Your Eye Health & Contact Lenses
Whether you are considering contact lenses to be free of heavy or bothersome glasses, for sports and recreation, or just for looks you've made the right choice by contacting La Verne Optometry. Our clinical team is dedicated to fulfilling your contact lens expectations. We take pride in providing our patients with the most advanced contact lens analysis and design techniques to ensure a lifetime of healthy vision and comfortable lens wear.
Because contact lenses are a medical device regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, it is imperative that we focus our design and follow-up care to promote excellent corneal health of our contact lens wearing patients. Did you know the cornea is the only tissue in the body that receives oxygen directly from the atmosphere?
This is a little known fact to most patients, but the most important factor in long term success with contact lenses. The amount of oxygen that gets to the cornea is reduced by wearing contact lenses, and in some cases can result in irreversible corneal damage. Early changes rarely cause pain or visual disturbance and can only be diagnosed when viewed microscopically.
Your Contact Lens Design and Follow-up Schedule
Once a comprehensive eye examination has been accomplished, and the doctor is convinced that your eyes are in excellent health, and you are a good candidate for contact lens wear-design services begin. In many cases we can perform the design services on the same day. For more complex prescriptions and specialty lenses it may be necessary to have you return on another day for this service.
All new contact lens patients are seen for a minimum of 2 or 3 office visits following the initial design and evaluation appointment. A careful corneal health check is performed at each follow-up visit, and then once annually after successful lens wear has been established.
Your Prescription and Contact Lenses
With today's advanced technology most prescriptions are available in contact lenses- from nearsighted and farsighted corrections to astigmatism and bifocals. While lenses can be made in nearly all prescriptions, not every patient has the necessary corneal attributes to sustain comfortable lens wear. You will find that the clinical staff at La Verne Optometry has a "can do" attitude when it comes to complicated prescriptions. If your motivation to wear lenses matches our willingness to go the extra mile in contact lens design, we can't help but succeed.
When You've Been Told Previously That you Can't Wear Contacts
Unless there is a medical diagnosis that prevents a patient from wearing contact lenses, it's unlikely that you won't be able to wear contact lenses. All too often we meet patients who have been told for years that they can't wear contacts, and we usually find that these patients simply have a more complex prescription.
This complexity means you probably can't wear the lenses available "just off the shelf". Success can usually be achieved with a specialty lens design or custom product. At La Verne Optometry we cater to the needs of anyone interested in wearing contact lenses, and will work diligently so that you might enjoy the benefits of a glasses free world. We carry a diverse inventory of diagnostic lenses and never hesitate to special order a lens we may not have on hand.
The Lens That's Right for You
Since there are so many lenses available, your final lens will be designed by the doctor after evaluating the health of your eyes and assessing your lifestyle needs in detail. You may want to consider options such as overnight wear, tinted lenses to change your eye color, or lenses you wear for a day and throw away.
Are There Risks with Contacts?
The most common complications with contact lenses include corneal changes due to hypoxia (low oxygen), higher incidence of eye infections, and allergic reactions. Most of these complications are the result of:
- Over wearing contact lenses
- Poor cleaning habits
- Ignoring potential warning signs, such as discomfort, redness, itching or light sensitivity
Each of these is related to your willingness to take care of your eyes and lenses as instructed. Disinfect your lenses daily, do not exceed the recommended wearing schedule, and remove the lenses and call La Verne Optometry at the first sign of a problem. Clearly, you can see that unless there is a medical reason to prevent it, anyone motivated to do so can try contact lenses.
If your chances of success seem low the doctor will tell you that up front and you can decide if you would still like to proceed. If you are concerned you might not like the feel of contacts in your eyes, don't worry ? there is no obligation to proceed. In fact, we will be happy to put a pair of lenses in your eyes for a "test drive" so that you can make a more informed decision.
Guaranteed Success Program
We are so confident you will love contact lenses we will buy back the materials within 30 days of your dispensing visit if you are not completely delighted. Guarantee does not apply to disposable lens products.
We know there is a difference in contact lens care and follow-up. We are committed to offering our patients the highest quality services in a friendly and caring atmosphere. We invite you to join our family of patients soon and experience the difference.
If you have any questions regarding the contact lens information provided on our website please call our office or send us an email.
