Key Takeaways
- Contact lens wearers need an eye exam at least once a year, even if your vision feels fine.
- Contacts sit directly on the eye, so they should be checked regularly to ensure they fit properly and are not harming your eye health. This can be done as a part of your eye exam and does not require a separate appointment.
- Skipping exams can lead to dryness, infections, or wearing an outdated prescription without knowing it.
- New contact wearers or anyone with dry eyes may need more frequent check-ins.
- Your annual exam is also when your contact lens prescription gets renewed.
If you wear contacts, you might be tempted to skip your annual eye exam once your vision feels stable. We get it. But contacts are a bit different from glasses, and skipping that yearly visit can catch up with you. At Airdrie Family Eye Doctors, we recommend a contact lens exam once a year for most patients, and here’s why that matters.
Why Contact Lens Wearers Need Exams More Than Glasses Wearers
Glasses sit in front of your eyes. Contacts sit directly on them. That means your cornea is interacting with a foreign object all day, and it needs to be monitored a little more closely.
During a contact lens exam, your optometrist checks more than just how clearly you see. In many ways it goes even further than a comprehensive eye exam, since we also look at:
- The curve and fit of your lenses against your eye shape
- Corneal health, including any signs of swelling or irritation
- Tear film quality, since dry eyes affect comfort and lens performance
- Whether your prescription still matches your current vision
Even if your eyesight hasn’t changed, your eye’s shape or tear production can shift over time. A lens that fit perfectly last year might not fit as well now.
How Often Should You Book a Contact Lens Exam?
For most healthy adult contact lens wearers, once a year is the standard recommendation. That said, a few situations call for more frequent visits:
- New to contacts: If you’re just getting started, you’ll likely need a follow-up a few weeks in to make sure the fit and prescription are right.
- Dry eyes or discomfort: Ongoing dryness, redness, or irritation is worth checking sooner rather than waiting for your annual visit. If dryness is a recurring issue, our dry eye therapy options can help, and it’s worth reading up on what causes dry eyes with contacts in the meantime.
- Prescription changes: If your vision feels different, don’t wait. An outdated prescription can cause headaches and eye strain.
- Extended or overnight wear: These lens types carry a higher risk of complications, so they often come with more frequent monitoring.
What Happens If You Skip Your Contact Lens Exam?
It’s tempting to keep reordering the same lenses year after year without booking a visit. But an expired contact lens prescription isn’t just a formality. Wearing lenses that no longer fit properly, or using an outdated prescription, can lead to:
- Blurry or strained vision
- Dry, red, or irritated eyes
- A higher risk of corneal infections
- Discomfort that gets written off as “normal” when it isn’t
Your contact lens prescription typically expires after one year for exactly this reason. It’s a built-in reminder to come back in and make sure everything is still working the way it should. Skipping exams altogether is also part of why our team put together an eye disease diagnosis and management program, since many conditions develop quietly and are easiest to catch during a routine visit.
Signs You Shouldn’t Wait for Your Next Scheduled Exam
A little adjustment period is normal when trying a new lens type or brand. But if you notice any of the following, don’t wait for your annual visit:
- Persistent redness or pain
- Blurry vision that doesn’t clear up
- Unusual discharge or excessive tearing
- Sensitivity to light
Take your lenses out and give us a call. If it feels urgent, our emergency eye care page has more on what counts as urgent and what to do next.
Booking Your Next Contact Lens Exam in Airdrie
Staying on top of your annual exam is one of the easiest ways to keep your contact lens experience comfortable and your eyes healthy. Whether you’re due for a renewal or just want a fit check, our team at Airdrie Family Eye Doctors is here to help.
Book your appointment today and keep your eyes seeing their best.
