Exams and Tests

Diagnosis and treatment of contact lens problems entail a complete history and an eye examination.

• During the history, you are asked questions about your symptoms and how long you have been bothered by these symptoms (for example, light sensitivity, redness, blurred vision). You should also be prepared to tell your eye doctor about
  
  
  • the type of contact lenses being worn (soft, gas permeable, or the older hard lenses).
    
    
  • what type of care regimen you use (cleaning, disinfecting, and rinsing solutions). This should include the specific name (manufacturer) of solutions.
    
    
  • the type of wear regimen used: daily disposable, weekly overnight wear, or daily wear.
    
    
  • how often the lenses are replaced (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly).
    
    
  • when you last wore your lenses.
    
    
  • whether your vision is affected.
    
    
• The examination of the eye involves checking your vision (with your glasses because you have removed your contact lenses).
  
  
  • If your vision cannot be corrected, your eye doctor may suspect the presence of a serious problem.
    
    
  • Your eye doctor looks into your eye with various types of lights, starting with a flashlight type of instrument and followed by a slit lamp (a microscope to examine the eye with high magnification and different color lights).
    
    
  • Your eye doctor may place a dye called fluorescein on the eye. This makes abrasions and ulcers show up clearly.
    
    
• With apparently severe infections, cultures of the eye may be taken and sent to the laboratory for evaluation. Depending on the cause of the infection, specific antibiotic eyedrops may be required. Rarely, hospitalization is required.