FAQs about Contact Lenses

Common questions about contact lenses include how to wear them, age requirements and how to start.

Many people enjoy the freedom and flexibility that contact lenses offer. There are many types of contact lenses, with options to meet virtually any preference or vision need. Some common questions about contact lenses include:

Can I wear my lenses intermittently, or do I have to wear them every day?

The eye is more aware of the introduction of a gas permeable lens because it is thicker than a soft contact lens. Therefore, you must wear a gas permeable lens with regularity to keep your eye acclimated to the foreign body. Soft lenses are less intrusive to the eye and can be worn full or part time. Some people choose to wear their contact lenses only for certain activities, such as sports, because they are less intrusive than glasses. Many athletes report that their comfort, peripheral vision and depth perception are enhanced by contact lenses.

Is my child old enough for contact lenses?

There is no age requirement for contact lenses. However, any time you introduce a foreign body such as a contact lens into your eye, you are putting your eye at risk for injury or infection. Contact lenses are biomedical objects that require safe handling. Age is less of an issue than one’s ability to responsibly wear and care for contact lenses.

How do I get started?

The contact lens process begins with a thorough examination to:

• Identify any underlying ocular conditions
• Measure for lens fit and prescription
• Help determine which type of lens is best for you

The choice of lens is based on those clinical findings, as well as your lifestyle and maintenance preferences. Soft lenses patients will be fit with a trial pair and be seen 1-2 weeks later for a follow-up visit. Rigid gas permeable lenses are custom designed for each patient. Additional visits will be recommended, as needed. Our optometrists educate patients in:

• Placement and removal of contacts
• Proper hygiene
• Disinfection of the lenses
• Storage of the lenses

Can you use my eyeglass prescription to order contact lenses?

Your eye prescription does not translate to a contact lens prescription. Proper contact lens fitting and dispensing requires a thorough eye exam not only to determine your prescription, but also to determine measurements, including:

• Lens curvature
• Diameter
• Thickness
• Material
• Design

How do I order replacement lenses?

If your prescription is on file with us and is less than one year old, reordering your contacts is as simple as calling our office.

How much do contact lenses cost?

The price of contacts varies, depending on lens type and replacement frequency. In general, gas permeable lenses are less expensive over a lifetime because they are more durable, easier to handle and less likely to tear than soft contact lenses.

At Henry Ford, patients come first.

The Henry Ford Department of Ophthalmology is committed to providing our patients with compassionate, personalized care. We feature the most advanced treatments in eye care and are dedicated to vision research – always staying at the forefront of innovation. A leader in Michigan, as well as one of the largest ophthalmology practices in the United States, we treat more than 55,000 patients per year at 12 locations throughout southeast Michigan. In addition, our team works closely with Henry Ford Medical Group physicians in other departments, providing multidisciplinary, coordinated care for those patients who need it.