This article was co-authored by David Felsted, DO and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Dr. David Felsted is a Comprehensive Ophthalmologist based in Flagstaff, Arizona. He specializes in cataract and refractive surgery, micro-invasive glaucoma surgery, ophthalmic lasers, dry eye disease, diabetic retinopathy, and ocular trauma. Dr. Felsted holds a BS in Accounting from Brigham Young University and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Midwestern University. He completed his Ophthalmic residency at The Medical College of Georgia.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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So, you have glasses but want contacts. We get it—eye accessories don’t match every occasion! But the only problem is you don’t want to go back to the optometrist. You’ve already had your eyes checked and have a glasses prescription, so can you convert that prescription into a contacts prescription? In this article, we’ll explain the whys and hows behind using your eye prescriptions interchangeably.
Things You Should Know
- Use a vertex distance conversion chart and note the difference in power between your glasses and contact lenses.
- If there’s a difference of 0.25 or less, you may be able to use a similar prescription for contacts.
- Contacts prescriptions differ from glasses prescriptions because they use the diameter and base curve of your eye within their measurements.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Tips
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Don’t feel like finding the distance vertex yourself? Try using an online contact lens prescription calculator, like the one from CooperVision.Thanks
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Read your contact lens prescription closely to learn what your power, base curve, and diameter is.Thanks
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Need a prescription but don’t want to go to an eye doctor? Take a 1-800 Contacts at-home eye exam (they’ll even refill a prescription).Thanks
Warnings
- While conversion charts and tools can help you find a contact lens prescription at home, it’s always best to go to an eye doctor and get a separate exam, especially before buying contacts.Thanks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about eye care, check out our in-depth interview with David Felsted, DO.
References
- ↑ https://www.nao.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Vertex-Distance-Effective-Power-and-Compensated-Power-Tilt-Wrap.pdf
- ↑ https://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/eyeforum/video/Refraction/pdfs/Optics-Review.pdf
- ↑ https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/how-to-read-eyeglasses-prescription
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4069781/
- ↑ https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/how-to-read-eyeglasses-prescription
- ↑ https://myvision.org/eye-health/prescriptions/
- ↑ https://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/eyeforum/video/Refraction/pdfs/Optics-Review.pdf
- ↑ https://myvision.org/eye-health/prescriptions/
- ↑ https://www.optometrists.org/general-practice-optometry/optical/guide-to-contact-lenses/hydrogel-vs-silicone-hydrogel-lenses/