Contact Lens Questions

Our most frequently asked questions about contact lenses.

How do eye care professionals determine the best contact lens brand and fit for someone’s eyes?

Some of it is simply seeing the lenses on the eye through the biomicroscope. Sometimes it is determined by the prescription. Not all lenses come in all prescriptions. Some of it is the needs of the patient, and some is determined by the patient’s health history. So there are many factors involved in a contact lens evaluation. It’s not just calling up an 800 number or going to a website to see what the cheapest option is. Contacts should be fit by an optometrist who is familiar with all lens modalities. And should include training and instructions on how to care for the lenses and your eyes, what to do in an emergency, and what can cause an emergency. Additionally, if you wear contact lenses, you should have a good backup pair of glasses to wear when contacts are not an option. A yearly eye exam with an in-person eye doctor is mandatory when you wear contacts.

How do contact lenses compare to glasses in terms of confidence and dealing with bullies?

Contacts can be transformative on many levels. And often the thicker the prescription, the more difference it makes. They can be a total personality changer, just like having a good set of teeth can bring back a smile that was often hidden. In our clinic, we’ve seen kids literally come out of their shells after getting contacts. A person feels more confident, stands straighter, and many times will actually see better with contacts than glasses due to the distortion lenses in glasses can create in high prescriptions. Now that glasses are more accepted and have become a part of fashion, it’s less of a problem, but as others say, it’s nice to have an alternative to glasses for times when you would rather not wear them. Make sure you get an annual eye exam from an in-person optometrist and never put a contact lens on a red eye. And never let an online seller change any part of your contact lens prescription.

Why do my contacts sting my eye when I apply them? Why does the stinging continue and not stop?

Contacts really cannot ‘sting’ your eyes. More likely, it is the soap you are using prior to insertion. You should use a soap that has no fragrances, no lotions, no oils, no abrasive materials….and you must rinse aggressively to remove all soap. Dry your hands with a lint-free towel.

The other possibility is the solution you are using. It must be changed daily, and your case must be cleaned after each use and left open to air dry. Finally, you should only use the contact lens solutions your eye doctor has approved. In the past year, there have been many eye drops recalled due to sterility issues, causing antibiotic-resistant infections that have blinded and even killed people. Stay away from ALL generic brands of solution and dispose of expired solutions and drops. If you follow these steps and still have issues, you must contact your eye doctor and explain your situation. If your vision is poor, the comfort is poor, or if your eyes are redder than usual, there is something wrong.

Contact lenses are medical devices. Do not obtain contacts from questionable sources, as there are counterfeit lenses available worldwide that can cause huge problems, including infections and blindness. Contact lens users should see their eye doctor annually and contact them immediately if problems occur.

I am terribly worried that by wearing (rigid) contact lenses daily, I will expose my body to significant levels of PFAS and microplastics, potentially harming future kids that I may have, as well as myself. What should I do?

You should be more terrified of the food you consume and the air you breathe. This is where most microplastics in our bodies are coming from. To ensure that your contacts don’t become microplastics in the environment, go to the Bausch and Lomb website and look for (or Google One by One) for a recycling package that you can return to TerraCycle. They will take the contacts and the containers, including the foil lid, and recycle them. Thanks for being aware. We have become our own worst enemy. If there were a law that said before something can be made, there has to be a safe/sane plan for its eventual disposal/recycling, we would have a totally different earth. Recent studies have concluded that some soft contact lenses contain forever chemicals and have also been found to shed microplastics. Additionally, even artificial tears have been found to contain microplastics. It seems that every plastic product is at risk of adding PFASs and/or microplastics to the environment. Since these are relatively new discoveries, we don’t know the potential long-term side effects of these substances in our bodies, but they are already everywhere and do not easily break down. Again, our best solution at the moment is to use less plastic of all kinds.

Remember to see your optometrist yearly for a comprehensive eye exam! And order your glasses and contacts through your doctor so you can support local health care. These businesses support the community, unlike an online retailer. 🙂

Do eyeglasses and/or contact lenses slow the degradation of eyesight since the eyes aren’t working as hard to focus?

Prescription eyewear primarily brings the light rays into focus at the back of the eye. It does not ‘slow the degradation,’ but it does reduce the stress of trying to focus on a blurry image. The muscles around the eye will often be used (squinting) if the image is blurry, which can lead to muscle fatigue and frontal headaches. Some people who are very farsighted (hyperopia) will see double and/or their eyes will turn inward when not wearing prescription eyewear.

New research is geared towards trying to slow the progression of nearsightedness (myopia). The research is finding that specially designed lenses (both glasses and contacts) may slow the progression in young people. In addition, there are also medicated eye drops that may be used to slow myopia and other drops that may allow eyes to see better at near when people are in their forties and experience blurred near vision called presbyopia.

Ask your optometrist if you have further questions. And remember that tobacco use quadruples your risk of developing macular degeneration, the number one cause of older adult blindness.

Are there any programs to help people with keratoconus obtain contact lenses? I have Medicaid, and it does not pay for the lenses; I can’t afford to pay for them myself. I am low-income. My vision is so bad it’s disabling.

You have several options. First, your eye doctor may be able to connect with Medicaid and explain that it is a MEDICAL condition and that contacts are the only thing that will improve your vision. The term to use is “medically necessary”. If that doesn’t work, connect with the Lions Club in your community. They are a wonderful organization that has a primary mission of preventing blindness and taking care of those in need who have vision problems. Third, you can contact your state department of visual rehabilitation. Many states have different names for this department but they all basically do the same thing, which is help people with vision problems to be self-sufficient and able to go to school and/or work and be productive. Fourth, you could contact your state’s optometric association. They may have resources for you as well. Good luck and DO NOT give up!!!!!

My new contact lens prescription is (-2.25). Will the difficulty in reading go away? I’m 29 & had an exam yesterday. I know my eyes are adjusting, but reading is so blurry and frustrating now. I end up taking the lenses out. I called OD & she suggested +1 readers.

With the limited info presented, I would say you are overcorrecting. This can sometimes be the patient’s fault. But the doctor should be trained to catch this. If you get the +1.00 readers and you look at things far away and they are clear, you are overcorrected.

How do people with glasses or contact lenses swim? Can they swim with contact lenses?

Bad idea to swim with contacts. Whether it’s fresh or salt or pool, or hot tubs, organisms can invade tissues of the eye and cause infection and even blindness. Wearing contacts increases this risk greatly. Plus, contacts adhere to the eye tightly after exposure to water, making them difficult to remove, which could also damage the eye.

Wearing glasses is also difficult. You may need a strap or a flotation device so you don’t lose them.

if you spend a lot of time in water, look into LASIK- discuss this with your eye doctor.

If you wear glasses all the time now, but you once used to wear contacts, what made you give up the contacts?

I went to a dry eye lecture where the doctor stated, “You just need to tell your patients, they are born a grape and die a raisin – your whole body dries out as you age.” And he is basically correct. So, as I got a bit older and quite a bit less vain, I opted for glasses. Allergy meds can also dry your eyes, and I take allergy meds daily. I love contacts – the vision is awesome, but the comfort wasn’t that great anymore. There are so many really cool frames available now (it used to be “do you want plastic or metal, black or brown, silver or gold?”) and new lens materials as well. Wearing glasses is much more fun than it used to be. There are ways to improve dry eyes, including a new treatment called IPL. Also, artificial tears can help.

Why do you have to get 2 different subscriptions for contacts and glasses?

Contacts sit on the eye. Glasses sit about 13mm from the eyes. If you have a fairly large Rx, the power will change from the spectacle plane to the corneal plane. For example, if your spectacle Rx is -5.00, your contact lens Rx would be -4.50 or -4.75. If you have astigmatism, that also complicates the rx. If you wear bifocals, that also complicates the fit. Plus, the doctor will need to know the curvature measurements of the cornea to make sure the lens fits properly. Despite what online sellers tell you, a contact lens with or without power is a medical device and should only be fit and followed up by a doctor of optometry or ophthalmology. Proper hygiene training and education are essential for a healthy and comfortable fit, along with good vision. People have lost vision permanently due to contact lens wear. Don’t risk your eyes for cheap contacts. You’ll pay for the rest of your life.

How do I put a soft contact lens on my eye without it inverting onto my finger when I try to place the lens on my eye?

1. 1. The eye must be open wider than the diameter of the lens. To do this, use the index finger of one hand to hold upper lashes (not lid) firmly on the brow bone.