Should I Take Out My Contacts Before an Eye Exam?

Regular eye exams are crucial to maintaining good eye health. Through these routine assessments, your eye specialist will know if you need to wear prescription glasses or contact lenses. They are also helpful in catching early signs of vision-threatening eye conditions, such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts.

A common question patients ask before their appointment is whether they should wear their contact lenses during the eye exam. Read on to learn the answer.

What Can You Expect During an Eye Exam?

Comprehensive Eye Exams

During a comprehensive eye exam, your doctor will perform a series of tests to assess your vision and eye health. These tests can reveal if you have a refractive error, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. Your eye doctor will recommend the appropriate prescription eyewear if your vision needs to be corrected.

A routine eye exam can also detect signs of serious eye diseases and health conditions. While assessing your eyes, your specialist might find indications of high cholesterol or blood pressure levels. If this is the case, they will recommend further testing from a healthcare professional.

Contact Lens Exam

A contact eye exam isn’t the same as a conventional comprehensive eye exam. It involves taking extra measurements, helping identify which type, shape and size of lenses suit your eyes. Your specialist will measure your cornea, pupil and iris. They will also examine your tear film. Moreover, you can let your eye doctor know if you have any preferred lens color or hardness.

Should You Wear Contact Lenses to an Eye Exam?

Usually, you should remove your contact lenses during a routine eye exam. Your eye doctor won’t be able to examine your eyes properly if you’re wearing contacts. Contacts can make it difficult to see how well your eyes function and if you need new prescription lenses.

Experts recommend removing your contacts at least two hours before your appointment at your eye clinic. Doing so will give your eyes sufficient time to return to their normal condition before the assessment starts. It will also let your eye doctor examine your eyes more accurately.

While you shouldn’t wear contacts during an eye exam, you should bring them during your appointment. It will help your eye doctor determine if replacement lenses are necessary.

When Should You Wear Contacts?

If you are visiting your eye doctor for a follow-up exam, you should come with your contacts on. Follow-up eye exams are meant to check the effectiveness of your contact lenses. It means your doctor must see how well the lenses work for you. Wearing your contacts during these appointments will also allow your eye doctor to determine if you’ve been using your lenses correctly.

How Do You Prepare for an Eye Exam?

Take Note of Any Symptoms or Vision Problems

Have you noticed changes in your vision? Are your eyes more blurred or drier than usual? Are you suffering from frequent headaches? Take note of the symptoms you’re experiencing, and don’t forget to mention them in your upcoming appointment.

Be Aware of Your Family History

Are your parents nearsighted or farsighted? Did your grandparents have cataracts, diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration? If a family member went blind, what condition caused it? Genetics can affect your risk for various health conditions and eye diseases. Know your family’s medical history before your eye exam. Your eye doctor will use this information to determine your risk for certain eye conditions.

Avoid Consuming Caffeinated Beverages

Your blood pressure is something your eye doctor will consider while examining your eyes. It’s routine for eye doctors to measure eye pressure during an eye exam. This is because individuals with high blood pressure are at a higher risk of developing glaucoma. Limit or avoid caffeine before your eye exam appointment for a more accurate assessment.

Limit Digital Screen Use

Spending too much time in front of screens can result in eye strain. Dry eyes, headaches, poor sleep quality, and neck and shoulder pain are common issues associated with digital eye strain. You could also experience eye strain symptoms if you read for hours without breaks.

Bring Your Prescription Eyewear

Do you wear contact lenses or eyeglasses? Be sure to bring your prescription eyewear to your appointment. Your eye doctor can use them as a comparison when taking new measurements.

How Often Should You Schedule an Eye Exam

Young Children to Teens

A child’s eyes go through a lot of changes as they grow. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), children should have their first eye exam between six and 12 months. They should get another assessment before they start school, preferably between ages three and five.

Experts recommend children of school age and teens to get eye exams once a year. Vision changes can occur while a child’s body develops, making yearly eye assessments crucial. Sometimes, eye care professionals ask young ones to visit every six months.

Young Adults to Seniors

Healthy adults should visit their eye doctor every two years. Your specialist might request to see you yearly if you have a certain medical condition, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. It’s the same if you have a history of eye disease or previously had an eye injury or surgery.

Moreover, the AOA strongly recommends individuals over 65 get annual eye exams. Older adults are more likely to suffer from age-related eye conditions or vision problems associated with other health issues. Macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts are vision-threatening eye problems that often lead to permanent vision loss when not treated early. Routine eye exams can help with their early diagnosis and treatment.