Eyesight is by far the most important sense that we as humans have. It is said that over 80% of our sensory impressions are registered with our eyes, meaning sight is much more important than, smell, hearing, speaking, or even touch. Since that is the case, we have to do all in our power to protect our eyes and our sight so that we can live a better and more enjoyable life.
However, many people experience problems with their eyesight and cannot rely on their vision to guide them through life. Short-sightedness and long-sightedness are extremely common and they have been for decades, centuries even. Sometimes it is genetics to blame, and sometimes it is the bad life habits and choices that are the cause. In any case, though, there are ways to still be able to see things properly.
The Problem of Glasses
Glasses have been the go-to solution for people who experience these common sight problems for a very long time. They work, they are proven to help, and they have become quite affordable. The materials and all the ophthalmologist check-ups are no longer a luxury which is a great thing for people. However, people dislike glasses for many reasons as they are not really the best option for many reasons.
First of all, they limit the area through which you can see properly as you still have room to the sides of the glass that is not covered. You cannot use them properly when doing sports or swimming. The limitations do not stop there and there are problems when a need for other glasses or googles arises. Many people also dislike how they look with glasses and do not appreciate always having to wear an apparatus on their face.
To combat this as well as to offer a different solution to patients, contact lenses were developed. They have rapidly taken over the market and are now much more affordable and widespread than before. While they are still a bigger investment than glasses and although they require more care and maintenance, they lack the downsides that glasses have. In this article we talk about contact lenses, particularly the prescription and fitting. Read on to learn more about this.
About Contact Lenses
Contact lenses offer a comfortable and convenient way to accomplish crystal clear vision. They go over the eye and offer a great fit, albeit one that needs some getting used to. It becomes second nature after a few wears but it must be said that it can feel itchy and irritating the first time around. Before you decide to become a contact lens wearer, there are some things you need to know. For all the benefits of purchasing and wearing contact lenses, make sure to check out www.contactlenses.co.uk.
There are several things involved in buying contact lenses, such as contact lens exams, choosing the right contacts that suit your eyes and lifestyle, and caring for the contacts. In this article, you will learn about contact lens prescription and fitting.
Prescription and Fitting
Before you decide to purchase contact lenses, you need to get an up-to-date contact lens prescription. Your doctor can provide this and when you have it any contact lens supplier can get it filled. It does not matter where you get the lens and the accompanying equipment.
However, it is a good idea to have your eye examination and contacts fitted by the same eye care expert. In most cases, a contact lens eye examination can include several things.
Your eye doctor can examine your vision by utilizing an eye chart. This helps the eye doctor to check if you are experiencing refractive errors like farsightedness or near-sightedness. It is basically the same test you go through before getting glasses.
The eye doctor can also do various tests to ensure that your eyes are healthy as well as determine if the contacts are suitable for you. The doctor can also ask about your contact lens preference and lifestyle to figure out the type of contact lenses to prescribe. If you are looking for lenses compatible with Oakley sunglasses, Seek Optics offers a collection specifically designed for Oakley frames. Find the perfect lenses to enhance your Oakley sunglasses and enjoy optimal visual clarity and performance.
Your eye doctor can also measure your pupil, iris, and cornea to fit you with contacts. They can also examine your eyes to see if they are dry, which can sometimes be worsened by contact lenses or you may need specialty contacts for dry eyes. Eye drops and artificial tears are the usual remedies for this and they feel quite soothing when you use them.
The eye doctor can then offer you a pair of trial contact lenses and may utilize a slit lamp to view the surface of your eyes and check the lens fit. Lastly, the doctor may need you to visit them again to ensure the contact lenses are comfortable and fit well. At this point, the eye doctor can decide to prescribe you a contact lens.
There is a good chance that you may have to try a couple of styles and brands of contacts before you can find the right fit for you. This is especially true if you have a complex prescription, i.e. your sight is a combination of short-sightedness and long-sightedness in both eyes.
Contact Lens Materials
Contact lenses are made of a variety of materials, but this depends on the type of contact. You can find three major types of contacts, which are gas-permeable contact lenses, soft contact lenses, and hybrid contact lenses. Back in the day, there were also hard contact lenses, but they are not used anymore.
Soft contact lenses are usually more breathable and comfortable while gas contact lenses can provide crisper and clear vision. On the other hand, hybrid contact lenses can be found as soft contact lenses. You will most likely get soft ones for the first time because they are the most common.
Most contact lenses are usually made up of hydrogel which is gel-like and soft plastic combined with silicone. Silicone allows more oxygen to reach your cornea to help keep your eyes healthy. Gas permeable contacts are made up of fluoro-silicone acrylate which is a hard polymer that allows oxygen to reach your eyes. This helps to keep the surface of contact. Hybrid contacts are produced by combining these two materials.