Calvin Klein or Coach? Ray Ban or Ralph? The choices are as varied as your personal style when it comes to designer eyewear. And what a statement they make. Gone are the days when eyeglasses were things meant to serve a purpose- namely improve your vision. Today's frames are a fashion statement, and what you wear says a lot about who you are.
Although trendy shades and designer frames allow you to express your personal style while still correcting your vision, the same cannot be said for contact lenses. When it comes to choosing contact lenses, keep in mind that the shape of your eyes, level of dryness and type of prescription are the just some of the deciding factors.
In the relatively recent past, most contact lenses were purchased at the doctor or optician, making mistakes less likely to happen. However with the proliferation of online shopping and the convenience of having your lenses delivered to your door on a regular basis, there are some important things to keep in mind when shopping for lenses.
For starters, you don't choose your lens brand; your eye-care practitioner does. Different brands specialize in different things and every single brand will have a different fit, even in the same size and prescription. The brand your doctor recommended is the brand you want to buy even if it happens to be slightly more expensive than other brands. So if all of your friends are wearing Acuvue and your social standing is severely impacted because you are the only one wearing Air Optix, just check with your doctor before you decide to switch.
What are the fancy codes your doctor is using in your prescription? It is actually possible to understand them even if you didn't have eight years of medical school training. First of all, contact lens and eyeglass prescriptions are not the same. You cannot simply purchase a pair of contacts using your regular eyeglass prescription.
Once you've ascertained that what you're looking at is a contact lens prescription, here's what to look for:
Find the term OD. This stands for oculus dexter, a Latin term for right eye. All of the numbers next to this row or column indicate the strength of correction needed for your right eye.
Find the term OS. This stands for oculus sinister, a Latin term for left eye. All of the numbers following this row or column indicate the strength of correction needed for your left eye.
Locate the term Power (PWR) or Sphere. This indicates the strength of your prescription as either a positive or negative number. A negative number, i.e. -2.00, indicates myopia, or nearsightedness, while a positive number, +2.00, indicates hyperopia, or farsightedness. Often the number for each of your eyes will be different so make sure to keep your lefts and rights in order.
BC or Base Curve. This is the measurement of the inside curve of your contact lenses. An example could read 8.5 D.
Diameter. This is the measurement of a straight line through the center of the contact lens. An example could read 14.0 D.
If you have astigmatism your doctor will also include the CYL and AXIS, the measurement of astigmatism, and the measurement need to correct it, respectively.
Another important detail to look for is the name of the brand your doctor has chosen for you since it will fit all of your needs and ensure proper fit, long-lasting comfort, and of course healthy eyes and vision.
With competitive pricing and wide-ranging selection, EZContacts makes it easier than ever to wear the contacts best for you with pride. If you think about it, the best kind of contact lens is one you never have to think about.
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