Get to know corrective options for presbyopia

It's not uncommon to ask an Eye Care Professional if you can wear contact lenses after LASIK. LASIK surgery permanently alters the shape of your eye but doesn't always provide completely clear vision. For instance, it doesn't prevent presbyopia (the normal ageing of your eye that makes it hard to see up close) so you may still need vision correction at some point. If your Eye Care Professional feels you need vision correction after LASIK surgery and that contact lenses are appropriate, ask them if ACUVUE^® contact lenses could be a good choice.

Contact lenses will always have an approved wear and replacement schedule. Following the recommended schedule can help keep your eyes healthy and avoid complications of overwear. The most common lengths of time you'll see will be daily disposables, two-week, and monthly. Daily disposable contact lenses cannot be re-used and need to be replaced daily and discarded or recycled after each use. Two-week and monthly lenses need to be disinfected after each use and then discarded or recycled after their approved length of wear.

As long as you follow your Eye Care Professional's guidance on the wear and care of your contact lenses, simply wearing them shouldn't be harmful to your eyes. However, not following care instructions from your Eye Care Professional can result in serious damage, including corneal abrasions, eye infections, and irritation.

You can use eye drops with contact lenses, but you need to ensure they're formulated specifically for use with your lenses, which should be clear on the packaging. Eye drops not meant for use with contact lenses may cause irritation or redness if they're used while wearing them. Always check the packaging and, if in doubt, get in touch with your Eye Care Professional.

First, check the bottle's label for the recommended number of drops to put in your eyes. Then, make sure to wash and dry your hands before touching your eyes. Tilt your head backwards, then use one hand to gently pull down your lower eyelid. Take the eye drop bottle in the other hand and hold it with the nozzle pointing downward towards the eye. Do not touch the bottle tip to the eyelid. Instead, gently squeeze the bottle until a drop comes out.

Yes, you should still have a pair of glasses even if you choose to get contact lenses so that you have the opportunity to switch between one or the other depending on your needs. For example, some people prefer using glasses in their day-to-day and switch to contact lenses when they're more active, like in sports. Others prefer wearing contact lenses full-time but should always have a pair of glasses they can use as a backup in case of problems.

Caring for reusable contact lenses is simple, especially when you get the hang of it. With multipurpose lens solutions and a clean contact lens case, cleaning, disinfecting and storing your lenses is easy and convenient.

For the most convenient way to wear lenses, consider daily disposable contact lenses. You wear them for one day, then discard or recycle them to help avoid complications like infections.

To get contact lenses, you'll need to make an appointment with an Eye Care Professional for a contact lens fitting. Contact lens fittings may take longer than a regular eye test since your Eye Care Professional needs to determine what shape and size lens you need, as well as your prescription.

If you're looking to try ACUVUE^®, you'll find plenty of opticians near you who carry ACUVUE^® lenses and can explain why they might be right for you.