Whether you think you need vision correction and are considering contact lenses, or whether you’ve been using glasses or contacts for years, you may be curious about the difference between a routine eye exam and a contact lens exam. Perhaps you’ve never thought about it, always assuming that both are one and the same. The truth is, there are some fundamental differences between these two types of exams.

The information below will give you an overview about each type of exam and explain the difference between the two so that you can ensure you are scheduling the right type of appointment with your eye care professional.

Routine Eye Exam

A routine eye exam exists for the purpose of detecting vision problems, eye disease and general eye health issues. An eye exam can help identify any of these concerns before you are even aware that they exist. It is generally recommended that everyone have a routine eye exam every 1 to 3 years, depending on age, risk factors and physical condition.

What to Expect

Eye doctors use a variety of tests and procedures to examine your eyes.  You will most likely be asked to read an eye chart.  First you will read the chart with both eyes uncovered. Then you will read the chart while you cover one eye (and then the other eye).  Your eye doctor will then perform tests which may or may not include these common tests:

Retinoscopy

For this test, the lights in the room are dimmed and you will be asked to focus your eyes on a target. While you stare at the target, a light will be shined into your eye and flip different lenses in a machine in front of your eyes.  The way the light bounces off of your eye will provide a general approximation of what your prescription (should you need one) will be.

Refraction

This test helps your eye care professional determine the exact level of augmentation that your vision requires. Refraction is done with a     machine called a phoropter. The doctor will show you a series of lens choices and ask you which of the choices looks clearer. Based on your answers, the doctor will be able to determine your level of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and/or presbyopia.

Slit-Lamp Examination

A slit-lamp is an instrument that allows your doctor to examine the health of your eyes using a machine that highly magnifies all the structures contained therein. This way, your eye doctor can examine each part of your eye to evaluate them for infection or disease.

There are various other tests that eye doctors can choose to use during an eye exam to determine the general health and well-being of your eyes. A contact lens exam is different in that it focuses on only one aspect of your eye health.

The Contact Lens Exam

If you wear contact lenses or are considering starting, you should make sure to schedule a contact lens exam versus a regular eye exam.  Basically, your eye doctor will need to run tests that will evaluate the surface of your eye’s cornea in order to ensure a proper contact lens fit. Your doctor will also ask a series of questions about your lifestyle and preferences in order to determine the best type of contact lenses to prescribe for you.  The doctor will measure the surface and curvature of your eye using an instrument called a kerameter.  Then your pupil and iris will be measured.  Finally, your eye doctor will select contact lenses for you and instruct you in proper insertion and care.

If you are experiencing vision problems that need to be corrected, you have probably already consulted with a qualified optometrist and have begun exploring the options in order to treat these issues. From special eyewear to laser surgery, there are many different ways to correct common vision symptoms and restore most or all of your vision. You may be considering contact lenses as a possible solution; however it’s important to note that not all vision symptoms can be corrected with contact lenses. Here are some vision problems that contact lenses generally cannot correct:

Extreme Dry Eyes

This is a common problem for contact lens wearers. If you are prone to very dry eyes or have allergies, wearing contact lenses can make your eyes sore and in some cases cause a great deal of discomfort. Those with dry or itchy eyes may feel the need to rub or scratch near their eyes, and this can cause damage to their eyes, sometimes even leading to infection. Over time, this rubbing of the contact lenses can degrade the surface of your cornea making it impossible to wear contact lenses correctly, even with constant lubrication with drops. If you are someone who experiences dry eyes or has allergies that affect your eyes, then it may not be a good idea to treat your vision problems with contact lenses.

Conjunctivitis

In the vision impaired person, a malfunction of the glands that secret the fluids of the eye can cause protein build up while wearing contact lenses. This is a condition called conjunctivitis. If wearing some of the long-term lenses, such as the 30 day soft variety that have been very popular, these glands can begin to produce fluids that are too high in protein levels, and this can cause the capillaries in the eye to become congested and infected.

Conjunctivitis, if not treated right away, can cause a burning, itching redness in the eyes. If not treated, the infection can cause permanent vision problems including blindness. It’s best to seek the advice of an Optometrist before deciding on contact lenses if you are prone to eye infections or have underlying medical problems that may compromise your successful wearing of contact lenses.

Blindness

Obviously if you are partially or fully blind in one of both eyes, you will not get improvement for these vision symptoms by wearing contact lenses. Blindness is a cellular issue and a breakdown of the actual eye tissue, either congenitally or as a result of illness or injury. The only benefits of wearing contact lenses for a blind patient would be cosmetic. Unfortunately, wearing contact lenses will simply not help. One exception to this is an individual who is classified as legally blind, but still has some vision. Contact lenses may help make that vision slightly clearer.

Remember to consult with your eye doctor before making a decision to use contact lenses, always purchase high quality lenses from an eye care clinic to avoid any problems, and use them carefully to avoid any injury or infections to your most precious asset, your eyesight.

If you go to an eye care professional for all of your optical needs, then reading your eyeglass prescription is something that you may never have to worry about. However, if you ever plan on trying to order a pair of eyeglasses online without visiting the optician’s office it’s imperative that you know how to properly read your prescription it you want to get a pair of glasses that you can see out of.

You prescription will often be delivered as a pair of numbers – one number under the Latin abbreviation of OS (your left eye) and the other under the Latin abbreviation OD (your right eye). The farther away either number is from zero in either direction (plus or minus) the worse your eyesight is and the more correcting your vision will need for you to be able to see clearly.

If the numbers in your prescription are in the positive it means that you are farsighted, or that you have problems with seeing things close to you; if the numbers are in the negative it means that you are nearsighted or that you have difficulty viewing objects that are far away.

If you suffer from astigmatism you’ll see three numbers in your eye glasses prescription – the first of which will represent both of the numbers seen in a prescription of a person who doesn’t have astigmatism, the second number will represent the severity if the astigmatism – the larger the number here the greater you are effected by the astigmatism. The third number in the prescription of a person who suffers from astigmatism will be between zero and one hundred and eighty and this number reveals the location of the astigmatism. For proper corrective treatment of astigmatism, the technician making your lenses needs to know the location of the astigmatism in degrees as well as the level of severity.

Each of the numbers that you see in your eyeglass prescription is crucial to the final result, the numbers may be whole numbers or they may be fractional (like 1.25, representing one and one quarter) and the exact number is required for you to be able to see clearly. The numbers represent “diopters” which is the unit of vision correction from which your lenses will be manufactured. If you are off by even a fraction of a point when relating the information of your diopters, your glasses may not be as precise as they need to be to properly correct your vision. When relating all of the numbers and symbols of your eyeglass prescription for an order it’s imperative that you be precise or you will receive a pair of glasses that won’t properly correct your problem.

There are other considerations when contemplating ordering prescription glasses online that don’t necessarily have to do with your prescription itself, but that could seriously affect the corrective properties of your glasses. The most common number not represented in your prescription that you’ll need to know when ordering glasses online is the distance between your pupils, or your PD. There’s a good chance that your PD will be imprinted somewhere on your old glasses, if you’ve still got them – if you don’t the number isn’t all that difficult to get. You’ll need a ruler that measures in millimeters and a mirror. All you do to get you PD is to look straight ahead into the mirror and hold your ruler directly below your eyes to measure the distance between the centers of your pupils. The most common distance for a PD is between 58 and 70 mm, so if your distance is either well under 58 or well over 70, you might want to measure again.

Reading your prescription and ordering glasses without visiting the optician is certainly possible, but if you have any questions about what you’re reading it’s highly advisable to visit your eye care professional to be certain that you get it right – eyeglasses are expensive and you certainly won’t be able to return a custom pair, so make sure you get everything right before you make anything final.

Selecting to wear contact lenses instead of prescription glasses has many benefits. Increased comfort, freedom from massive eyewear and improved marginal benefits top the list of reasons why folks switch to contacts from glasses. There are a few numerous kinds of contact lenses on the market that have been outlined below.

Making sure that you select the best contact lenses for yourself will take a little time and effort. Naturally, step 1 in switching from glasses to contacts ( or simply getting contacts for vision correction ) is to visit your eye doctor. It has to be determined that you really need corrective lenses and that contact lenses are acceptable for you.

After that, your doctor will give you a prescription for your corrective lenses. If you arm yourself with info before visiting your eye doctor, you’ll be better prepared to make decisions per some of the different options available to you.

The first type of lenses are soft contact lenses - which are made from soft, moldable plastics. Soft contact lenses seem to be more comfy and straightforward to adjust to other sorts of lenses. While rigid gas permeable lenses ( or RGP’s ) are harder and stiffer than soft contact lenses, they don’t bear any relation to the old style of “hard” contacts.

Most rigid gas permeable lenses contain an amount of silicone, which is oxygen permeable. This indicates that oxygen can passes through the lenses and can get through to your eyes. RGP’s can be simpler to clean and due to their enduring quality may turn out to be less expensive in the future.

Toric lenses are engineered to have the results of a cylindrical lens, customarily together with the effects of a round lens. Myopic and farsighted people who also have astigmatism are prime applicants for toric lenses. Customarily , these folks have been told they’re not acceptable for regular contact lenses, but may be ready to use toric lenses.

If one of your eyes has astigmatism and the other does not, you could be told to use a round lens in one eye and a toric lens in the other. Toric lenses are made of the same materials as regular contact lenses but have some important differences. - they aren’t symmetrical and may contain a particular “top” and “bottom”.  They must be built to maintain their orientation, and could be costlier and are sometimes reserved for extended wear.

Vial contact lenses are essentially firm gas permeable lens that are built to be worn for at least a year. Vial lenses must be removed, cleaned and sterilised on an everyday basis. The main difference between vial lenses and other kinds of contact lenses lies in the quantity of time that one pair of lenses will last. Vial lenses last ages and are alleged to provide glorious vision correction. On the other hand, they have an inclination to be thicker than disposable lenses and can take a bit to get used to.

After getting acquainted with what each sort of contact lens offers, think about your lifestyle and wants to figure out what’s best for you.

The issue of having to work out the way to accurately measure for eyeglasses on your own is a comparatively new one.

When a person required glasses during the past, their single option was to visit the eye doctors or opticians office for an examination and then once the examination was complete they’d be professionally fitted for the frames of their choice. Today ordering glasses can be done over the Net with no trip to the optician needed, but to make sure that your new glasses will fit and cause you no issues you have to know the way to measure for the frame accurately.

When measuring for glasses, the most significant piece of info to have is the PD, or the miles between the wearer’s pupils. This measurement is critical in the right fit of glasses because even if it is off by some millimeters the wearer can suffer some unwell effects. If the middle of the lens does not sit virtually immediately over the pupil then the vision correction properties of the prescription will be far below perfect and the wearer may suffer from headaches and eyestrain. It is definitely possible to take this measurement on your own if you are unable to, for one reason or another have your glasses professionally fitted.

You can look into a mirror whilst holding a ruler immediately underneath your eyes - the measurement is recorded in millimeters, so be certain the ruler that you use measures in millimeters unless you would like to perform the conversion. Measure the distance from the middle of one pupil to the middle of the other whilst looking immediately ahead.

It’s advisable to copy the measurement many times to make sure that it is correct. If you know your prescription and have a correct measurement of your PD, it is of course possible to get a good fitting pair of glasses without needing to take the trip to an optician. Going to an eye care pro for a glasses fitting also has some other advantages beyond the correct measurement and general check up. At the optician you can touch, hold and try on frames, lots of them if you so select, before making any last choices.

Sure you will be in a position to see photos form all angles online, but you will not really know the way the glasses you are ordering will feel or look until you have already paid for them and they are sitting on your face - and at that point it could be too late.

Even if you do not have somebody to take with you to help decide on new frames, that’s what opticians do as a living - they’ll be happy to endorse certain frames which will flatter your face and go well with your particular features. Measuring yourself for glasses is possible, in truth it’s not even all that tough but be certain that you take it slow and record the data accurately, because even a straightforward mistake might have you wearing two glasses which will do you more harm than good - when doubtful, visit an optician for help.

One of the most common questions when it comes to contact lenses is how to properly insert them and ensure they remain clean when removing contact lenses. For this reason, we have decided to post two of the more popular videos on the web that discuss this exact issue.

In the first video, you will get tips to help learn how to put in contact lenses with expert tips from an optometrist in this free video series.

The next contact lenses video is from the American Optometry Association and is really helpful for those wanting to find out how to maintain their lenses’ cleanliness:

Hope you enjoyed the videos and remember to keep your contact lenses clean!

Many people wonder if the cost of their prescription glasses is covered by their insurance plan. The answer is that it varies tremendously from plan to plan. Before you pay out of your own pocket for prescription glasses, take a look at your plan to determine whether or not you have vision coverage.

What Most Insurance Plans Cover

Most medical insurance plans cover losses of vision and finances due to eye injury or disease. In other words, if your eye is damaged in a car accident and you require the services of an eye doctor, it will be covered. Most medical insurance plans do not cover typical “wellness” care for your eyes, such as prescription glasses and routine eye exams, unless the plan has a vision insurance policy attached to it.

Adding Vision Insurance

If you are part of a group insurance plan, you may have the option to add vision insurance to your policy. This is usually considered a value-added benefit that is attached to a traditional health insurance structure. Whether you have indemnity health insurance, an HMO, or a PPO, you may have the opportunity to add vision insurance. By adding this coverage, you will be able to access a network of eye care providers and specialists, as well as coverage and discounts on your routine eye care. This usually includes the cost of prescription glasses.

Paying for Vision Insurance

Adding a vision benefits package to your health insurance adds an annual premium amount. You may also have a deductible that you have to meet before the insurance will cover your eye care. Typically, the premium will be an amount up to $144 a year, and the maximum deductible is typically under $40. Each plan is different, so be sure to read the fine print, but you will pay more for this coverage if you pay for your own health insurance. Some companies provide this as part of their overall healthcare benefits, so read your policy to see if you are covered.

In general, those with vision insurance will receive:

-    A yearly eye exam
-    Eyeglass lenses and frames
-    Contacts
-    LASIK discounts

Some providers will put limits on their coverage, such as only allowing the insured to get new glasses or contacts every other year. They also may put a limit on the amount they will pay for frames, which means you will pay a little out of your pocket if you want designer frames.

Tips for Using Vision Insurance

Before you schedule an appointment, check with your benefits information packet to see what doctors are covered. Remember, you will need to use a doctor in your network if you want to be covered. If you need to see a doctor who is not in your network, you may still be able to have your prescription glasses covered by filling your prescription elsewhere, but you will have to pay out of pocket for your exam.

When it is time for your eye exam, make sure you talk to your optometrist about your insurance. Most policies require the doctor to seek pre-authorization before they treat you if you are going to be covered. If this is necessary, have the doctor make the necessary calls before your appointment.

When you arrive for your appointment, present your vision insurance card. You will be asked to pay any deductibles or co-pays associated with the coverage you have. After your exam, the doctor or his staff will help you choose frames. If you have limits on the amount you can spend for frames, make sure you are looking at covered options.

If you are lucky enough to have prescription glasses coverage, make sure you take advantage of it as often as you are allowed. This will ensure that you have updated glasses as often as you need them, helping you see the world around you clearly.

Prescription glasses are not a cheap item, no matter how you look at it. When you buy glasses, you have to pay both for lenses and frames, not to mention the cost of the exam itself. If you need glasses, knowing how much to expect to pay ahead of time is very helpful.

The Cost of Frames Varies

The cost of the frames for your prescription glasses varies tremendously from pair to pair. Designer frames can cost several hundred dollars. For that price you get designer frames that would be the envy of any Hollywood star. You can also buy more affordable frames at discount prices for around $50 or less. Online merchants make it possible to get frames for even less, sometimes close to $20.

There are some special features that can increase the cost of frames. For instance, frames made out of a titanium-based allow known as Flexon are able to return to their normal shape after being damaged. These are great for people who work in high-impact jobs or play sports on a regular basis, but they also cost more. This lightweight, corrosion-resistant material is very popular, making it very popular, and therefore more expensive.

The most affordable frames are plastic frames, but again, designer models will cost more. There are many different metals used to make eyeglass frames as well. High-end frames are often made out of titanium or aluminum, creating a polished look. Monel is the most common metal used in eyeglass frames.

The Cost of Lenses

Frames are not the only things that cost a lot when you are buying eyeglasses. Lenses also contribute to the price of your glasses. Single prescription lenses come in a variety of materials and with several coating options, and each of these adds to the cost.

The cheapest option for your lenses is plastic. Plastic lenses are lightweight and fairly durable, but they do scratch easily. You will pay more to get a scratch-resistant coating on these glasses, but you may find that it pays for itself by making your glasses last longer. You will also pay more if you need special features like slim lenses, which are often necessary if you have a strong prescription.

Polycarbonate is another option you have for your frames. These are lightweight and provided added UV protection, but they cost more than plastic. If you have a strong prescription and wear your glasses all of the time, the lighter weight and UV protection may make the cost worthwhile.

If you have bifocals or trifocals, your lenses will cost even more. Remember, these glasses are basically two or three pairs of glasses in one pair of lenses. Other additional features, such as glasses that darken when you go in the sun or glasses with a glare resistant coating, will increase the cost. On average, frame can cost between $50 and $300, depending on what you choose for them.

Options for Saving Money

Since a pair of glasses could cost as much as $400, depending on the frames you choose and the lenses you need, you are probably wondering how you can save money on them. One option is to shop online. But cutting out a lot of the overhead that a brick and mortar retailer has, online retailers can offer the same lenses and designer frames for a much more reasonable price. Look for a site that has a money back offer, however, because you do not want to be stuck with a shoddy pair of glasses by a less-than-scrupulous company.

Another option is to shop at a “big box” retailer. Discount stores like Wal-Mart and warehouse stores often have optical departments. These locations typically have a lower cost for their materials because they buy in such tremendous quantities, so you will save money. Remember, you have options if you shop around, so take your time to find an affordable eye care provider.

When purchasing a pair of eyeglasses, you’re presented with a lot of options. Amongst those options is whether or not to get anti-reflective coating on your eyeglass lenses. You’ll hear a list of benefits, but you may wonder whether or not there truly is an advantage to anti-reflective coating. Besides, you know you’re going to be able to see no matter what and that is what is important, right? Actually, you might be surprised.

No reflection

You might be surprised what a difference it makes to have anti-reflective coating on your eyeglass lenses. If you’ve ever been in a room with bright light, then you’re probably familiar with the reflections you may experience on your lenses. You see everything in the room and its reflection. This may not always be the case because it really depends on the lighting in the room.

However, you may find that you can see better when you’re not trying to see through reflections. You can overcome obstacles better and you can function in a much better manner. This is especially true for driving at night. You can reduce the glare from the headlights of other cars. This reduces night blindness significantly. If this is a major issue for you, you may want to go ahead and ask about having an anti-reflective coating placed upon your eyeglass lenses.

At work

Many places of employment have fluorescent lights. When a person wears glasses and they don’t have anti-reflective coating on their lenses, they catch reflections on the job. This can actually interfere with job performance. Work in front of a computer screen all day and tired of catching the glare? Anti-reflective coating will keep that from happening. You’re going to be able to see your computer screen or whatever it is you’re doing.

Believe it or not, a lot of individuals could avoid mishaps on the job just by seeing better. Really, anything that can help you see better is something you want. You want to be able to see the world for what it is without seeing two of it or seeing its unwelcome reflections. Perhaps that is why there are many places of employment that require their employees to have anti-reflective coating on their work glasses. These are usually paid for by the employer, so the employer has the right to require that. They know that their employees will perform better.

People can see you

Another great advantage about anti-reflective glasses is that people can look at you and see you through your lenses. They are not going to see the reflections of the room on your glasses. This can be distracting when someone is trying to talk to you. They may not even look at you because they can’t see through the glare. With anti-reflective coating, they are able to look directly at you as if you don’t have any glasses on.

So the next time that anti-reflective coating is brought up to you as an option for your glasses, it may be something you seriously want to consider. There are many advantages to it that you can enjoy. It is very hard to imagine being able to see perfectly through glasses, but know that it is definitely possible. You’re reducing eyestrain, you’re able to see things a lot clearer, everything appears crisper, and you’ll even see words better. You may be quite surprised that something so simple can do so much for you. It is worth more than the cost you have to pay for it because you can’t really put a price on being able to see better. As a matter of fact, being able to see better is absolutely priceless.

Comfort is an individual thing, for instance, some people wear contacts because they don’t enjoy having to worry about glasses.  On the other hand, the idea of putting something in their eyes makes some people squeamish and they can’t fathom wearing anything but eyeglasses.

Yet, even those who make that choice to wear specs agree that glasses can be a bit cumbersome at times.  The shape at the bridge is the most important aspect of determining comfort and is where the source of aggravation often stems.  These types of glasses often leave red marks on the nose because they grip too tightly.  This can make them very hard to wear.

More often than not, such frames are made out of plastic, this doesn’t mean that plastic will always be uncomfortable, in fact, some designer names are stamped on plastic frames.

Which leaves the question of what types of eyeglasses offer the most comfort to those who chose glasses over contacts?

Plastic eyeglasses

Plastic eyeglasses are economical, stylish and above all, they can be comfortable when made correctly.  How comfortable?  Well, this can largely depend on the make, model and style of the frames.  For example, cat eye frame glasses are said to be easy to wear, whereas larger, boxier frames are heavier and harder to keep from sliding. Constantly having to push glasses up can be awkward and far from comfortable.  Plastic isn’t the only material that glasses are made out of though.  It is these other materials that often offer greater comfort than plastic can.

Metal

Believe it or not, metal frames tend to be lighter on the face than plastic eyeglasses, making them far more comfortable.  This is because the frames are thinner and have less bulk.  They can also form into more pleasing and fashionable shapes making them a preferred choice among eye glass wearers.

Titanium

Titanium eye glasses can run a bit on the expensive side  if you get true titanium glasses that are well made and not imitation.  The expense is not without cause!  Titanium eye glasses are generally light weight, corrosion resistant and can take being sat on! They can also give a snug fit on the nose, keeping them from slipping.  This feature is one of many aspects that enhance comfort for the wearer.  They are also extremely sturdy and come in a large variety of shapes and colors.

‘Memory-Metal’ Flexon

A revolutionary product, memory metal Flexon glasses are feather light and can be bent a variety of angles.  This makes them super durable.  It also makes them super comfortable!  Because the metal bends ad expands it can shape around the bridge of the nose.  Over time, the glasses will ‘remember’ the exact shape of your bridge, so that they sit there undisturbed until you take them off.  No more pushing your glasses back into place 101 times a day!  Out of all the above glasses, true Flexon memory metal is the highest, with frames starting in at around $80.00 and springing upwards towards the higher end hundreds.

Not be confused with pure titanium glasses, memory metal mixes titanium and nickel.  This metal alloy creation becomes pliable yet sturdy.  It will convert to its original shale no matter how many times it is bent.  This not only means that clumsy people won’t have to worry about accidentally harming their glasses; it means that these light, pliable   frames are extremely comfortable to wear.

Purchasing eye glasses is such a personal choice however.  This is why alongside other considerations, like affordability, style, and what the eyeglasses say about you, comfort is an issue.  Indeed, buying your eyeglasses is an important decision which, for a number of reasons, should never be entered into lightly.