Contact Lenses Specialist
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Harlem VistaSite Eye Care
Optometry located in Harlem, New York, NY
Millions of people around the world choose contact lenses as an alternative to having to wear eyeglasses all day long. The team at Harlem VistaSite Eye Care in New York City offers a wide range of contact lenses, including specialty lenses to correct visual imperfections seamlessly. Schedule a vision evaluation and contact lens exam today by phone or online to find out what contact lenses are right for you.
Contact Lenses Q & A
How are contact lenses prescribed?
The first step to the prescription of contact lenses is to perform a comprehensive eye exam to evaluate your visual acuity and the level of vision correction you require.
During your exam at Harlem VistaSite Eye Care, the team measures how your eyes focus on different lenses. From there, they can prescribe contact lenses to correct any of the following.
- Myopia (nearsightedness)
- Hyperopia (farsightedness)
- Astigmatism (blurred vision)
- Presbyopia (age-related close-up vision loss)
Once your doctor has determined what your prescription is, they perform a contact lens exam to decide which brand works best for you and how contact lenses fit. Your doctor measures the surface of each eye to determine the best type and size of contacts.
Your doctor might include a tear film evaluation to assess your need for specialty contacts.
Proper fit and prescription are vital for contact lenses. Since they sit directly on the surface of your eyes, improperly fitted or prescribed contact lenses can significantly damage your eyes.
What types of contact lenses are available?
The team works closely with you to see which type of lenses suits you best. Most contacts are either soft or hard:
Soft contacts
Soft contacts are the most comfortable and adaptive kind of contacts. They stay in place more successfully than hard contacts. They can be worn:
- Daily, up to 18 hours
- Overnight
- Interchangeably every day (disposables)
Hard contacts
The team recommends hard contacts to correct severe astigmatism or nearsightedness. Hard contacts are durable and provide sharper vision than soft contacts. Also, hard contacts don’t need frequent replacement and keep bacteria out.
Your doctor can also recommend bifocal or multifocal contact lenses if you require multiple prescriptions in one lens.
What are toric contact lenses?
Toric contact lenses are extremely handy to treat moderate to severe astigmatism. They’re designed with a unique shape to create better refraction and focus, and can compensate for most types of astigmatism.
What are keratoconus contact lenses?
Keratoconus is a condition in which your cornea becomes too thin and bulges away from your eye in a cone shape. For this condition, the team can recommend scleral contact lenses, which are gas permeable and cover the entire corneal surface to correct any imperfections.
If you’d like to find out whether you’re a good candidate for contact lenses, schedule an appointment at Harlem VistaSite Eye Care today by phone or online.
