We understand a visit to the Opticians can make you feel uneasy. So whether you’re a teen feeling nervous about getting your first pair of contact lenses or you’re slightly older but you’re anxious, we’re here to help demystify the experience so you can walk in confidently and get a pair of contact lenses that give you the freedom and flexibility you’re looking for.
When you call an Optician to set up a contact lens fitting, you’re essentially asking for a longer appointment than your typical comprehensive test. That’s because you’ll get your eye health checked through a comprehensive eye test, and then you’ll also get evaluated and measured for contact lenses. Once your Eye Care Professional determines that contact lenses are right for you, you’ll receive some one-on-one instructions on how to put them on and take them off. This is why contact lens fittings cost more than a routine eye test – you’re getting a lot more!
Every Eye Care Professional has their own routine, but typically the tests follow a similar structure. In the next few sections, we’ll go over what could be included at every step.
The first thing you have to do when you check in is fill out paperwork. Some practices will allow you to fill it out electronically before you get there, but if not, grab a pen and take a seat. This is why it’s a good idea to get there ahead of time. Paperwork typically includes a medical and family history because many common diseases like diabetes and arthritis can have an impact on eye health and vision, and some diseases are hereditary.
When they call you back (this will likely be a technician, not the Eye Care Professional yet), the first thing they’ll usually do is take some initial measurements. This is called “pre-test” and it can include:
Did you know that a comprehensive eye test is good for more than just your eyes? The tests your Eye Care Professional performs can help detect over 270 systemic diseases. In this part of the appointment, your Eye Care Professional will test your vision, assess how your eyes work together, and evaluate the health of your eyes and retina. Let’s go over some of the elements.
During this part of the test, your Eye Care Professional will find out how much correction each eye needs. To do that, they’ll most commonly use a phoropter. You’ll be asked: “Which is better? Number one or number two,” because they’re cycling through different lens powers and seeing which one provides the sharpest vision. Your Eye Care Professional may also opt to use other tools like a retinoscope. A retinoscope shines a light into your eye, and depending on how the light reflects off the retina, the doctor can determine your prescription.
Another part of the appointment will test for abnormalities in the way your eyes function and/or move together. This is called binocular vision because your brain must take information from both your eyes to create one image. Because of that, it’s not just a test of your eye’s muscular function but also your neurological function. Your Eye Care Professional may test this by moving an object around in different directions and asking you to follow with your eyes.
In this part of the test, your Eye Care Professional will look at the external parts of your eyes like your eyelashes, cornea (the front surface of your eyes) and iris (the coloured part of your eye) with a special microscope called a slit lamp.
Your Eye Care Professional may want to dilate your pupil. This procedure allows them to better see through to the back of the eye and evaluate the health of your retina and optic nerve.
There are different contact lenses for different needs (daily disposables vs. reusables, lenses for astigmatism and for presbyopia, etc) which your Eye Care Professional will take into consideration depending on your lifestyle and prescription needs, so they’ll ask questions about how you want to use your contact lenses.
Glasses and contact lenses are different for more than just the obvious reasons. The prescription will be different because the contact lens must sit on your eye, and the curvature of your eye is unique to you. So, in addition to the testing from the comprehensive eye test, your Eye Care Professional may:
Your Eye Care Professional will have some recommendations based on the tests, your prescription and your lifestyle, and you’ll try them on to see how they feel, fit, and improve your vision. Your Eye Care Professional will verify that the contact lenses fit well on your eye, that they move when you blink, and that they cover your cornea completely. If you have lenses that correct your astigmatism, the Optician will check to make sure that the lenses are positioned correctly on the eye. The prescription in the contact lenses will be checked using a vision chart and the phoropter, asking you once again, “Number one or number two?” If any change in the prescription is needed, they will make that change before you leave the clinic.
Even when you go home with your free trial, don’t worry if you end up with more questions. That’s what the follow-up is for. Typically, you’ll go back to the Eye Care Professional in a few days or weeks to check in and make sure the lenses are right for you. It’s then that you’ll get your official prescription and can order your full supply of contact lenses. If the lenses aren’t right for you, don’t worry, your Eye Care Professional will be able to trial you with a different contact lens. If at any point you experience pain, redness, or blurry vision during your trail, stop wearing them and contact your Optician.
Life with contact lenses can be a game-changer for many. If you’re active, you don’t have to worry about glasses falling off. If you like a more natural look, you can now go out without glasses covering up part of your face. And you get a full field of unobstructed vision, to enjoy the world around you.
Hopefully, this helps take some of the nerves out of going to get your contact lenses. We hope you find some ACUVUE® contact lenses that you love and enjoy seeing the beauty of the world around you.
Giovanna E. Olivares, OD, FAAO is the Global Director, Specialty Platforms Research & Development, at Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (JJVC). In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the strategy, design, and development of new products to support the company’s global Astigmatism and Presbyopia platforms. In 2017 under her leadership, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, launched ACUVUE® OASYS 1-Day with HydroLuxe® for ASTIGMATISM and ACUVUE® VITA® for ASTIGMATISM to meet our patients’ needs. In 2021, her team launched ACUVUE® OASYS MULTIFOCAL with PUPIL OPTIMIZED® design. Recently in September 2022, she launched ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day MULTIFOCAL for presbyopia patients.
Consult your Eye Care Professional for more information. Johnson & Johnson does not provide medical advice; this information is for educational purposes only.
*T&Cs apply: 1 trial per person. 18+. Professional consultation and fitting fees may apply and are not included. Subject to Optician approval. Participating Opticians only. See full terms and conditions.
Important Information for contact lens wearers: ACUVUE® Contact Lenses can be used for vision correction. An Eye Care Professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and instructions on proper lens care. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, any eye disease or systemic disease that may affect the eye, or if you are allergic to any ingredients. If you experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems, remove the lens and contact your Eye Care Professional immediately. For detailed information on proper wear, care, warnings and precautions, talk to your Eye Care Professional and carefully read the Instructions for Use available on the Johnson & Johnson website https://www.e-ifu.com/
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