For many people, contact lenses provide comfortable and precise vision correction. Removable lens options provide adults and teenagers with low-maintenance and natural0looking control over their vision. Contact lenses are always improving, making them more economical and practical for more people.
However, new contact lenses can be a significant change, especially if your patient is using them for the first time. Just like any other eyewear change, contact lenses are designed to fit perfectly in the eye. However, it may take some time for your patient to get accustomed to having something very close to their eye as well as getting the right fit.
Here are some insights and assessments to determine if a contact lens fits well for your patient.
Stable Visual Acuity
Improving visual acuity is the main goal for contact lenses. Visual acuity should be crisp and stable, and the refraction ought to have a clear endpoint. Variations in acuity might indicate a poor lens fit. The sign of a good contact fit is that the patient's vision remains consistent throughout the day and does not fluctuate with the blink cycle. To test this, have the patient blink and then evaluate the lens on the eye. Here are some common indications that the contact lens is not a good fit:
- If their vision is better directly after the blink, the lens is too steep
- If their vision is worse after the blink, the lens is too flat
- If their vision is consistently poor throughout the blink cycle, this indicates either a very flat lens or the need for a power adjustment
- If their vision upon insertion is good but degrades with a few hours of wear time, this is typically a sign of dryness or a tight-fitting lens
- If the fit is good but vision fluctuates throughout the day, this is likely due to unstable rotation
Lens Awareness
If there is any discomfort when initially wearing the lens, it should subside within the first few minutes of wear time. Try rinsing our lenses with a multipurpose solution prior to insertion to cut down on any discomfort. Tight lenses, however, will be very comfortable at first and then become more uncomfortable over time. Patients may also report that their eyes feel itchy or dry. It’s also important to look out for conjunctival drag during the blink or push-up test.
Rotation
Rotation can also be an indication of a poor-fitting lens. Large amounts of unstable rotation coupled with excessive moments on the blink test indicates that the lens is too flat. Rotation can also be induced by a lens that is too tight. To determine if the lens is stable or too tight, manually push on the lids to rotate the lens out of position. If the lens stays in the new position and does not return to the original position, then the lens is too tight. Our toric markings are on the 3 and 9 o’clock spots to help with testing.
A well-fitting contact lens is essential for overall eye health and patient compliance. Be sure to remind your patients of a wear schedule. Even though contact lenses are comfortable, sticking to a scheduled wear time will maintain the longevity of the contact lenses. If you are having trouble with the fit, contact us to speak with one of our SpecialEyes experts.