How to tell if you need a new contact lens prescription

There are a number of ways to tell if you need a new contact lens prescription. Contact lenses are medical devices that require you to have a prescription. Contact lens prescriptions and eyeglass prescriptions are different, as it is important that you find the correct lenses for your unique eyes.

You should have your eyes checked annually to ensure that you have the correct prescription. If you have poorly fitted lenses, you could experience discomfort, distorted vision and other side effects. 

If you feel that you should have your prescription looked at, you should see your local optometrist. 

Here are a few signs that you may need a new contact lens prescription:

Discomfort: Burning, stinginging or itching eyes may mean you have a contact lens prescription that is off. Check to see whether your lenses are clean. If that’s not the case, be sure to consult with your optometrist. 

Impaired Vision: Reduced sharpness or blurriness can be signs that you need a new prescription. Contact lenses are meant to improve your vision, not impair it. Be sure to consult with your optometrist if you’re experiencing vision issues.

Physical: Tearing, dryness or redness can occur if you have the wrong prescription. 

Light Sensitivity: If you have a hard time being outdoors or generally experience light sensitivity, you may want to consult a doctor. 

Headaches: Inaccurate prescriptions can often lead to headaches because they are not actually helping your vision. If your experiencing headaches more frequently than usual, you may want to see whether you need a new prescription.

If you experience these issues, be sure to remove your contact lenses and speak with your optometrist about your existing prescription and the symptoms that you’ve been experiencing. “Just dealing with” the symptoms and continuing to wear the contact lenses that are inflicting discomfort could lead to eye damage.