Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are an option for most people. From the age of approximately 10 up to almost any age, contacts correct hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism, and presbyopia (needing reading glasses after age 40).
If you are a new contact lens wearer you will require a contact lens fit by one of our contact lens practitioners. In most cases you will be supplied with a free trial pair of lenses to try for a period of typically 2 weeks and then you will have the option to purchase lenses if all is well.
Depending on the type of lens you use, you may be required to change your contacts daily or as infrequent as every couple years. The majority of patients now change their contacts every 2 weeks. Some contacts are also approved for sleeping in which is a big convenience to some patients.
We also deal with rigid gas perm lenses (hard lenses) for specific prescriptions and/or for patients that currently wear them happily. Hard lenses typically last for a year or more depending on the patient's care of them.
And for the more adventurous contact lens wearer we also offer colour contact lenses (only soft) which can enhance your eye colour for example from brown to blue or vice versa.
Many studies recently have showed that the majority of contact lens wearers who discontinue lens wear do so because of dryness and discomfort especially towards the end of the day. Now with new materials such as silicone hydrogels, patient comfort can be extended all day and lens wear can be resumed by most of these patients.
Another use for contacts that many people are unaware of is to replace the use of reading glasses or bifocals in patients over 40 whose arms do not seem to be long enough anymore to read! If you are over 40 and require reading glasses or bifocals, you may be a candidate for what we call monovision. Either if you have worn glasses or contacts your whole life or maybe just started to use drug-store readers, monovision may be a great option for you. Dr. Bense or Gary Gillard will fit you with one contact lens for reading and possibly a contact lens in your other eye if it is necessary to improve your distance vision in that eye if it is not already clear. This technique is very successful and for most people totally eliminates the use of readers or bifocals.
Contact lens patients are reminded that a yearly routine eye exam is necessary in order to ensure your eyes are healthy. Please contact Bense Optical at 754-1250 for any enquiries such as ordering contacts, booking your contact lens fit, or booking your routine eye exam.
BENSE OPTICAL...HONEST EYEWEAR
