Contact Lens Education with Dr. Codner

Why do I need to come back for a Contact Lens Check after being given trial lenses?
We want to verify if the lens is fitting properly on the eye and fine tune the prescription if needed.

My eyes are very dry, is there contact lenses brand that can help with dryness?
Daily disposable lenses. In cases of extreme dryness, we might suggest a scleral lens.
 
I have been wearing contact lenses for years, why do I need to have an evaluation done every year for contact lenses?
California law requires optometrist to evaluate a patient’s cornea every year when prescribing contact lenses because contact lenses are defined by law as a medical device. In addition, your optometrist needs to see the contact lens on your eye to make sure that the lens is fitting properly and that you are seeing well out of the lens, before they can sign off on the prescription. Contact lens technology is constantly advancing and with that, while the contacts the year before might have worked well for you there is a chance there will be something better we want to make you aware of.

I wear my contact lenses all day every day. Why do I still need a pair of glasses?
A contact lens wearing patient needs a pair of glasses to give your eyes a break. It’s always good to have a fall back in case of emergency, maybe you run out of lenses or get an eye infection. If people have a pair of glasses to fall back on they are less likely to over-wear their contact lenses.

I got my trial contact lenses and I don't see well out of them, why do I need to wear them (when I know they don't work) to my appointment for my contact lens check?
Seeing the lenses on the eye is helpful to determine why they aren’t working. Examples: checking the rotation for astigmatism.

How long does it take to get used to wearing contact lenses?
It is normal to feel slight irritation or a foreign body sensation at first, but after a few days that sensation should subside. Some patients don't have any discomfort, especially if the contact lenses are daily disposables.

Can a contact get lost in my eye?
The most common misconception for new contact lens wearers is the fear that they will get a contact lens stuck in or behind their eye. While this cannot happen, the lens may go under your eyelid which would initially make it difficult to see, but not impossible to remove. If you are struggling putting in or removing your contacts, we offer contact lens education at our practice, call for an appointment.

What are the benefits of wearing daily disposable contact lenses?
Even though the lenses themselves may be more expensive in some cases, (since you are replacing the lenses daily) you actually save by not having to purchase contact lens solution! Many manufacturers now use special breathable material for their lenses which allow more oxygen to pass through. Most of the complaints from my contact lens patients are from those who wear biweekly or monthly contact lenses and are actually having a reaction to the disinfecting solution, not the contacts themselves. Thus, just by switching to a daily disposable lens, they immediately have less irritation and dryness. You open a sterile package with sterile solution and a sterile contact lens everyday- this leads to less problems with wear and irritation.

Are there contacts that correct for both distance and reading?
If patients need help with both their distance and reading, I might recommend trying multi-focal contact lenses as they can be adjusted for computer use as well. 

What age is recommended for first time contact lens wearers?
I do not determine eligibility solely based off a patient's age. Instead I assess their motivation and maturity. Wearing contacts comes with a responsibility to use them correctly. If a young patient is not motivated on their own to do the work and learn how to insert and remove their own lenses, then the patient will not succeed with contact lenses. He has had patients as young as 10 or 11 years old who succeeded with contact lenses. This is greatly in part to the use of daily disposable lenses which have greatly reduced the risk and maintenance required for use of contact lenses. 

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