Contact Lens Fitting in Hillsborough, NJ
A contact lens fitting is much more than simply transferring your glasses prescription to contacts. The curvature, diameter, material, and replacement schedule of a contact lens must be precisely matched to your eye’s unique anatomy and visual demands. At Amwell Eye Care, Dr. Adam Zhao performs comprehensive contact lens evaluations for patients of all ages and prescriptions — from straightforward first-time fittings to the most complex specialty cases, including keratoconus, irregular corneas, and patients who have failed with standard soft lenses.
What Is Involved in a Contact Lens Fitting?
A thorough contact lens fitting at Amwell Eye Care includes:
- Corneal topography — detailed mapping of the curvature and shape of your cornea; essential for selecting the correct base curve and detecting any irregularity
- Keratometry — measurement of corneal curvature to determine the appropriate lens fit
- Pupil and iris diameter measurement — ensures the lens optical zone covers your pupil correctly in all lighting conditions
- Tear film evaluation — assesses whether your tear production is sufficient to support comfortable lens wear; dry eye disease is the most common reason contact lenses become uncomfortable over time
- Trial lens fitting and slit-lamp assessment — Dr. Zhao evaluates how a trial lens centres, moves, and fits on your eye before finalising the prescription
- Over-refraction — fine-tunes the prescription through the trial lens for the sharpest possible vision
- Insertion, removal, and care training — all new wearers receive hands-on instruction before leaving the office
Contact Lens Types We Fit
We fit every major lens category and many specialty options that are not available at general optometry practices:
Soft Daily Disposable Lenses
Daily disposables are the healthiest and most convenient soft lens option for most patients. A fresh lens every day eliminates protein and lipid deposits, reduces infection risk, and removes the need for lens solutions. Modern dailies are available for myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism (toric), and presbyopia (multifocal) in a wide range of parameters.
Soft Bi-Weekly and Monthly Replacement Lenses
For patients who prefer a reusable lens, two-week and monthly replacement lenses offer excellent vision and comfort when properly cared for. Silicone hydrogel materials allow significantly more oxygen through to the cornea than conventional hydrogel lenses, reducing the risk of hypoxia-related complications with extended wear.
Toric Lenses for Astigmatism
Astigmatism requires a lens with two different powers in specific orientations. Toric soft lenses are designed with stabilisation features to prevent rotation and maintain clear vision. For patients with higher amounts of astigmatism or irregular astigmatism that soft torics cannot adequately correct, rigid gas-permeable lenses or scleral lenses often provide superior results.
Multifocal Contact Lenses for Presbyopia
Patients over 40 who need both distance and reading correction no longer have to choose between contacts and reading glasses. Multifocal contact lenses use concentric or aspheric designs to provide a range of vision from near to far. Fitting multifocal lenses requires additional expertise — the power profile, dominant eye assignment, and lens position all need to be carefully optimised for each patient. Dr. Zhao has extensive experience fitting multifocal lenses in patients who have struggled with standard off-the-shelf multifocal options elsewhere.
Rigid Gas-Permeable (RGP) Lenses
Rigid gas-permeable lenses are made from oxygen-permeable hard materials that maintain their shape on the eye, providing a precise optical surface independent of corneal irregularity. RGP lenses typically deliver sharper vision than soft lenses, particularly for patients with high prescriptions, irregular astigmatism, or corneal distortion. They are also longer-lasting and more cost-effective over time than frequent-replacement soft lenses. The initial adaptation period is longer than with soft lenses, but most patients find that vision quality makes it worthwhile.
Scleral Lenses
Scleral lenses are large-diameter rigid lenses that vault entirely over the cornea and rest on the white of the eye (the sclera). Because they don’t touch the corneal surface, they are ideal for patients with irregular corneas, keratoconus, corneal scarring, or severe dry eye disease. The fluid reservoir between the lens and cornea provides continuous hydration and a smooth refracting surface, often restoring vision that cannot be achieved with any other lens type. Scleral fitting requires specialised expertise and equipment, including corneal topography and precise sag measurement.
Keratoconus Fitting
Keratoconus is a progressive corneal condition in which the cornea thins and bulges into a cone shape, causing distorted vision that glasses and standard soft lenses cannot adequately correct. Dr. Zhao has specialised training in fitting contact lenses for keratoconus patients across all stages of the condition. Depending on the severity and shape of the cone, the most appropriate option may be:
- Rigid gas-permeable lenses — the traditional gold standard for mild-to-moderate keratoconus
- Hybrid lenses — a rigid centre bonded to a soft skirt, combining the optics of RGP with the comfort of soft lenses
- Scleral lenses — increasingly the preferred option for moderate-to-advanced keratoconus, offering excellent comfort and vision by vaulting over the irregular cone entirely
- Piggyback systems — a soft lens worn under an RGP lens to improve comfort in sensitive corneas
Dr. Zhao works closely with corneal specialists when crosslinking or surgical co-management is indicated, and continues to manage contact lens needs at every stage of the patient’s keratoconus journey.
Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)
Ortho-K lenses are specially designed rigid lenses worn overnight to gently reshape the cornea while you sleep, providing clear unaided vision during the day. They are a proven, FDA-cleared option for myopia correction and myopia management in children and adults who prefer to be glasses- and contact-free during waking hours.
Myopia Management Contact Lenses
Specially designed soft daily lenses — such as MiSight and other dual-focus designs — are clinically proven to slow the progression of myopia in children. These lenses correct vision clearly while simultaneously reducing the peripheral defocus signal thought to drive axial eye growth. Dr. Zhao will discuss whether soft myopia control lenses or Ortho-K is the better fit based on your child’s age, prescription, and lifestyle.
Contact Lenses and Dry Eye
Dry eye is the single most common reason patients discontinue contact lens wear. If your lenses become uncomfortable by mid-afternoon, feel dry or gritty, or cause redness by the end of the day, the issue is likely your tear film rather than the lens itself. Dr. Zhao evaluates tear film health as part of every contact lens fitting and can address underlying dry eye disease alongside your lens fitting for a more comfortable, sustainable wearing experience.
Insurance & Scheduling
Contact lens fittings and evaluations are covered under most vision insurance plans, including VSP, EyeMed, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Specialty lens fittings (scleral, RGP, keratoconus) may involve additional professional fees that vary by complexity; our staff will outline all costs clearly before your fitting. We accept most major vision and medical insurance plans and will verify your benefits before your visit.
To schedule a contact lens fitting in Hillsborough, NJ, contact us online or call (908) 336-3886. Same-week appointments are often available.
Schedule Your Contact Lens Fitting Today
Whether you’re a first-time wearer or looking for a better fit after years of discomfort, we have a lens solution for you.
