Contact Lens Fitting at Ridgewood Ophthalmology in Bergen County, New Jersey
You’ll be pleased to find the highest quality contact lenses fitting for your best possible vision and comfort. More contact lens choices than ever are available! We fit Acuvue contacts for Astigmatism, Acuvue Oasys contacts for dry eye, Focus Dailies for Astigmatism, Tinted Contacts to change your eye color, Bifocal Contacts, and many other choices.
We fit one day disposable contacts, two week disposable contacts, and gas-permeable semi-rigid lenses, depending on your needs and your contact prescription. Our experienced staff will teach you (or your teen) how to insert and remove contacts, and how to take care of them, for years of safe, comfortable wear and crisp vision.
We fit special contact lenses for astigmatism, for dry eye, and for people who need reading glasses and distance glasses, or presbyopia. We’ll ask you about your work and hobby needs for contacts and for glasses. Do you need reading glasses? Some people do very well with “monovision” contacts which correct your vision for both distance and for near.
I’m interested in contacts for myself (or my teen). How do I get fit?
First, you need a complete eye exam to make sure that you have healthy eyes, and to determine what your prescription should be. Then, we’ll ask about any special needs for work or hobbies, and discuss the best choice for you. We have over 5,000 contacts right here in stock to chose from. Then, we’ll put the actual contacts on your eye, and make sure that they are comfortable and make sure that you see well, and adjust the fit or prescription if needed. Then our technical staff will teach you how to insert and remove your contact lenses! A contact lens fitting is $200.00 plus the cost of the contacts—the contact lens cost varies depending on the type of lens. The contact lens fitting fee includes contact lens instruction, cleaning supplies, and one week follow-up visit.
I’ve never worn contacts before. What contact lens will you fit me with?
It depends on your prescription and your needs. We have one day-disposable contacts, two-week disposable contacts, and special contacts for dry eye and for astigmatism. We specialize in people who have had trouble with contacts in the past, or have been told they can’t wear contacts.
I already have my contact lenses. Can you make sure these are right for me?
Of course. Bring your actual contacts and prescription for your eye exam, and our doctors are happy to check your contact lens prescription, for a fee of $40.00. In most cases, we can confirm whether your fit is good, whether the type is appropriate, and whether you need a stronger or weaker prescription. If you need a re-fit of your contacts, with a new kind of lens, we can do that, too, for a fee of $100.00.
I’m interested in getting tinted contacts. Can I see what they look like on me?
Yes, during the contact lens fitting we’ll be sure to ask you about tinted contacts; you can try contacts which change your color dramatically, from brown to blue, or ones which enhance your natural shade, say, making your eyes greener or bluer.
At what age is my teen ready for contact lenses?
This is really a parental decision, not a medical decision. Some children are mature enough for contacts at 10 or 11; others do better at 14 or 15. We are happy to try fitting your child for contacts when your child wants them, and you feel the child is mature enough.
I just turned 40, and now I have to wear reading glasses over my contacts. What can you do for that?
Everyone in their forties develops presbyopia, or needing reading glasses. The solution can be reading glasses or bifocals, but, for people who do not want to wear glasses, monovision contacts may be the answer. In monovision contacts, you are fitted with one contact for distance and one for near. It takes your brain about 2 weeks to adapt. Once you are adapted, you see well for distance and near without reading glasses. It may take about 2 weeks to adapt. Even after you are adapted, you may find that some distance vision, such as driving at night, bird watching, or playing tennis, may be difficult, and for these activities, you may want to wear your glasses or distance contacts in both eyes.
I have dry eye and I had to stop wearing contacts because my eyes felt gritty. Can you help?
Yes. We fit one day contacts and two week contacts especially for dry eye problems, called “Acuvue Moist” and “Acuvue Oasys”. Both types of contacts retain moisture in your eye and make contact lens wear much more comfortable. In addition, we can discuss other options, for instance, start you on special drops for dry eye (Restasis, artifical tears), start pills for dry eye (containing flax seed oils), or insert punctual plugs in your eye to retain moisture.
What is astigmatism? Can I wear contacts if I have it?
Yes, we have special contact lenses for astigmatism. Astigmatism is when light rays do not evenly scatter across your retina, so special balanced lenses called “toric” lenses focus the image in two different places. Toric lenses fit to your precise eye prescription.
Can I wear contacts while I’m playing sports?
Yes! Contacts are great for sports—they don’t slip, they don’t fog up, and they give good, crisp vision and excellent peripheral vision, while you are playing your sport.
I’m interested in contacts I can wear straight for 30 days.
We do not recommend sleeping in contacts. Three complications occur when you sleep in contact lenses, and none of these complications occur if you simply remove your contacts at the end of the day. The three complications of sleeping in contacts are corneal ulcer (a painful and potentially blinding infection of the eye), giant papillary conjunctivitis (an allergic reaction to contacts which makes it very uncomfortable to wear contacts) and corneal neovascularization (new blood vessels in the eye which may mean you can’t have LASIK).
I want to get contact lenses fitted—but I’m interested in LASIK.
Great! We can fit you with contact lenses, and you can, on the same visit, watch a video about LASIK and take home information about LASIK here at Ridgewood Ophthalmology.
Do I have to order my contacts with you?
We prefer to supply you with the contacts, because we can exchange contacts and make sure you are happy with your vision. We will give you the prescription for contacts if you wish, but we cannot exchange lenses if your order them elsewhere and are not satisfied.
