Answering Some Common Questions About Contacts

As long as contact lenses have been a common and widely available means of vision correction, there also have been some basic questions that people ask—especially if they do not wear them and/or are contemplating a switch from eyeglasses.

For the ‘sophisticated’ contact wearer, the following questions may seem silly or unnecessary, but they are of great concern to those who are thinking of purchasing lenses or those who are new wearers. In this regard, they should not be dismissed, as any exchange of information that is useful to someone is certainly not a waste of time.

Are contacts bad for your eyes? Do they make your eyes worse? The success rate among contact lenses over their decades of use is indisputable. However, ‘bad’ depends on how conscientious users are in following the wear and care regimen that is vital to eye health. Since contacts are placed directly on the eye, the natural oxygen flow to the eye is immediately reduced by a factor related to the lens material itself. Industry developments over the past 5-7 years have greatly improved oxygen transmission through the lens material. Nevertheless, careless habits employed by the wearer will increase the potential for infections and other problems. The best defense is to heed all of your eye doctor’s instructions on lenses’ wear time and cleaning. As far as making eyes worse, this is a misconception borne out of contact use among children who often experience a progression of myopia (nearsightedness) during their growing years. Studies* have shown that children who wear eyeglasses under the same circumstances have a nearly identical rate of progression. It is simply that myopic changes are greatest during childhood.

Are contact lenses difficult to insert? After your eye doctor has assisted you in achieving a good fit with the right type of contact, they will also demonstrate the proper way to insert and remove the lenses. There may be those who struggle at first with insertion, but patience and practice leads to success rather quickly. It has been proven that children as young as eight are able to successfully handle contact lenses; if they can do it so can you!

Can contacts get lost in your eyes? They certainly cannot find their way to the back of the eyeball, as some fear, due to the nature of the membrane of the inner eyelid (conjuctiva). This membrane continues up the inside lid to become the covering of your eye’s outer white surface; nothing can get behind the eye. However, lenses can move into the upper eyelid, usually due to rubbing or sudden jostle. When this happens, use re-wetting drops in your eye and gently massage the lid with your eye closed to move the lens to a position where it can be removed. Another method is to carefully turn up your eyelid so that it is inside out (employ a cotton swab on the outside of the lid to fold onto), tilt your head back, and use the inverted eyelid to move the contact onto the eye’s surface so it can be removed. If the above methods prove unsuccessful, ask someone for assistance or immediately see your eye doctor.

Where can contacts be bought without a prescription? Contact lenses are classified as medical devices by the FDA and cannot be purchased without a valid prescription from an eye doctor. However, since you have a legal right to obtain your prescription from your eye doctor, you have the freedom to shop and select the seller who best fills your needs.

These are only some of the questions asked about contact lenses. Your eye doctor is the best source for answers when it comes to the wearing and care of lenses. They are willing partners and the dialogue between you can only improve your satisfaction with contacts.


*The Adolescent and Child Health Initiative to Encourage Vision Empowerment (ACHIEVE) is an example.