Some people who wear glasses to correct their vision want to switch to contact lenses in order to achieve a different look. However, not everyone can wear contacts because of the unique shape of their corneas. If you want to switch to contacts, you should discuss it with an ophthalmologist to see if this is an option for you.
Are Contacts Right for You?
Contacts can be worn to correct most vision problems, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and age-related vision changes, which are known as presbyopia. They can be worn by people of any age, but if you are considering them for your child, it will depend on their responsibility level. Wearing contacts incorrectly can result in damage to the eye, and mistakenly losing contacts can be expensive.
Many people only wear contacts when they do certain activities or they switch back and forth between contacts and glasses as needed. If you participate in outdoor activities, you might want to wear contacts so you can wear nonprescription sunglasses. Contacts are also helpful for people who participate in sports where they have the chance to lose or break their glasses. Some of these activities may include golf, skiing, target shooting, or playing basketball.
Wearing Contact Lenses
If you want to get contact lenses in Grand Rapids, an ophthalmologist will examine your eyes to make sure you don’t have any issues that might prevent you from wearing them. Then, the doctor will test your eyes so they have an accurate measurement in order to correct your vision. Your lenses can usually be fitted the same day if the doctor sells contacts from their office.
After they have shown you how to put them in and how to care for your contacts you can start wearing them, but it can take up to a week for your eyes to adapt to them. You should only wear them for two to four hours on your first day in order to help your eyes get adjusted to wearing them. Then, each day, you can gradually lengthen the time you wear them by a couple of hours until, by the end of the week, you are wearing them most of the day.
There are certain times you should not wear your contacts, even if you have been wearing them for a long time. Before you put them in for the day, if you notice your eyes are red, if they feel irritated, or if you have pain in your eyes, do not wear them. If the pain, irritation, or redness last for more than a few hours, you should contact your eye doctor and make an appointment to see them right away.
Contact lenses are convenient for many people, especially if glasses get in their way. However, they must be worn correctly in order to avoid eye complications.
