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What Exactly Is A Contact Lens Exam?

What Exactly Is A Contact Lens Exam?
Many people opt to wear contacts instead of or in addition to eyeglasses, and it’s good to know that all manner of eye exams can be covered by a good vision insurance policy. But the question comes up, “What exactly is a contact lens exam and how does it differ from other eye examinations?” Many aren’t sure whether or not a contact lens exam is still necessary if you already have had a comprehensive eye exam – but in fact, the two are not identical.
Contact Lens Exams VS Comprehensive Eye Exams
A comprehensive eye examination is key to your ongoing eye health and should be conducted at least once a year. Vision insurance will pay for all or a large part of this exam, which is common knowledge. But many vision policies may also pay for exams specifically focused on eyeglasses or contact lenses.

During a “regular” eye exam, your overall eye health is in view. You will be checked for various eye conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and glaucoma. You will also be tested for conditions like diabetes or hypertension that can affect your vision (among other things).

A comprehensive exam investigates vision quality, eye strength, eye coordination, fluid pressure on the eyes, and more. It may also check to see what type of vision correction you need through eyeglasses, if applicable, but a contact lens exam is different. It specifically and thoroughly examines what type of contacts will work best for you.

How A Contact Lens Exam Works
A comprehensive eye examination and an eyeglass prescription may lay the foundation for a contact lens exam, but they cannot be a substitute for one. During a contact exam, your eye doctor will ensure that your contacts fit properly without risking damage to your eyes and evaluate your vision with the contacts.

The doctor will first of all precisely measure the size and shape of your eye surfaces to find which size/type of contacts will work. He or she will also test your “tear film” to figure out if your eyes have enough moisture on them to wear contacts without unacceptable levels of discomfort.

A contact lens prescription differs from an eyeglass prescription in that glasses are at a distance of 12 mm or so from your eye surface, while contacts sit directly on that surface. This can affect the precise way the lenses are made to adjust your vision to its optimal setting.

Additionally, following your contact lens exam, you will need to decide on either disposable or extended-wear contacts (or both), decide if you want contacts that change your eye color, that give you extra UV light protection, or that offer various other special features.

Your eye doctor will generally give you a trial pair of contacts to try out for a few days. Then, you may need a follow up contact lens exam to make any necessary adjustment and finalize your contact lens decisions.

If you wear contacts presently or would like to in the near future, be sure to choose a vision insurance policy that covers not only comprehensive eye exams but also contact lens exams.
For more information on how vision insurance can pay for contacts, contact lens exams, and other eye care expenses, talk to the experienced vision insurance agents at Flagler County (FL) Insurance Agency today!