Contact lenses offer an excellent alternative to eyeglasses, providing clear vision without the weight, fog, or limitations on your field of view. However, getting the right contact lens fitting is essential to ensuring comfort, clarity, and long-term eye health. At Jackson Davenport, our experienced optometrist, Dr. Holstead, has been helping Summerville residents find their perfect contact lens fit for over 50 years. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the contact lens fitting process, from your initial eye exam to proper care and maintenance.
Unlike eyeglasses prescriptions, contact lens prescriptions require specialized measurements and considerations. Your contacts sit directly on your cornea, making a precise fit critical to your comfort and visual quality. This detailed guide will help you understand what to expect during your contact lens fitting appointment and empower you to make informed decisions about your vision correction options.
Understanding Contact Lens Fitting: Why It Matters
A proper contact lens fitting is fundamentally different from a standard eye exam. While a typical eye exam assesses your overall vision and eye health, a contact lens fitting evaluation involves additional specialized measurements and considerations specific to how lenses interact with your individual eye anatomy. Your eyes are as unique as your fingerprints—no two people have identical corneal curvature, tear film composition, or eye shape. These individual differences directly impact which contact lenses will work best for you.
A poorly fitted contact lens can cause numerous problems, including persistent discomfort, blurred vision, excessive movement on your eye, protein buildup on the lens surface, and increased risk of eye infections or corneal damage. Conversely, a properly fitted lens provides sharp, stable vision throughout the day while maintaining optimal eye health. This is why professional fitting through an experienced eye care provider like Jackson Davenport is so important—it’s not something you should attempt through online retailers without professional guidance.
The Contact Lens Fitting Process: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Comprehensive Eye Health Examination
Your contact lens fitting begins with a thorough eye health examination. Dr. Holstead will assess your overall eye health, check for any underlying conditions like dry eye syndrome, allergies, or other factors that could impact your ability to comfortably wear contact lenses. This examination is crucial because certain eye conditions may require specific lens materials or designs for optimal comfort and safety.
During this assessment, we’ll measure your visual acuity to determine your exact prescription needs. We’ll also evaluate how your eyes work together as a team and assess your eyes as indicators of your overall health. This comprehensive approach ensures we recommend contact lenses that work specifically for your unique visual requirements.
Step 2: Corneal Measurements and Mapping
Next, Dr. Holstead will use specialized instruments to measure your cornea’s curvature and dimensions. This measurement, called keratometry, is essential for determining the correct base curve and diameter of your contact lenses. We’ll measure the curvature of your cornea’s front surface using a keratometer, an instrument that provides precise measurements in the corneal shape.
In addition to base curve measurements, we’ll also measure your pupil and iris size to ensure the lens diameter is appropriate for your eye. A lens that’s too flat will move excessively on your eye and cause discomfort; a lens that’s too steep will restrict movement and potentially irritate. These measurements ensure your lenses will stay centered on your cornea while maintaining proper movement with each blink.
Step 3: Tear Film and Eye Surface Evaluation
Your tear film—the thin layer of tears covering your eye—plays a critical role in contact lens comfort. Dr. Holstead will evaluate both the quantity and quality of your tears using specialized testing techniques. This assessment helps us identify potential issues that could impact lens comfort and wearing time. For patients with dry eye symptoms, we can recommend specific lens materials with higher water content or special coatings that enhance moisture retention and comfort.
Lens Selection and Trial Fitting
Choosing the Right Lens Type
Based on your corneal measurements, visual prescription, and eye health assessment, Dr. Holstead will recommend appropriate lens options. Contact lenses come in several basic designs:
- Spherical lenses: Correct myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness)
- Toric lenses: Designed specifically to correct astigmatism with special markings to ensure proper orientation
- Multifocal lenses: Provide both distance and near vision correction for presbyopic patients (typically age 40+)
- Specialty lenses: Including scleral lenses for extreme prescriptions or certain corneal conditions
We’ll also discuss lens replacement schedules. Daily disposable lenses offer maximum convenience and hygiene benefits. Weekly or monthly replacement lenses are more economical for regular wearers. Extended wear lenses can be worn overnight with proper care, though this requires extra attention to lens hygiene and eye health monitoring.
The Trial Fitting Process
During your trial fitting, Dr. Holstead will carefully insert the trial lenses and allow them to settle for 10-15 minutes on your eye. After this settling period, we’ll evaluate several critical factors:
- Lens centration—how well the lens stays centered over your cornea
- Lens movement—ensuring the lens moves appropriately with your blink, but doesn’t excessively shift
- Visual acuity—verifying that you achieve clear, stable vision
- Comfort level—assessing how the lenses feel on your eye
We’ll teach you proper insertion and removal techniques during this visit. Many people worry about putting contacts in their eyes initially, but with proper instruction and practice, most patients become comfortable with the process quickly. We’ll walk you through each step, answer all your questions, and ensure you feel confident handling your lenses.
Follow-Up Assessment and Prescription Finalization
After wearing the trial lenses for a brief period, you’ll return for a follow-up evaluation. This appointment allows Dr. Holstead to examine how the lenses fit after extended wear, address any comfort or vision issues you experienced, and make necessary adjustments to the prescription parameters. Research shows that approximately 20% of new contact lens wearers require prescription adjustments after their initial trial fitting, so this follow-up visit is crucial.
During the follow-up, we’ll check your eye health response to lens wear and ensure there are no signs of irritation or complications. We’ll also review proper care and maintenance procedures specific to your prescribed lenses. Only after this comprehensive evaluation will we provide your final contact lens prescription.
Understanding Your Contact Lens Prescription
Your contact lens prescription differs significantly from an eyeglass prescription. A complete contact lens prescription includes several key components:
- Lens power (diopter): The strength of correction for each eye
- Base curve (BC): The curvature of the lens’s inner surface, typically ranging from 8.0 to 9.0 millimeters
- Diameter (DIA): The overall width of the lens, typically ranging from 13.5 to 14.5 millimeters
- Brand name and material: The specific manufacturer and lens composition
- Replacement schedule: Whether lenses are daily, weekly, or monthly disposable
- Special instructions: Any specific guidance for your particular eyes or condition
Federal regulations ensure that after your contact lens fitting, you automatically receive a copy of your prescription. You have the right to use this prescription to purchase lenses from any retailer, whether online or in-store. However, we recommend discussing your options with us, as we can often provide guidance on the best places to order your specific lenses and may offer competitive pricing through our practice.
Contact Lens Care and Maintenance
Proper lens care is essential to maintaining eye health and maximizing lens comfort. Improper care is a leading cause of contact lens-related eye infections and complications. Here are the fundamental care requirements:
- Always wash your hands: Before touching your lenses, wash with soap and water and dry with a lint-free towel to prevent bacteria transfer
- Clean your lenses properly: Gently rub your lenses with sterile contact lens solution to remove debris and protein buildup
- Use fresh solution: Store your lenses in fresh solution daily—never reuse old solution
- Replace your case regularly: Change your lens case every three months to prevent bacterial accumulation
- Follow replacement schedules: Replace your lenses according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, even if they appear in good condition
- Never sleep in non-approved lenses: Extended wear lenses are specifically designed for overnight wear; sleeping in other lenses significantly increases infection risk
Common Contact Lens Fitting Questions
How long does a contact lens fitting take?
A comprehensive contact lens fitting typically takes 45-60 minutes. This includes your initial eye exam, corneal measurements, lens trials, insertion and removal training, and fitting evaluation. Follow-up appointments are usually shorter, typically 20-30 minutes.
How long is my contact lens prescription valid?
Contact lens prescriptions typically remain valid for one to two years, depending on South Carolina regulations and your individual eye health. Dr. Holstead will specify the expiration date on your prescription. Regular annual exams ensure your prescription remains accurate and that your eyes remain healthy.
Can I wear contact lenses if I have astigmatism?
Absolutely! Toric contact lenses are specifically designed to correct astigmatism. These lenses have special markings to ensure proper orientation on your eye, and they come in a wide range of prescriptions to accommodate most astigmatic patients.
What if I have dry eyes?
Dry eye syndrome doesn’t necessarily prevent contact lens wear. Dr. Holstead can recommend specific lens materials with higher water content, special coatings that enhance moisture, or different wearing schedules. Daily disposable lenses often work well for dry eye patients since you use a fresh lens each day.
How much does contact lens fitting cost?
Contact lens fitting fees vary depending on the complexity of your prescription and the specific evaluations needed. We’re happy to discuss pricing during your consultation. Many insurance plans cover contact lens fittings, so be sure to check your benefits.
Special Contact Lens Options
Beyond standard contact lens designs, several specialty options are available for specific vision needs:
Multifocal lenses provide both distance and near vision correction for presbyopic patients, eliminating the need to switch between distance glasses and reading glasses. Colored contact lenses allow you to change your eye color while correcting vision, perfect for both cosmetic and costume purposes. Scleral lenses vault over the cornea entirely, resting on the white of your eye, and can correct extreme prescriptions or certain corneal conditions like keratoconus.
Why Choose Jackson Davenport for Your Contact Lens Fitting
At Jackson Davenport, we’ve been providing personalized eye care to Summerville residents for over 50 years. Dr. Holstead specializes in comprehensive contact lens fittings and understands that every patient’s vision needs are unique. We take the time to thoroughly evaluate your eyes, educate you about your options, and provide meticulous fitting to ensure maximum comfort and visual clarity.
Our practice also stocks Summerville’s largest selection of designer eyeglass frames, and we can provide guidance on selecting the perfect contacts for your lifestyle and visual demands. Whether you’re a first-time contact lens wearer or an experienced user looking for a better fit, our team is committed to helping you achieve clear, comfortable vision.
Schedule Your Contact Lens Fitting Today
If you’re interested in contact lenses or want to improve your current lens fit, the first step is scheduling a comprehensive consultation with Dr. Holstead. During this appointment, we’ll evaluate your eyes, discuss your vision goals, and determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Contact Jackson Davenport Eye Care Center today to schedule your contact lens fitting appointment. We’re committed to providing the exceptional eye care and individual attention our Summerville community has trusted for more than 50 years.