The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) considers contact lenses Class II and Class III medical devices. As such, they are regulated by prescription laws similar to that of prescription medications. The law also mandates a prescription expiration date of one year from the issue date.
A contact lenses prescription is different from a normal eyeglass prescription, because contact lenses rest on the eye and refract light differently.
The contact lens exam includes all the regular components of our comprehensive vision examination (which yields an eyeglass prescription), plus contour mapping of your cornea (the front of the eye) and numerous digital measurements. We measure iris diameter of each individual eye, and check your body’s ability to produce tear quantity and quality. We check for proper fit and comfort. We also provide training (if needed) in proper lens care, insertion and removal procedures, troubleshooting techniques, when to wear and even more importantly when not to wear your contacts. A brief follow- up appointment (at no additional charge) may also be required.
Please note: There is an additional fee for the Contact Lens Portion of your exam, generally ranging from $59 to $89. Vision insurance coverage varies from provider to provider and may or may not cover this portion. Please check with your benefits coordinator if you have any questions regarding payments of contact lens benefits not covered. Let them know if you want to change your policy to cover full vision benefits before your next visit.
DID YOU KNOW that our doctors:
We recommend a comprehensive eye examination once a year. That’s because changes in the eye can be very minute, or can sometimes occur rapidly. Our eyes indicate other symptomatic conditions we may be unaware of, such as strokes, diabetes or high blood pressure.
During each 45-minute exam, we inspect and assess visual acuity and refractive error to determine whether you need corrective lenses or a new prescription. We will also check monocular, binocular and peripheral vision, test for glaucoma and eye pressure, and assess the interior and exterior health of your eyes.
Children, beginning at age five, should see an eye doctor each year to be checked for amblyopia (lazy eye), color vision, and binocular vision—in addition to having their basic eye health assessed.
While we do not perform LASIK surgery here, our doctors work closely with several local eye surgeons to oversee, coordinate, and direct you through the entire process.
Despite the fact that LASIK surgery has become routine, eye surgery is still a serious procedure and not for everyone. You begin by undergoing a critical pre-selection screening process with us, to determine if you are a good candidate. General guidelines for LASIK candidates are as follows:
After your LASIK surgery, you return to our offices for several follow-up visits to determine your eye health, vision, and satisfaction with the results. To date, we have managed hundreds of patients through the entire LASIK process with excellent results.