You have been to your optician for your routine eye test and have been convinced by the multitude of benefits contact lenses offer! Hurray - Welcome to the club! But since you’re still new at this, you will be required to have a contact lens fitting. Here’s everything you need to know about the contact lens fitting to be fully prepared on the big day.
What to expect in a contact lens fitting
What happens in a contact lens fitting
What is a contact lens fitting?
The goal of a contact lens fitting is basically to make sure that you leave your optician with satisfaction and confidence on how to wear contacts, put them in, and remove them.
Contact lens types and contact lens wearing patterns
The contact lens fitting will also help you to decide the best wearing pattern for your lifestyle. What is a wearing pattern you may ask? A wearing pattern is the frequency of contact lenses renewal. The choice depends on your lifestyle, your budget, and can also be affected by your eye health. To learn more about all the types of contact lenses, take a look at our handy wearing pattern guide.
Wearing contact lenses for the first time can be demanding and take some adjustments - so if you are still unsure of your new contact lenses, there is no need to worry. You are usually given a trial period to familiarise yourself.
What to expect from a contact lens fitting
- First, the optician will ask some questions about your daily life and help to identify what types of lens will best fit your needs and lifestyle. They will also ask if you would like to wear contact lenses for aesthetic reasons, for example if you were interested in trying coloured contact lenses to enhance your natural eye colour.
- The fitting also features a measurement of your eyes. This important stage allows the optometrist to ensure your lenses fit perfectly and are as comfortable as they can be.
- The optician will also guide you through some important details you will need to have in mind when wearing contacts; including how to put lenses in, how to remove them and how to safely store and care for your contact lenses. The goal is to make sure you feel completely comfortable with your contact lenses and to give you confidence in wearing them everyday.
- You will then be asked to demonstrate how to insert and remove your lenses to ensure you feel happy and confident in doing so. At the time, this process may seem a lot to remember - but if it’s the case then don’t worry, we’ve got you covered and have put together some helpful and easy to follow how-to guides:
Our optician answers your contact lens fitting questions
Do I have to buy contact lenses in my appointment?
If you would still like some time to consider your contact lens options, then you are under no obligation to purchase immediately. We would suggest to research your options online beforehand and familiarize yourself with products and brands - most importantly costs. Checking other’s reviews can be extremely helpful. Ordering from an online optician also allows you to get your contacts at a cheaper price, and sometimes even faster.
Once you want to order contact lenses, some opticians give the possibility to sign up to direct debits. The direct debit seems appealing because it allows to settle a regular order that automatically renews your order before you run out of contact lenses. If you are a contact lens newbie we also highly recommend that you don't sign up to these schemes. It is important in your first few months of wearing lenses that you have the freedom to swap and change until you find the perfect lens for you. Everyone is different, and what works for someone may not work for you. Learn more about the pros and cons of direct debits on our helpful guide to direct debits.
Can I alternate between contacts and glasses?
Absolutely. Sometimes, it’s even a good choice to alternate, especially if you tend to experience migraines. It’s also recommended to keep a spare pair of glasses about the house just in case you run out of lenses, we’ve all been there!
What's the difference between glasses and contact lens prescriptions?
Prescriptions for contacts and for glasses are not the same. The reason for this is that the position of the lens on your eye is about 12 millimetres from your face with glasses whereas the contact lens is directly on your eye. Therefore, measurements and information such as base curve and diameters are different. Don’t hesitate to check our guide on how to read your prescription.
I tried a pair of lenses and it hurt, should I give up?
Your lenses shouldn't hurt your eyes, but sometimes they can cause discomfort. If you are experiencing discomfort from wearing lenses it can potentially be caused by bacteria that has come into contact with your lens. It could also be that your contact lens is out of date. If you are worried it could be one of these possibilities, replace the lens with a new one and you should hopefully feel more comfortable. Or sometimes, it could be something as simple as your lens being upside down. Check our guide here to learn how to tell if a lens is upside down.
For monthly wearers, it’s important to remember to thoroughly wash your hands when handling your lenses, to avoid bacteria contaminating the lens and keep eye drops and solution handy to rinse your eyes and contacts or even to change the lens. If it still hurts, don’t hesitate to get in contact with your optician.
Can I wear contact lenses no matter what my prescription is?
Nowadays, it’s very rare not to find a contact lens suited to your correction. If you’ve been told that your correction was too weak to wear contacts, it doesn’t mean that you should never wear any kind of contact lenses, coloured contact lenses for instance are available without correction.
What is your advice to first time wearers who are worried about putting in lenses for the first time?
Bear in mind that inserting and removing contact lenses for the first time can be a little daunting for everyone, all contact lenses wearers will tell you so. Make sure you have our How To Guides handy if you feel a little nervous. And more importantly, make sure you take your time and have patience - it does get easier.
Ordering my first contacts
Once you’ve discovered contact lenses are the best option for you and you’ve decided to give it a try, we offer great options online for you to fully take advantage of. Everything you need to know is explained on our website and our friendly customer service is here and want to help answer all your questions, Monday - Friday 8:00 - 21:00, and Saturday - Sunday 8:00 - 18:00, by mail at help@visiondirect.co.uk, telephone on 020 7768 5000 or on the online chat.
In addition to that, we store all the most popular brands and products you could find from your optician, at amazing prices and delivered in only 24h. We are also number one in the Trustpilot contact lens category with a rating of 4.8/5. Don’t hesitate to take a look at our customer’s reviews.
