Before one decides to wear contact lenses, he must first consult a licensed eye care professional about his eye condition, his particular needs, and whether it is recommended that he wears contact lenses or not. Some eye disorders, like astigmatism, require a special kind of contact lens. Therefore, it is important that one seeks professional help first before buying himself a pair.

Here are the important things one must keep in mind before getting a pair of contact lens.

Visit Eye Experts

First of all, a person must know whom to consult. Not all eye practitioners are authorized to examine the eyes and prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses. The best choice for a person who wants to start wearing contact lenses is an ophthalmologist. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who is particularly trained to diagnose and treat all disorders of the eye. Thus, he is trained in all aspects of eye care including medical, surgical and optical.

The other type of eye care professional is an optometrist who is a state-licensed health care professional. He is authorized to diagnose and treat vision problems. Thus, he can prescribe glasses, contact lenses, and engage in low vision rehabilitation and vision therapy.

However, there is a certain class of eye professionals who cannot prescribe contact lenses and these are the opticians. They only design, finish and dispense eyeglasses and contact lenses based on either an ophthalmologist’s or an optometrist’s prescription. They cannot issue prescriptions by themselves.

Spectacles or Contact Lenses

The next step for the person is to choose between using spectacles or contact lenses. Both can have certain benefits over the other. Eyeglasses are maintenance-free. One only has to wear them over the eyes and they are set for the day, while contact lenses require a cleaning regimen which has to be strictly followed in order to avoid eye infections. On the other hand, contact lenses can be worn under any circumstance and they do not restrict movement. For example, it would be easier for athletes to perform well in their sports since they will not have to worry about losing or breaking their glasses. Moreover unlike eyeglasses, contact lenses do not have barriers around the eyes which interfere with a person’s peripheral vision.

Choose the Correct Lens

When a person chooses to wear contact lenses over eyeglasses, the next thing to do is to choose the correct lenses which will correct his personal eye problem. There are many types of contact lenses which are applicable to various eye disorders and it is up to the eye doctor which type of lens he would prescribe for one’s use.

In some cases, a person may want to wear contact lenses, not because of impaired vision, but just to change his look. In that case, he must still consult an eye doctor who will first examine his eyes to determine if it would be safe for him to wear lenses.