If you’re considering contact lenses or are due for your annual lens update, a contact lens exam is an essential step in protecting your eye health and ensuring clear, comfortable vision.

At Downtown Vision, our contact lens exams go beyond a standard eye exam to evaluate your overall eye health, measure your eyes precisely, and determine the best lenses for your unique needs.

What Is a Contact Lens Exam?

A contact lens exam is a specialized evaluation designed specifically for patients who wear or want to wear contact lenses. While it includes many components of a routine comprehensive eye exam, it also involves additional measurements and assessments to ensure your lenses fit properly and support long-term eye health.

Unlike glasses, contact lenses sit directly on the surface of your eyes. This means they must be carefully selected and fitted to match the exact shape and condition of your cornea and tear film. Even small differences in fit can affect comfort, clarity, and eye health.

blonde lady getting her eyes checked by a brunette female doctor

Comprehensive Eye Health Evaluation

Before prescribing contact lenses, we perform a thorough evaluation of your overall eye health. This includes:

Checking your visual acuity and updating your prescription
Assessing eye alignment and focusing ability
Screening for common eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts
Examining the internal and external structures of the eye

This step ensures your eyes are healthy enough for contact lens wear and helps us detect any underlying issues that may need attention.

Corneal Measurements

The corneaplays a crucial role in how contact lenses fit and function.During your exam, we take precise corneal measurements using advanced technology.

These measurements help determine:

The curvature of your cornea
The appropriate lens base curve
The correct lens diameter

Accurate corneal measurements are essential for achieving optimal comfort, proper oxygen flow, and stable vision. A poorly fitting lens can cause irritation, redness, or even long-term damage, which is why this step is so important.

older male getting an eye test done with an eye exam machine

Tear Film Analysis

Your tear film is responsible for keeping your eyes moist, nourished, and comfortable. Because contact lenses rest on the tear film, its quality directly impacts how well your lenses perform.

We evaluate your tear production and tear film stability to determine:

If your eyes produce enough moisture
Whether you’re at risk for dry eye symptoms
Which lens materials may work best for you

If signs of dry eye are present, we may recommend specific lens types or treatment options to improve comfort and ensure successful contact lens wear.

Contact Lens Fitting and Trial Lenses

After gathering all necessary measurements, we select lenses tailored to your prescription, eye shape, and lifestyle. You’ll be fitted with trial lenses so we can assess:

Lens positioning and movement on the eye
Overall comfort
Visual clarity and stability

You’ll have the opportunity to wear the trial lenses in-office so we can confirm they provide sharp vision and feel comfortable before finalizing your prescription. In some cases, follow-up visits may be scheduled to ensure the lenses continue to perform well after extended wear

Education on Lens Care and Wear

Proper care and handling are critical for maintaining healthy eyes while wearing contacts. At Downtown

Vision, we take time to educate you on:
Safe insertion and removal techniques
Proper cleaning and disinfecting procedures
Recommended replacement schedules
Signs of irritation or infection to watch for
When to remove lenses and seek professional care

Following these guidelines reduces your risk of complications such as infections, corneal ulcers, and inflammation

Why Annual Contact Lens Exams Are Important

Even if your vision feels stable, annual contact lens exams are essential. Your eyes can change over time, and wearing outdated prescriptions or ill-fitting lenses can lead to discomfort and health concerns.

Regular exams allow us to:

Monitor changes in your prescription
Ensure continued proper lens fit
Detect early signs of complications

Keep your eyes healthy for long-term contact lens wear

Schedule Your Contact Lens Exam Today

Contact lenses offer freedom and convenience, but they require careful fitting and ongoing monitoring to ensure they remain safe and effective. A comprehensive contact lens exam at Downtown Vision includes detailed measurements, a full eye health evaluation, tear film analysis, personalized fitting, and thorough education on lens care.

If you’re ready to explore contact lenses or need to update your current prescription, schedule your contact lens exam at Downtown Vision today.

What are the Benefits of a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

Comprehensive eye exams evaluate all aspects of your vision and eye health.

The comprehensive eye exam looks at your eye externally and internally for any signs of eye disease, then tests your vision in a variety of ways.

External Exam – This is an evaluation of the whites of your eyes, the iris, pupil, eyelids, and eyelashes.
Internal Exam – This is an evaluation of the retina and optic nerve while your eyes are dilated.
Visual Function and Eye Health – This includes testing depth perception, color vision, peripheral vision, and the response of the pupils to light, as well as an evaluation of eye focusing, eye teaming, and eye movement abilities.
Glaucoma Testing – This is a test of fluid pressure within your eyes to check for the possibility of glaucoma.
Visual Acuity – Your doctor will test your vision with different lenses to determine if glasses or contact lenses can improve your vision.

Comprehensive eye exams look at your total health history.

Even though you visit a separate office for your eye health, that doesn’t mean your eyes shouldn’t be treated holistically. Your eye doctor will discuss your overall health and that of your immediate family, any medications you’re taking, and whether you have high blood pressure or diabetes. They’ll also want to know if you smoke and how much sun exposure you get. All these factors help the eye doctor properly assess your eye health.

The American Optometric Association recommends an eye exam every two years if you aren’t having any problems and you’re aged 18-60. After the age of 61, you should schedule a comprehensive exam annually or as recommended by your eye doctor.