Contact Lenses Specialist

What are contact lenses?

Contact lenses are ultra-thin discs that cover the iris and pupil parts of your eyes. The main reason for wearing contact lenses is vision correction. Contact lenses help you to see clearly, including both central and peripheral (side) vision.  

Just like glasses, contacts can correct nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism, and presbyopia. 

What type of contact lenses are available?

The majority of today's contact lenses are very soft and comfortable in your eyes. High-tech plastic materials like silicone hydrogel have a high water content, so they’re soft and pliable. Oxygen passes through silicone hydrogel lenses to nourish your eyes and keep them healthy. 

The exact water content of your lenses can range from approximately 40-80%. If you have dry eyes, you'll usually need a higher water content lens. 

There are also rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, which are hard. RGP lenses are less popular than soft ones, but they offer very clear vision. Today, RGP lenses are usually limited to people who need myopia control or refractive therapy (reshaping corneas). 

You can choose from lenses that you throw away every night or contacts that you wear for 7-30 days at a time before disposal. There are also lenses that you wear all day and then remove overnight.

Should I get contact lenses or eyeglasses?

Contact lenses and eyeglasses are both good ways to correct your vision. Contacts could be a good choice if you're looking for any of the following: 

• Improved peripheral vision
• Lenses to wear during sports
• Temporary eye color change (colored contact lenses)
• Lenses that don't fog up

Contacts can also be a good option if you'd like to go without glasses for appearance reasons. For example, if you want to show off your eyes to maximum effect, contacts could be a good way to do so. 

Some of your reasons to wear contacts may only occur occasionally. For example, maybe you prefer glasses but can't wear them on the football field. In situations like this, Eyes On Park may recommend choosing a pair of eyeglasses as your primary vision correction, with disposable contacts as your back-ups. 

How do I get new contact lenses?

A comprehensive eye exam at Eyes On Park is the best way to get new contact lenses that fit your needs. In addition to the standard refractive exam to determine your prescription, you'll have a special cornea measurement test to determine the type of lenses that will fit your eyes the best. 

There are a wide range of contact lens diameters and curvatures available, and one of them will fit your eyes perfectly. 

Call the Eyes On Park office or click the online scheduler to book your contact lens exam now.