Contact Lens Fittings
All You Need to Know
If you’re looking for more versatility in your everyday eyewear or are just tired of wearing glasses, contacts are an excellent alternative. While contacts can be used as a primary source of vision correction, some patients utilize them as a secondary for special occasions, sports, or even weekends. Our doctors want you to be comfortable and still have flexibility in your busy schedules. If you’re interested in wearing contact lenses, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with one of your doctors to begin the process.
Here at Art of Optiks, we prioritize providing you with optimal contact lens consultations and fitting services. Our doctors will get to know you and your eyes to ensure that contacts are the right choice for your lifestyle. With our combined years of service, we will provide you with an informative, comfortable experience to meet all of your contact lens needs.
Contact Lens Consultation
Our doctors are aware that the contact lens industry continually develops innovations to improve comfort, convenience, and accessibility for contact wearers. We need to determine whether you’re a good candidate for wearing contacts, and there are many factors to consider.
Our doctors will inquire about your lifestyle and health considerations that could impact the type of contacts that best suit your unique needs. There are certain eye conditions such as astigmatism and dry eye syndrome that can make wearing contacts difficult, and our doctors will thoroughly evaluate your vision needs to make sure contacts are right for you. Some of the lenses offered at our practice are:
- Daily Disposables
- Monthly Disposables
- Toric Lenses for Astigmatism
- Multifocals
- Monovision
- Toric Multifocals
- Scleral Lenses
- Ortho-Keratology
- RGPs
- Hybrid Lenses
Accompanied by our contact lens consultation is a one-on-one class to help you feel comfortable with contacts. We know making the transition from glasses to contacts can be intimidating, and if contacts are entirely new to you, it can be uncomfortable. Our skilled technicians can teach you proper insertion and removal procedures to ease your hesitations and build confidence.
Dry Eye
Dry eye is a condition that is more common than you may think. This condition occurs when your eyes aren’t getting adequate lubrication from your tears. Common symptoms of dry eye include:
- Stinging and Burning
- Blurred Vision
- Scratchy or Gritty Feeling
- Redness or Irritation
Some may feel that their success in contacts is limited by their dryness. We are here with solutions tailored just for you! Not only will we use the very best technology to combat your dryness, but our doctors actually have contacts to treat dry eye disease!
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is very common and refers to the irregular shape of the front surface of the eye. This irregular curvature causes improper refraction or bending of light rays. Common symptoms of astigmatism include:
- Blurry or Distorted Vision
- Eyestrain
- Headaches
- Squinting or Discomfort
Individuals experiencing mild to moderate astigmatism can usually find relief with eyeglasses or contact lenses as the correction compensates for uneven curves in your cornea and lens. If you’re noticing any of these symptoms, our doctors can conduct a comprehensive eye exam to determine further if you have astigmatism.
Contact Lens Fitting
Your eyes are unique to you, and it is the goal of our doctors to pair you with comfortable contact lenses. Before a patient can be fitted with contact lenses, it’s suggested to schedule a comprehensive eye exam to verify your eyes are healthy for contact lens wear and to make sure no underlying conditions exist that could prevent you from contact lens use. During this appointment, our doctors will help you learn how to put your contacts in, let you try them to make sure they’re comfortable for you, and determine whether the type they’ve chosen is the right fit for your lifestyle. During your appointment, our doctors will take various measurements of your eyes to ensure the lens selected has all the right angles and curvature to fit the unique shape of your eyes.
- Corneal Curvature
- Pupil Size
- Tear Film Evaluation
It is our goal to provide you with an excellent contact lens experience to ensure your contact lenses fit properly and comfortably. We offer a variety of types, materials, sizes, and colors of contact lenses for our patients. During your contact lens fitting appointment, it’s encouraged to bring up any questions you may have, and if there are any contact brands, you’re interested in trying.
Learning to Use Contacts
We recommend that first-time contact wearers go through a contact lens fitting process, so you and our doctors feel comfortable with your prescription. Many patients require one fitting session, but there are situations when multiple appointments are necessary. Our doctors will provide you with personalized care instructions crafted to your unique needs regarding your contact lenses. Throughout your appointment, the following contact lens care guidelines and tips will be discussed:
- Lens Cleaning
- Correct Insertion and Removal Procedures
- General Instructions
- Possible Abnormal Symptoms
- Cleaning Solutions
- Rewetting Drops
Deciding to wear contact lenses can be a big transition from glasses, and our doctors want to make sure you have all the necessary information to aid your utmost comfort. We’re available to answer any additional questions or concerns you may have while you’re getting used to your new contact lenses.
Follow-Up Exams
After determining the correct prescription for you, you’ll be on your way to getting used to your new contact lenses. Our doctors may recommend scheduling a follow-up appointment to verify that your contact lenses are fitting correctly, and your eyes are adjusting well. We want the contact lenses we’ve chosen for you to be comfortable and provide you with the best possible vision. Scheduling a follow-up appointment and annual contact lens exams will help us stay up to date with your eye health. If you do experience discomfort or dryness in your eyes, it’s encouraged to contact our doctors as soon as possible. This occurrence is often a sign that our doctors need to choose a different contact lens or disinfecting solution. Regardless, we’re here for you.
Locations & Doctors
We have brought together an outstanding team of doctors that work together to provide each patient, child, or adult, with optical expertise and care that cannot be compared. Our award-winning doctors cultivate lifelong relationships with every patient by maintaining clear communication and transparency. We guarantee that every patient’s experience will be unique to their optical needs and be incredibly educational. With precision and convenience, Art of Optiks assures your visit will be unique to you.
Our affiliate, Twin Cities Vision Therapy, is located at our Edina location with Dr. Whitman overseeing the Vision Therapy program. She is an outstanding professional that enjoys making a difference in the lives of her patients, both young and old. She specializes in working with children and patients with special needs but is eager to see patients of any age for routine eye care, contact lenses, and disease management. Art of Optiks currently has two locations that provide a variety of services we encourage you to explore. Our doctors, Timothy Haupert and Victoria Whitman, are located at offices in Wayzata and Edina, Minnesota..