Contact Lenses
in Detroit, Troy, & Birmingham
Contact lenses are a great alternative to glasses if you have nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. There are also contact lenses that can help heal damaged corneas and treat conditions such as keratoconus (weakened, bulging cornea). When diagnosing patients with these types of vision conditions, our doctors take the time to explain what is happening to their eyes and how specialty contact lenses can help.
Our ophthalmologists, Dr. Carl Clavenna and Dr. Gregory Fitzgerald, and our optometrist, Dr. Bianca Bilek don’t just fit specialty contacts – they help patients learn how to wear and care for all types of contacts. Regardless of the type of contact lens you wear, they must be properly fitted for your unique eyes. Your contacts need to fit the curve of your cornea, the size of your pupil and iris, etc. These are not one-size-fits-all! Ill-fitting contacts could cause eye discomfort, pain, damage to your cornea, eye infections, and more.
It’s All About the Fit
At Clavenna Vision Institute, Dr. Bilek, Dr. Clavenna, and Dr. Fitzgerald have extensive experience fitting contacts for new patients as well as veteran wearers.
- Soft disposable lenses come in many disposable frequencies from replacing them every day to once a year. A nice compromise between cost and cleanliness is a 2-week replacement lens.
- Rigid gas permeable lenses (hard lenses) are usually used if you have a lot of astigmatism or irregularly shaped corneas. They offer exceptional clarity but tend to be less comfortable.
With a contact lens fitting the doctor will measure your eyes and put a contact lens on your cornea that best fits your eye. The fitting includes refining the prescription as well as teaching you how to insert and remove the contact lenses. The doctor also discusses proper lens cleaning and care in great detail.
Contact Lens Checks
Dr. Clavenna, Dr. Fitzgerald, and Dr. Bilek also perform contact lens checks, which should be done annually, to ensure your current prescription is still fitting properly. If necessary, she will refine your prescription. They will also review contact lens care to help prevent an eye infection.
Warning About Novelty Contact Lenses
Please never wear novelty contact lenses without a prescription! While contacts can be purchased from Halloween stores, flea markets, online websites, beauty salons, etc., these can cause serious damage to your eyes. Some contacts have been found to contain chlorine or iron to create tints – ingredients that can be toxic to the eyes. It’s illegal to purchase contact lenses in the U.S. without a prescription. If you want to explore the idea of contacts to complete a costume, contact us to schedule an appointment well in advance of your event and get fitted properly.
Tips for Contact Lens Care
To avoid eye infection, proper contact lens hygiene is very important. We recommend following these steps when caring for your lenses:
- Wash your hands before putting in your contacts
- Use high-quality lens cleaning solutions to clean your contacts after each use; do not reuse cleaning solutions as they may contain bacteria
- Do not use your saliva, tap water, or chlorinated water to clean your lenses; these unsterile water sources may contain bacteria
- Wash your lens case regularly with a cleaning solution and allow it to dry before closing it
- Only sleep in extended wear contacts
- Replace your lens case every three months to avoid bacteria build-up
- Don’t wear contacts if your eyes are irritated or if the contact appears damaged; this can lead to infection or a scratched cornea
Tired of Contacts? Explore LASIK!
If you’re tired of wearing contacts and glasses, you may be a good candidate for laser vision correction in Birmingham. At our state-of-the-art laser eye surgery facility, our doctors help improve the visual clarity and health of their patients by using the most advanced LASIK technologies available. With LASIK surgery, patients can enjoy crystal-clear vision within minutes of completing the procedure.
To schedule an appointment to learn more about contact lenses or LASIK, call 248.646.3733 or contact us online.
