Glasses and Contact Lenses
In addition to the comprehensive eye care services provided at Coastal Eye Specialists, our practice also features an optical shop with a wide array of eyeglass frames to suit every taste and budget. We offer frames from many top designers, as well as stylish and affordable alternatives. We also carry frames for children and teens.
Our convenient onsite location eliminates the hassle of having to your glasses made by someone who is unfamiliar with your eyes, and helps our doctors ensure that your eyewear is made to their specifications and with your specific needs in mind. In addition to eyeglasses and contact lenses, we also offer sunglasses, sports glasses, goggles and safety and athletic eyewear.
When visiting our optical shop, you will be seen by one of our experienced professional opticians, who will help you decide which type of glasses or contacts are best for you. Our opticians will also help determine what type of lens, coating, tint, and other options are best for you, take exact measurements to ensure a proper fit of your eyewear, then custom-order your lenses. Once ready, the opticians can verify the proper prescription and fit, and will remain available to help service and maintain your glasses as needed. We highly recommend that your eyewear be selected and fitted by trained opticians who meet the high standards that we set at Coastal Eye.
The Optical Shop is open Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 5PM; no appointment is necessary to see our professional opticians. Extended optical hours may be available by appointment. Hours are subject to change; please call for updates. To learn more about our optical shop, call us today at 805-983-0700, or stop in to see the wide array of products we currently offer.
Coastal Eye Specialists donates all of our recycled glasses to the local Lions Club. If you would like to donate your wearable or easily repaired glasses, please speak to one of our opticians and we may be able to extend a credit towards your next pair of glasses.
*For limited time only, select Betsy Johnson frames 50% off at the Coastal Eye Specialists Optical Shop! As we are making room for a new line, these frames are sold at a discounted rate and without warranty. Contact us at 805-983-0700 with any questions*
Contact Lenses
Thanks to advances in optical technology, almost everyone can now wear contact lenses, regardless of the type or extent of their vision problems. That includes patients with astigmatism and those who need bifocal or multifocal lenses. At Coastal Eye, we offer a comprehensive array of contact lenses to suit our patients’ individual needs—from daily disposables to extended-wear soft contacts to rigid gas-permeable lenses. Talk with us to find out which contact lenses are best for you.
Note: Contact lenses are medical devices that must be professionally fit, and require regular care and attention for safe wear.
Daily-wear Soft Contacts
Daily-wear soft contact lenses are by far the most popular type of contacts worn. Made of a flexible plastic polymer, daily-wear lenses are put in each morning and taken out each night. They rest in a cleaning solution while you sleep. Daily-wear contacts come in many colors and typically last about one year.
Extended-wear Soft Contacts
Extended-wear soft contact lenses can be worn all the time, including while you sleep. Depending on whether you have 7-day (standard) or 30-day lenses, you only need to take out and clean your contacts once a week or once a month. Extended-wear lenses are made of soft silicone that retains moisture longer than daily-wear contacts, allows more oxygen to reach the eye, and reduces bacteria and protein buildup.
Although many patients prefer the convenience of 30-day contacts, the risk of infection and other adverse reactions is higher with extended-wear. We do not recommend sleeping with contact lenses in your eyes due to increased risk except under unusual circumstances.
Disposable Lenses
Disposable soft lenses are intended to be thrown out and replaced after you’ve worn them for a certain length of time. This makes them even easier to maintain than regular soft contacts. Many disposable lenses are designed for replacement each day, every week or two, or every three months. Daily-wear disposables are worn during waking hours only, while extended-wear disposables can be worn for longer periods.
The Fitting Process
The staff and doctors of Coastal Eye want to make sure that your contact lens wearing experience is safe and comfortable. Our goal is to protect your vision for a lifetime.
The following two steps are required in order for us to prescribe contact lenses, and must be repeated on an annual basis:
- Annual (regular) eye examination includes diagnostic tests necessary to determine your eyeglass prescription and evaluate the overall health of your eyes. This exam is the same whether you are a contact lens wearer or not. Information from the annual exam provides the starting point for the contact lens examination. It is recommended that you have a current pair of glasses before the contact lens evaluation and keep them updated even if you wear your contacts most of the time. Emergencies and eye conditions can develop that may prevent you from wearing your contacts, and glasses are essential in those situations.
- Contact lens examination and fitting are done after the regular exam, and includes:
- Medical assessment of how the contact lens fits and affects the cornea, conjunctiva, tear film, and eyelids
- Determination of the most appropriate contact lens (including brand, base curve, diameter, type, material, and power) for your eyes.
- The contact lens prescription, which is different from a glasses prescription. The contact lens prescription can only be given after the contact lens examination and fitting, and is good for one year.
