Expert Fittings & Follow-Up Care
Contact Lens
Exam
Experience the convenience and freedom that contact lenses offer. Schedule your contact lens exam at Dr. Gary Tracy Optometry & Eyewear today and let our skilled optometrists help you find the perfect lenses for clear, comfortable vision.
Contact Lens Exam, New York, NY
When you come in for a contact lens exam at Dr. Gary Tracy Optometry & Eyewear on the Upper West Side, our expert eye doctor will carefully assess your eye health and vision. We’ll also ask you about your lifestyle and hobbies so that we can recommend the perfect contact lens that suits your eyes, vision, and unique needs. We have a wide selection of contact lenses that can accommodate common eye conditions such as astigmatism, presbyopia, and more.
The contact lens exam may be conducted as part of your eye exam or may be scheduled as a separate appointment.
During your contact lens exam, our experienced eye doctor will conduct a thorough assessment to find the best contact lens type for your unique eyes. The exam may include:
- Evaluating eye size and shape: We’ll carefully measure the size and shape of your eyes and the curvature of your cornea to ensure a precise fit for your contact lenses.
- Checking eye health: We’ll check for any eye health issues that might affect your comfort while wearing contact lenses.
- Trial contact lenses: To ensure optimal comfort and fit, we’ll provide you with trial contact lenses. Trying them out allows us to ensure that the lenses fit comfortably and provide clear vision.
- Follow-up appointment: After trying the trial contact lenses, we’ll schedule a follow-up appointment to see how you like the contacts and address any concerns you may have.
You will also receive a contact lens prescription that designates the contact lens type, power, base curve (a shape matching the curvature of your eye), and diameter.
Why do I need an exam for contact lenses?
Contact lenses are classified as medical devices by the FDA, and proper fitting and prescription are essential to maintain eye health. By scheduling regular eye exams, we can closely monitor your eye health and make sure your lenses still meet your eyes’ requirements. Ensuring a proper fit for your contact lenses is also important for comfortable wear throughout the day.
Schedule a contact lens exam in New York, NY
Our eye doctors specialize in fitting patients with the perfect contact lenses to meet their vision needs, ensure eye health, and match their lifestyles. Whether you are already a contact lens wearer or considering it, a contact lens exam is crucial. Schedule an eye exam at our eye doctor’s office on 79th street and let us know if you’d like to wear contact lenses.
Can I sleep in my contacts?
While there are contact lenses FDA-approved for overnight wear, I strongly advise against sleeping in them. Over the years, studies have shown that the chance of developing sight-threatening infections and complications greatly increases with overnight wear.
The contact lens industry has worked hard to develop contact lenses that can be safely worn overnight, but each advancement has shown the same higher rates of infection. Infections can occur with daily wear, but the cause can usually be traced to improper contact lens care—such as not washing hands or failing to properly disinfect lenses after removal. However, with overnight wear, infections occur at much higher rates, even when all of the FDA guidelines are followed.
Can I use my eyeglass prescription to buy over-the-counter contact lenses?
No, your eyeglass prescription is different from your contact lens prescription. It is a starting point to determine a proper contact lens prescription. There are many different contact lenses available in different materials and curvatures.
A contact lens fitting is necessary to ensure the lenses fit properly and provide comfort. During this process, the lens is evaluated on the eye to confirm a proper fit, and the patient wears it for a trial period to ensure it doesn’t cause dryness, irritation, or redness. Many patients with compromised tear films or dry eye find that one lens material is much more comfortable than another. A contact lens fitting may involve trying trial lenses from multiple brands to find the one both the patient and doctor are happy with.
The power of the contact lens differs from the eyeglass prescription because it is located at a different distance. Since contact lenses sit closer to the eye than glasses, they may perform differently than expected. An over-refraction of the trial contact lens determines the final contact lens power.
Astigmatism can also introduce variability between the eyeglass and contact lens prescription. Astigmatism is caused by a toric-shaped cornea (spoon or American football-shaped instead of spherical), and the lens needs to fit at a specific axis to correct vision properly. If the lens rotates on the eye, the prescription may not work as intended. A fitting for astigmatism involves carefully monitoring the lens rotation, so the prescription can be adjusted accordingly.
Is it safe for me to clean my contact lenses with a homemade solution?
No, extensive research goes into developing the name brand cleaners to ensure they effectively remove ocular oils and secretions while being safe to use, even if not 100% rinsed off the lens.
Caution: Always use the correct contact lens cleaner for your type of lens. A gas permeable lens cleaner could ruin a soft lens, and a soft lens cleaner would not clean or properly wet a gas permeable lens surface.