Contact Lens FAQs Answered by a Phoenix, AZ Optometrist
Contact lenses are beneficial to people who need vision correction but don't want all the hassles associated with glasses. They correct a vision deficit without the need for eyeglasses. Fortunately, the process of getting contacts is similar to that of glasses. At Eye Doctors of Arizona, serving Phoenix, AZ and the surrounding region, we want our patients to understand what contacts are and their benefits before they decide about their eyewear.
How Do Contacts Correct Your Vision?
A contact lens' mechanism of action is the same as glasses. Contact lenses work by changing the direction that light enters your eyes and focuses on the retina. If you're nearsighted, the light focuses too soon, so contacts make it so the light focuses behind further. The opposite is true with farsightedness. Since the light focuses behind your retina, contacts refocus the light forward more.
What Happens at the Exam for Contacts?
The exam for contacts starts out as a typical eye care examination. Our optometry or ophthalmologist practitioner asks you to look into a device and read rows of letters. Based on the results, our eye doctor can determine the amount of vision correction you require. During your eye care exam, you'll be tested for astigmatism and possibly eye health issues.
Then, you undergo a contact fitting. This consists of our eye doctor asking you to look into a machine that measures the dimensions of your eyes.
Do You Offer Specialized Contacts?
Yes, our eye doctors can prescribe you specialized contacts if you have certain eye problems. These are more likely to correct your vision deficit than a standard pair of contacts.
For instance, if you have astigmatism, you have an issue where your eye isn't shaped normally. Our eye doctor can prescribe you toric lenses, which can correct more meridians of your vision to optimize your vision better than standard contacts can. These also are often weighted, so they don't shift out of place as much as a traditional pair of contacts.
If you have keratoconus, we can identify it during your eye exam and can prescribe you gas-permeable or scleral lenses. These contacts are less flexible than a standard pair of soft contacts. They can hold the shape of your eyes better than soft contacts, which ultimately means they optimize your visual acuity better.
We also offer bifocals and trifocals for some patients. Something also to discuss with your eye specialist during your eye exam.
Are Contacts More Expensive Than Glasses?
When you're considering the contact lens' price, initially it's more expensive for contacts. However, it can be more cost-efficient in the long run. This is especially the case if you lose or damage a contact as opposed to losing or breaking a pair of glasses.