Understanding your patient’s contact lens history is extremely helpful in avoiding future fitting, designing and wearing problems.
Firstly, you should understand your patient’s past successes or failures, their reasons for lens wear, and previous care regimes.
Secondly, it is also important to remember that wearing contact lenses distorts your corneal physiology and corneal topography, so biometric measurements immediately after lens removal will be distorted. Have your patient discontinue lens wear at least 2-4 weeks before new lens evaluations.
Be especially vigilant when your keratoconus patients come in for their yearly or long due follow-ups- a new lens fit can give the patient false VA expectations if the lens touches the cornea.
Ask questions with regards to the following to understand,
- Contact lens type
- Wearing schedule
- Satisfaction with vision and comfort
- Wearing time – hours/day and days/week, years
- Contact lens wear in front of computer
- Disinfection regimen
- Reasons for changing the type of contact lens or discontinuation of use in the past
- Previous contact lens- or solution-related complications
Laäs C, Eksteen C, Booysen D. The art of contact lens fitting. 2005:23-26
