If you are an eyecare patient interested in wearing contact lenses, you may have some questions that you will want to discuss with your eye doctor. Here is a list of commonly asked questions and answers that you can use to start a dialogue with your eye doctor about contact lenses:

• What are contact lenses?: Contact lenses are a medical device and can be worn to correct vision. Contact lenses are also worn for cosmetic or therapeutic reasons. In the United States, all contact lenses require a prescription. They must be prescribed and properly fitted by an eye doctor such as an optometrist, ophthalmologist, or licensed optician.
• How do I know if contact lenses are right for me?: Talking to your eye doctor will help. Your eye doctor can assess if contact lenses are a good option for you based on your prescription, your lifestyle, and other factors. There are a wide variety of contact lens options available to correct vision conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia.
• I don’t need contact lenses for vision correction, but I want to wear them for cosmetic reasons. Do I still need a prescription?: Yes, since contact lenses are a medical device, you will need to see your eye doctor to get a prescription for any type of contact lenses. You should not buy or wear cosmetic contact lenses without seeing an eye doctor first. Buying and wearing contact lenses without the guidance of an eye doctor or without a valid prescription can put you at risk for serious eye infections.
• Where can I get contact lenses? You can purchase contact lenses from your eye doctor. If you need help locating an eye doctor, you can locate one with our Find A Practitioner locator here.