Frequently Asked Questions
The most common questions about contact lenses
1. At what
age can I start wearing contact lenses?
Contact lens wear is not
limited by age. Contact lenses are worn by children as well as people of
advanced age. You just need to learn how to insert and remove them. Good hygiene
and proper care of contact lenses are equally important.
2. Is
there any difference between the right and the left contact lens?
There is no difference between the right and the left lens. You can buy one
box of contact lenses and use them for both eyes as long they have the same
prescription parameters.
3. I already know the grade (strength)
of my glasses, can I use the same grade for my contact lenses?
Glasses grade will not be the same as contact lens grade in most cases –
especially with high grades. Contact lenses are closer to the eye than glasses,
which leads to a grade change. There is another equally important parameter you
need for wearing contact lenses – the curve of the cornea. The curve of the
lens has to be the same as the curve of your cornea. An eye care professional
(optometrist or contact lens specialist) will determine your curve parameter and
the grade that is best for you.
4. Can coloured contact lenses
affect your colour vision?
The human eye can see the world
through the black pupil in the centre of the colourful iris. Coloured contact
lenses are clear in the centre therefore they only modify the colour of the
iris. Your vision thus remains unchanged. However, it is possible that your
vision will be slightly affected in low-light conditions when your pupil
dilates. The clear part of the coloured lenses is preset by the manufacturer in
such a way that it fits the vast majority of users.
5. Can
contact lenses fall out of your eyes?
If you have made the right
choice (base curve) and insert/remove the contact lenses correctly, they should
stay in place. In rare cases when the lens slides from its position, it will
stay on your eye until you shift it back in place.
6. How to take
care of contact lenses?
Contact lens care is very easy and does
not involve much effort. The care of today’s soft reusable contact lenses
requires just one type of solution for cleaning, rinsing and storage.
Before storing the lens in the solution, it is recommended to rub the lens
gently with your fingertip. It will help to remove the deposits. Daily
disposable contact lenses (all types) do not require any cleaning. You simply
throw them away at the end of the day.
7. How many days does one
box of contact lenses last?
The number of lenses in the package
does not indicate a number of pairs. If you have the same prescription for both
eyes the boxes last as follows: one box of 30 daily disposable contact lenses
will last 15 days one box of 6 monthly contact lenses will last 3 months
8. Allergy and contact lenses: is it a problem?
Seasonal
allergy will not prevent you from wearing contact lenses provided that you take
proper care of them. Reduce the wearing time. Consult a contact lens specialist
about the best cleaning solution type for the period when your allergy is
severe. In the period when your allergy is severe, try to use daily disposable
contact lenses. Various studies have confirmed that you can manage your allergy
symptoms better with daily disposable contacts.
9. Can I swim
wearing my contact lenses?
Swimming in contact lenses (in the
sea, rivers, lakes or swimming pools) poses a real risk to the health of your
eyes. Contact lenses should not even be exposed to tap water. If you open your
eyes under water, remove the lenses within 10–15 minutes and do not use them
again. Sea water can cause the lenses to stick to the cornea.
10.
Is it safe to buy contact lenses through the Internet?
Just like
in other areas, you can encounter an unreliable company in the contact lens
business too. You can either receive products that are not intended for the
market in your country, products that are about to expire or the delivery may
take much longer than claimed. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a stable and
well-known Internet seller when buying contact lenses. It will suffice just to
have a look around the seller’s website and you will find out easily whether
the seller is reliable or not.
11. Should I apply eye drops
before or after inserting the contact lenses?
Eye drops use is
not in any way dependent on contact lens use. You can use eye drops even when
you do not wear contact lenses. The reason being that eye drops are in fact
“artificial tears” which lubricate and protect your eyes.
It is
recommended for contact lens wearers to apply highly viscous eye drops before
inserting the contact lenses. It will enable the eye drops to spread throughout
the eye. With non-viscous eye drops, the application is possible after insertion
of contact lenses as well.