Am I a candidate for contact lenses?Browse Eyewear

If you suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, you’ll need to wear prescription lenses in order to be able to see clearly. While glasses are still the prescription eyewear of choice for many people, an increasing number of individuals with refractive eye problems are choosing to wear contact lenses, either instead of or in addition to prescription lenses in glasses frames. This is largely because of the many benefits and freedoms associated with wearing contact lenses. These can include less maintenance (depending on the type of contact lenses you choose), the ability to play sports without worrying about your eyes or glasses, and not having to remember to take your glasses with you wherever you go.

The good news is that the majority of people who require prescription eyewear can probably wear contact lenses. One of the best things about contacts is that there are so many to choose from, meaning that there is almost certainly a variety to suit your eyes and your lifestyle requirements. There is no upper age limit for wearing contact lenses, and they can even be enjoyed by children as young as 7 or 8 years of age.

You may be a particularly good candidate for contact lenses if:

• You are frustrated or fed up with wearing glasses
• You want to show off your eyes or your eye makeup
• You play sports or take part in other physical activities
• You have a physical job
• You want to embrace fashion and style with no limitations
• You keep breaking your glasses
• You keep misplacing your glasses or are fed up with having to remember to take them out with you

You might NOT be a good candidate for contact lenses if:

• Your eyes are severely irritated by allergies
• You are susceptible to repeated eye infections
• You work in an environment with lots of dust and chemicals
• You have an overactive thyroid, uncontrolled diabetes or severe arthritis in your hands
• Your prescription falls outside of specific parameters
• Your eyes are overly dry (although there are some types of specialty contact lens that may be suitable)

Scheduling a contact lens fitting

Before you can get contact lenses, you’ll first need to schedule an appointment for a contact lens fitting. This is a little different to a regular eye exam since its primary focus is on making sure that you are a good candidate for contact lenses and to help your eye doctor decide which variables are right for you. In addition to determining your contact lens prescription (which is different to a glasses prescription since contact lenses sit on your eyes rather than in front of them), your contact lens fitting will also assess how much tear film your produce, the health and condition of your eyes and the curvature of your cornea, which is the front, domed section covering the front part of the eye. This information will enable your eye doctor to recommend which contact lenses you should use.

Next, you’ll be asked to try some contact lenses to see how they feel. These won’t have your prescription since they will be generic, but they will enable your eye doctor to see how they fit and for you to see how comfortable they are. It may be that you need to try several varieties in order to find the ones most suitable for you. Once you have, they can be ordered in your prescription, ready for you to take home as soon as they have been delivered.

For more information about contact lenses and who is a suitable candidate for this popular prescription treatment, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our eye care experts today. Call Canterbury Vision Care in West Boylston, Massachusetts at 508-854-0595 today to schedule an appointment.