Contact Lenses

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Today, more than 30 million people in the United States wear contact lenses to see clearly. Contact Lenses offer patients the benefit of clear vision without the restrictions and in some cases, cosmetic limitations that eyeglasses often create. Patients with active lifestyles enjoy the freedom from worrying about their glasses while enjoying physical activities such as biking, running, playing tennis or golf, skiing, Sailing.

Contact Lenses are a very popular method of correcting common vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, as well as presbyopia. Patients who have higher prescriptions often do not like the optical distortions and reflections caused by eyeglasses and the appearance of their eyes and facial features behind thicker eyeglass lenses. This, in addition to the limited peripheral vision provided by eyeglasses, motivates a considerable number of people to seek contact lens correction. Some patients just prefer a more natural appearance and feel that no matter how attractive an eyeglass frame they select, they just feel more confident without glasses.

Contact Lenses are also a useful therapeutic treatment for certain eye diseases where an irregular corneal shape may blur vision such as the case in Keratoconus or corneal scarring. At Center for Sight, our Contact Lens Specialist Optometrists work closely with Center for Sight Physicians to be sure that we can offer the best possible lens materials and fitting techniques to allow patients to have a safe and comfortable contact lens wearing experience.

Whether you need Soft Contact Lenses, Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses, Contact Lenses for Astigmatism, Extended Wear Contact Lenses, Disposable or Planned Replacement Contact Lenses, or Specialty Contact Lenses that treat specific eye disease or can change the color of your eye, we are pleased to offer expert Optometric care.

We are happy to assist you with a thorough eye examination, contact lens evaluation and contact lens fitting in order to find out if you are a good candidate for contact lenses and what lens types are right for you.

Contact Lens Care, Safety & Risks

Proper contact lens care, safety and minimizing risks is important to us at Center for Sight in Fall River. If you are considering getting contact lenses of ANY type, Center for Sight recommends:

  • Having a thorough eye exam from a licensed Optometrist or Ophthalmologist
  • Having a careful fitting and getting a valid prescription that includes the brand and complete set of lens parameters.
  • Purchasing the lenses from either Center for Sight directly, or from a reputable vendor who requires that you provide current prescription information for the lenses
  • Carefully following directions given to you for cleaning, disinfection, and wearing the lenses.
  • Visiting the Optometrist who initially prescribed your contacts for follow-up eye exams in order to make sure they are fitting properly.

Contraindications to Wearing Contact Lenses

Most people who need vision correction are able to wear contact lenses safely and comfortably, but there are some exceptions. Some of the conditions that might keep you from wearing contact lenses are: frequent eye infections, severe allergies, dry eyes or an inadequate tear film, a work environment that is very dusty or dirty and inability to handle and care for the lenses properly.

Contact Lens Care & Safety

There are a number of good hygiene practices that will help you to wear your contacts safely and comfortably. Please take time to read and then practice the following care principles:

  • Your contact lenses must be properly cleaned and disinfected each time you remove them in order to kill germs and prevent infections.
  • At the time you insert your contact lenses, you should thoroughly rinse the case with warm water and allow it to dry. All contact lens cases need frequent cleaning, including disposable lens cases.
  • Never put a contact lens in your mouth and then insert it into your eye.
  • Never use homemade cleaning solutions, they have been linked to serious eye infections.
  • Do not attempt to sterilize disposable lenses – you must discard them.
  • Never mix different brands of solutions
  • Any eye drops, even nonprescription ones, can interact with all types of contact lenses.
  • Only use the brand of solution prescribed by the Optometrist who fit your lenses or check with the doctor before changing brands.
  • Always wash your hands with soap prior to handling contact lenses or touching your eye.
  • Do not share your lenses with someone else.
  • Do not take your lenses in and out repeatedly throughout the day.
  • Only wear your contacts on the schedule prescribed by your doctor.
  • Dispose of your contact lenses at the interval prescribed by your doctor.

Call Your Center for Sight Doctor If You Experience Any These Symptoms:

  • Pain
  • Redness lasting more than one day
  • Discharge from your eye
  • Blurred Vision
  • Unusual Scratchiness
  • Unusual Light Sensitivity

Center for Sight is pleased to offer thorough eye exams, contact lens evaluations and fittings as well as the supply of all types of contacts including soft daily wear contacts, rigid gas permeable contacts, contacts for astigmatism, bifocal contacts, extended wear contacts, planned replacement contacts and disposable contact lenses.

Contact Lens Insertion & Removal Instructions

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Instructions for Inserting soft Contact Lenses

  1. Wash your hands thoroughly using a pure soap that does not contain additives – anti-bacterial pump soap is the best. Be sure to rinse all soap off of your hands before handling contact lens. If necessary, use a fingernail brush to thoroughly clean the fingers and hands.
  2. Close or cover the drain when working over a basin. We recommend putting a paper towel over the drain and the bottom of the sink.
  3. Place the lens, with the concave surface facing you, on the tip of your right index finger.
  4. Reach your left arm up over your head and use the middle finger of your left hand to pull the upper eyelid and eyelashes up to the bone in the eyebrow.
  5. Place the middle finger of your right hand at the lower eyelid and pull it down.
  6. YOU MUST KEEP BOTH EYES OPEN WHILE INSERTING YOUR CONTACT LENSES; closing one eye will make the other eye want to close since they open and close together normally, and this may impede the insertion process.
  7. Slowly bring the right index finger with the lens on it toward the eye. Gently place the lens on the eye. If this is not working for you, you may be off in the finger-to-eye coordination. Most people undershoot and actually try to put the lens on causing it to end up more on the lower eyelid, so if you are following these directions without success, try pushing the lens up a few millimeters when it is close to your eye, then bring it forward. It may feel awkward, but it is probably better centered this way to go on.
  8. Make sure your fingers are dry. REMEMBER – a lens sticks to wet surfaces (like the eye) better than dry surfaces, so if your finger is too wet, it will keep sticking to your finger and when you try to put it on the eye, it won’t adhere properly.
  9. Gently place the lens on the eye. DO NOT FORCE THE LENS ON THE EYE OR PRESS IT ON. This will cause the lens to fold and be rejected.
  10. Release the lower eyelid first, look up/down/left and right a few times, then slowly release the upper eyelid. Blink slowly several times.
  11. Cover your other eye and look at distant objects to make sure the lens it is in place.
  12. Repeat the same procedure for the other eye. After inserting your lenses, rinse your contact lens case thoroughly with your rinsing solution and let it air dry.

Removing the Lens From Your Eye

When removing the lens, it is important to remember a few lessons from the section on inserting the lens. The lens being mostly water, it will adhere to wet fingers better than dry fingers. If you try to remove a wet contact lens in your eye with a dry finger, it can be difficult. Try wetting the ball of your finger with a drop of saline. If you use the wet part of the finger to touch the lens, it will stick to the finger and come out easier when you try to pull it out! Always consult your doctor if the lens isn’t coming out of your eye easily after several tries. Always remove the same lens first.

  • Wash, rinse and dry your hands thoroughly.
  • There are two recommended methods of lens removal: the Pinch Method and the Forefinger and Thumb Method. You should follow the method that was recommended by your eye care practitioner.

Pinch Method

  • Look up; slide the lens to the lower part of the eye using the forefinger.
  • Gently pinch the lens between the thumb and forefinger.
  • Remove the lens.

Forefinger & Thumb Method

  • Place your hand or towel under your eye to catch the lens.
  • Place your forefinger on the center of the upper lid and your thumb on the center of the lower lid.
  • Press in and force a blink. The lens should fall onto your hand or the towel.
  • Remove the other lens by following the same procedure.

General Contact Lens Care Tips

  • Always wash and dry hands before handling contact lenses.
  • Never use water or saliva to clean contact lenses.
  • Clean your contact lenses after each use.
  • Do not sleep or swim with contact lenses.
  • If your eye(s) is red or is irritated do not use contact lenses and contact our office.

Related Pages

Contact Lenses Doctors

Monserrat Arias, O.D.
Caroline Coutu, O.D.
Christina Benevides, O.D.