Contact lens sales and fitting are theoretically regulated in Canada and yet they are now readily available online. So why should you see a licensed optometrist or optician for your contact lenses?
Firstly, a full eye exam every year or two is important to make sure that your eyes are healthy and your prescription is up to date.
Next, an initial contact lens fitting is extremely important to make sure your vision is optimal and the lenses fit you properly. Regular spherical soft contact lenses often work for easy prescriptions, however astigmatism, presbyopia (“over 40” near vision issues) and certain health conditions require special lenses. Some children and teens also require myopia controlling contact lenses to slow down prescription changes. Also, glasses prescriptions must be translated into contact lens prescriptions as the numbers are not interchangeable.
The lens fit is very important, as flat corneas require flat lenses and steep corneas require steep lenses. A too steep contact lens on a flat cornea can cause eye pain and inflammation. A too flat contact lens on a steep cornea can be uncomfortable as the excessive movement can cause the lens to decenter or even fall out.
Now once you have clear vision and properly fitting contact lenses, you may be tempted to just keep ordering contact lenses online from the same prescription. Prescriptions do change however, and there are often newer and improved lenses available over time. As well, your eye health can change. So at Pierce Family Vision we recommend our contact lens wearers be seen yearly to make sure your vision and eye health are optimal with contact lens wear. And with respect to eye safety, remember to change contact lenses and solutions regularly according to the wear schedule and never wear lenses in a hot tub or during an illness or eye infection.
In conclusion, we do not advise purchasing contact lenses through online retailers for the reasons above. But if you like the convenience of ordering contact lenses online, Pierce Family Vision now has an online store where you can order lenses and we will ensure the prescription is correct and up to date and that they have been properly fitted. The best of both worlds! We always do our best to keep our contact lens prices in line with the online ordering sites and will happily provide a no obligation quote and help you to obtain all manufacturer rebates.
So feel free to make an appointment with one of our optometrists today to make sure you have the best contact lenses for clear vision and healthy eyes.
