On this show Dr. Steven Suh and Dr. Julia Geldis have a thorough conversation about contact lenses.

Contact lenses have some advantages over glasses. People with higher prescriptions find that they are more comfortable from a vision standpoint because contacts do not cause as much minification or enlargement of images as with glasses. They are usually preferable when playing sports and doing other physical activities. 

Dr. Geldis is comfortable with children wearing contacts as young as eight years old as long as they are mature and can take good care of them. There is no maximum age when people have to discontinue wearing contact lenses as long as their eyes are healthy, and they do not have dry eyes or other conditions that make it unsafe to wear them.

Two main types of contact lenses

• Gas permeable lenses – can give better quality vision but may be harder to adapt to initially
• Soft contact lenses – easier to get used to; most popular type
  • Different options: daily disposables; two-week disposables, one-month disposables; day-and-night extended wear (have to be careful when sleeping in any kind of lenses - increased risk of infections and inflammatory conditions)

Presbyopia and contact lenses - options for seeing up close when people get into their 40s 

• Reading glasses over your contacts               
• Monovision – dominant eye is set for distance vision and the non-dominant eye is set for near vision
• Multi-focal lenses – both eyes will be able to see distance and near because of different refractive zones in the lenses

It is not recommended that one wear contact lenses when swimming, showering, or sleeping.

At their appointment new contact lens wearers will be taught how to put them in, take them out, and care for them.

Eye infections and inflammation are more likely to occur when people overwear them or do not clean them properly. With regards to the contact lens cases, always dispose of the old disinfecting solution - do not top it off. Rinse the inside of the case with the solution and let it air dry. Change your case every 1-3 months. 

Colored contacts and “costume” contacts (popular around Halloween) are all right to wear if they are prescribed by an eye care professional. 

In this era of COVID-19, always practice good hygiene when handling the lenses.  If you test positive or suspect that you have this virus, please do not wear your contacts and keep your hands away from your face! 

Here is another resource to learn more about about contact lenses. 

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/contact-lens-102

To find out more about Dr. Julia Geldis and her practice, go to Comprehensive EyeCare of Central Ohio’s website or Facebook page.

This is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and nothing in this podcast/blog is to be considered as recommending or rendering medical advice or treatment to a specific patient. Please consult your eye care specialist for proper diagnosis and treatment of any eye conditions that you may have.