Diameter question

bluechick · #1 (**permalink**) 03-01-2011, 05:50 PM

Hi,

This question might seem dumb and I should know this by now after wearing color contacts for more then 15 years but I really never bothered to find out until now. What does the diameter of contacts exactly indicate. If my eye diameter is 14.5, and the color contacts I want are made in 14.0...does it mean that these lens will not fit?

Does the smaller diameter make the iris look smaller whereas lenses with larger diameters make the iris look bigger?

Thank you!

Type40 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-02-2011, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluechick

Hi,

This question might seem dumb and I should know this by now after wearing color contacts for more then 15 years but I really never bothered to find out until now. What does the diameter of contacts exactly indicate? If my eye diameter is 14.5, and the color contacts I want are made in 14.0...does it mean that these lens will not fit?

Does the smaller diameter make the iris look smaller whereas lenses with larger diameters make the iris look bigger?

Thank you!

Hey, don't be afraid to ask "dumb" questions here. That's why it's called "Lens 101." We cover the basics here.

The diameter of the contact lens indicates the distance from one edge of the lens to the opposite edge. Diameter is expressed in millimeters, so a lens that has a diameter of 14.0 is 14 millimeters across. (For my fellow Americans out there, that's just over a half inch.)

14.5 millimeters is a tiny bit bigger, and depending on your eyes it may or may not fit comfortably.

The bigger issue in all this is your prescription. If your eye doctor will give you a prescription for those 14.0 color contact, then you're good to go. If not, you either have to find a different doctor or give up your dream of wearing those contacts.

bluechick · #3 (**permalink**) 03-09-2011, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Type40

Hey, don't be afraid to ask "dumb" questions here. That's why it's called "Lens 101." We cover the basics here.

The diameter of the contact lens indicates the distance from one edge of the lens to the opposite edge. Diameter is expressed in millimeters, so a lens that has a diameter of 14.0 is 14 millimeters across. (For my fellow Americans out there, that's just over a half inch.)

14.5 millimeters is a tiny bit bigger, and depending on your eyes it may or may not fit comfortably.

The bigger issue in all this is your prescription. If your eye doctor will give you a prescription for those 14.0 color contact, then you're good to go. If not, you either have to find a different doctor or give up your dream of wearing those contacts.

Thank you for your help.