will be too mobile and move easily when blinking, causing discomfort. With a steep (or tight) fit, the lens is practically immobile, which does not cause obvious discomfort, but can cause complications later.
After determining all the necessary parameters, the doctor gives a prescription for contact lenses. With it, you go to the optics salon, acquiring the lenses that suit you.
Trying on contact lenses
In most salons there is such a service as a trial fitting of lenses. If you then buy lenses, it’s usually free. Trying on lenses is recommended for several important reasons:
- the doctor tells in detail and shows in practice how to properly put on and then remove lenses, talks about the rules of wearing and care;
- if itching, discomfort or tearing, severe dryness is felt, others are selected according to the material or parameters of the lens.
Popular questions and answers
We discussed with ophthalmologist Ksenia Kazakova questions about the selection of lenses, the duration of their wearing, the rules for putting on and taking off, caring for lenses.
What type of lens to choose?
Hydrogel lenses – This is an older generation of products, they have both their pluses and certain minuses. The hydrogel is partly composed of water, so the lenses are flexible and quite soft. But they are not able to pass oxygen through themselves, the cornea receives it in dissolved form from the water contained in the lens. With prolonged wearing of contact lenses, the cornea dries up and discomfort occurs, so the period of continuous wearing is limited – about 12 hours. In such lenses, in no case is it allowed to sleep.
Silicone hydrogel lenses due to the content of silicone in their composition, oxygen is passed to the cornea, they can be comfortably worn during the day, sleep is allowed in them, and some are allowed for prolonged wear (several days continuously).
How often should lenses be changed?
Daily lenses the most comfortable and safe, but their price is higher than all the others. In the morning, you open new lenses, put them on and wear them all day, before going to bed, take them off and throw them away. They are the easiest to take care of. They do not require cleaning and treatment with special solutions. These lenses are especially good for people with a predisposition to allergies and frequent inflammatory eye diseases.
Planned replacement lenses – This is one of the most common options. They are worn for a period of 2 weeks to 3 months. You need to put on lenses in the morning, wear them during the day, remove them before going to bed and put them in a container with special solutions. It helps to clean the lenses and keep them moist, which gradually decreases.
Extended wear lenses can be used up to 7 days continuously without removal. After that, they are removed and thrown away. If it is necessary to remove the lenses during this period, they are also placed in a solution that cleans and disinfects before the next putting on.
Can I wear colored lenses?
Are there restrictions on wearing lenses?
● infectious eye diseases (conjunctivitis, blepharitis, keratitis, etc.);
● hypersensitivity of the eyes;
allergy;
● acute rhinitis (runny nose) and SARS.
What should be the first lenses for the eyes?
If we talk about the mode of wearing, then it is better to start with daily lenses – they do not require maintenance. In addition, at first it can be difficult to put on and take off lenses, they can break, if you have disposable lenses, you always have spare ones on hand.
How to insert lenses into the eyes?
There are several methods and how to put on a lens and how to remove it, which one is suitable – depends on the individual patient.