Contact Lenses: Top 10 Buying Tips

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Purchasing contact lenses is the easiest way to change your appearance and improve your vision for sports and other activities.

Here are some helpful tips when buying contacts:

  1. Schedule a contact lens exam. The first step in buying contacts is having an eye exam and a contact lens fitting. Once the fitting has been performed and it has been verified your eyes can tolerate wearing contacts, your eye doctor can issue a contact lens prescription.
  2. A glasses prescription is not enough. You cannot purchase contact lenses with a prescription for eyeglasses. A contact lens prescription contains information that can only be determined by a contact lens fitting.
  3. Tell your eye doctor about potential problems. Let your eye doctor know about any eye conditions such as dry eyes that may pose challenges for successful contact lens wear. Such issues may influence the best type of contacts for you and how long you should wear them.
  4. Be open to wearing advanced technology lenses. Many people are happy with inexpensive soft contact lenses. But often, contacts that feature more advanced technology will produce better results. Be open to these more costly lenses, including toric contact lenses for astigmatism, gas permeable contacts and hybrid contact lenses.
  5. Consider disposable lenses. Disposable contacts reduce the accumulation of lens deposits that can cause discomfort and eye infections. Daily disposable lenses eliminate the need for contact lens solutions: You simply wear the lenses for one day, and then throw them away.
  6. Contact lenses for bifocal wearers. If you currently wear bifocals, consider multifocal contact lenses. Another option is monovision — a special type of contact lens fitting where one eye is optimized for distance vision and the other eye is fit with a lens that provides clear near vision. Both options reduce your need for reading glasses after age 40.
  7. Change your eye color. Colored contact lenses that can change your eye color are a fun option. These lenses can dramatically enhance your current eye color or completely change the color of your eyes.
  8. Special effect contact lenses. Special effect or theatrical contact lenses are great for Halloween and other occasions. These lenses — including gothic contact lenses that can make you look like a vampire — are available with or without corrective power for nearsightedness or farsightedness.
  9. Choosing where to buy contacts. After you have undergone a contact lens fitting and received a copy of your prescription for contacts, you can purchase lenses from many sources. When choosing where to buy contact lenses, don't use only price to guide your decision.
  10. Buying contact lenses online. If you choose to buy contact lenses online, be sure to choose a reputable supplier who can fill your order as promised, on time and without problems.

For more information about eyewear and eye care, visit AllAboutVision.com.