Contact Lenses at Cochrane Family Eyecare

We prescribe a huge variety of contact lenses, including spherical lenses, toric lenses (contacts for Astigmatism), and multifocal lenses (contacts for Presbyopia). In addition to soft contacts we also fit speciality contacts such as hard contacts, scleral contacts, and Ortho-keratology for myopia management.

Contact Lenses: Frequently Asked Questions

Who Can Wear Contacts?

With all the advancements in contact lens technology, almost anyone can wear contacts. Schedule today to find which contact is the best fit for your vision needs!

What is the Right Age for Contacts?

There really is no exact answer to this question. It depends a lot on the level of responsibility of the patient. There are some twelve year olds that are very responsible and that will take good care of their eyes and their lenses. Conversely, there are some forty year olds who take very bad care of their contacts and probably should not be wearing them.

We work with parents of minors to determine the readiness of a child, and will prescribe contacts on a case by case basis.

What are Toric Lenses?

Toric lenses are contacts designed for individuals with astigmatism. Astigmatism is when they eye is not perfectly rounded- it is shaped more like a football than a baseball. So, instead of needing lenses that are the same prescription throughout the lens, a person with astigmatism needs contacts that correct for multiple prescriptions at the same time.

Can I Get Contacts if I Need Bifocals?

Yes! There are a few different designs of bifocal contact lenses. There is the “bullseye” design, which has concentric rings of near-far-near-far-near built into the lens. There are RGP/”hard” contact lenses that look much like a bifocal pair of eyeglasses- with the top half of the lens being for distance and the bottom half of the lens designed for reading.

The other solution that can work well for presbyopes (people needing bifocals) is called “monovision.” Basically, the doctor will give you a distance contact lens for one eye, and a near contact lens for the other eye. When you wear them, your brain can figure out which eye to pay attention to, and which eye has the ”wrong” prescription for the task at hand.

Can I Wear Makeup With Contact Lenses?

Yes, but just be careful not to get makeup in your eyes or on your contacts. It is best to put your contacts in before you apply your makeup, and then remove the contacts before you take your makeup off. Always be sure to purchase ophthalmologically tested and approved cosmetics so you know that they will be safe for  your eyes. 

Also, do not put eyeliner right at the waterline, as it can bleed into your eye and get stuck on or under your contacts.

What Brand of Contacts is Right for Me?

There are many factors that influence which brand of contacts would be best for your eyes, including the shape and curvature of your eye, the amount and quality of your tear production, your lifestyle and favorite activities- even the climate and environment of where you live and work!

Different brands of contacts "breathe" differently- in that they allow varying amounts of oxygen to reach the eye. The different brands are also unique in the ways that they hold moisture, which can influence not only comfort, but also visual clarity and ease of handling the lens.