General Info

Steve Rana cringes when he hears contact lens wearers say they don't change their contacts until they hurt. The consequences of wearing contacts too long can be serious, says Rana, a licensed dispensing optician and owner of Lewiston Optical. Blood vessels can grow into the cornea as a response to the lack of oxygen. A person's vision can start to cloud so incrementally it's not obvious. Newer soft, disposable lenses are so comfortable that they give people a false sense of security. The only indication many patients have that anything is wrong is that their eyes feel itchy or watery. The threshold of discomfort can be off the chart. The best way to prevent complications is to carefully follow the advice of doctors and opticians about caring for their eyes and contact lenses. Making the choice between contacts and glasses can be just as important as getting an accurate prescription and should involve the advice of an eye doctor or optician. We ask our customers about their occupations and hobbies as we do fittings to assist in coming up with a customized solution that suits their everyday needs. Occasionally contacts are even the right choice for young children, particularly if they only need correction in one eye. What can happen if they wear glasses is they will look over the top, a habit that can lead to them being cross-eyed.