Contact Lens Services

Mon, Wed, Fri: 8am-5pm
Tue, Thu: 9am-6pm

Contact lenses are medical devices that not only enhance visual acuity and appearance, but can also improve performance in visual tasks and sports. In some instances, specialty contact lenses may be required. Specialty contact lenses are custom lenses designed for patients who are unable to wear or have difficulties seeing with standard contact lenses.

How We Can Help:

Midwestern University Eye Institute offers comprehensive contact lens services to patients of all ages. As a teaching institute training exemplary future doctors of optometry, we offer cutting-edge technology and innovation in a wide variety of contact lens modalities. Our faculty fit a full range of contact lenses including: soft contact lenses, colored contact lenses, corneal (rigid) gas permeable lenses, hybrid contact lenses, orthokeratology/ corneal reshaping technology lenses, scleral contact lenses, and prosthetic contact lenses.

Patients with nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia have a wide range of soft contact lens and gas permeable lens options.

For patients who have been diagnosed with a complex corneal condition such as dry eye, keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, post-surgical corneas, and other irregular corneas, our faculty includes residency-trained optometrists who are highly trained in the diagnosis and management of these conditions. A wide array of custom-designed specialty contact lens options are available.

For referring doctors, our institute features state-of-the-art technology including: aberrometry, anterior-segment optical coherence tomography, confocal microscopy, corneal topography and tomography, scleral topography and specular microscopy.

What to Expect:

Prior to being fit into contact lenses, it is mandatory to have received a comprehensive eye examination within the past year. This comprehensive eye examination can be completed at the Eye Institute or records documenting a previous eye examination may be faxed from your external provider. You will be examined by a team of student(s) and doctor(s). Measurements will be taken during your evaluation to ensure a successful fit. Dependent on the complexity of the contact lens fitting, you should anticipate a fitting to take up to 2 hours. Several follow-up visits may be required prior to issuing a final contact lens prescription, in accordance with Arizona state regulations. The cost of a contact lens evaluation is separate from the comprehensive eye examination. Dependent on the diagnosis, the contact lens evaluation may be billed to either vision or medical insurance. You are responsible for notifying us of your plan at the time of service, and for covering any costs not paid by your plan.

Clinic Contact Information:

For a contact lens evaluation, please contact 623-537-6000, option 2.

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What To Expect

Contact Lens Fittings

We offer a variety of lens options including soft, rigid gas permeable, and hybrid lens designs. We can also treat and manage patients with a wide variety of conditions including any type of refractive error (prescription) from aphakia to high myopia and presbyopia. Patients with corneal disease such as dry eye, corneal dystrophy, keratoconus, irregular cornea, or post-surgical complications can also be successfully managed with contact lenses. We also offer orthokeratology services, which allow for young patients to wear lenses overnight and be free of lens wear during the day.

With routine contact lens fits, we can usually provide a general eye examination in the same visit as a contact lens evaluation. However, with more challenging fits, we usually recommend a general examination in our primary care clinic prior to a contact lens fitting appointment. Our contact lens services include a range of contact lens designs, materials, and lens care products, as well as advanced technology and imaging equipment.

Contact lens fittings and products are provided with extensive care and diligence from the students, experienced doctors, and staff- the service is unique and exceptional.

Evaluation/Fitting

Measurements will be taken during your evaluation to ensure a successful fit. Additional testing may be done at the request of the doctor. Patients being evaluated for disposable lenses are typically provided with trial lenses at no cost so that the doctor and student can evaluate the fit and performance of the lenses on the patient’s eyes. NOTE: no-cost trial lenses are typically not available for non-disposable lenses. Therefore, patients may be required to purchase their first set of lenses from the Midwestern University Eye Institute. After we have completed the fitting process, we will issue a final contact lens prescription, in accordance with Arizona state regulations.

Arizona state regulations require that contact lens patients receive certain contact lens services prior to a contact lens prescription being issued. These services may require lenses and multiple office visits, and may incur additional fees. Sometimes, changes in a contact lens type or design may be necessary. The contact lens evaluation, fitting, and material fees for non-disposable lenses must be paid at the start of the fitting process. A contact lens prescription, which will include new specific information tailored for your needs, may be written after the entire fitting process is complete.

Costs/Insurance

The cost of contact lens services is separate and distinct from the exam fees charged by the clinic. This is consistent with the majority of eye care providers in the area. If you have vision insurance and we are providers for your plan, we can file your contact lens services and/or materials with your insurance company. You are responsible for notifying us of your plan at the time of service, and for covering any costs not paid by your plan.

Definitions of Contact Lens Types & Concepts

Disposable Soft Lenses
Designed to be worn for a prescribed period and then discarded on a prescribed schedule.

Gas Permeable (GP) Lenses
The newer version of “hard” lenses, which may have very good results for certain corneal conditions. They may also be worn overnight for corneal reshaping.

Toric Lenses
Come in disposable, non-disposable, and gas-permeable modalities. These lenses are used to correct astigmatism.

Monovision
A system that uses normal lenses to correct both near and far vision by prescribing one eye for near and one eye for distance.

Multifocal Lenses
Correct both near and far vision in each contact lens. They are available in disposable, non-disposable, and GP lenses.

Corneal Reshaping Lenses (Orthokeratology)
These lenses are designed to be worn overnight, allowing for clear vision throughout the day without contact lens wear.

Cosmetic Contact Lenses
These are used to enhance the appearance of the eyes.

Hand-painted Lenses
Typically used for cosmetic improvement of a medical condition or discolored eye. This type of evaluation may require several lenses as well as additional photos or services for proper fitting. Please ask about the cost of these services if you are interested.

Specialized/ Therapeutic Contact Lenses
These lenses are customized for the patient, and may include large-diameter and custom-designed GP lenses, scleral GP lenses, as well as custom-design so contact lenses. To maximize your vision, your doctor may recommend the use of specialized or therapeutic lenses, which are generally more complex than disposable lenses. These special lenses may be needed due to genetics, corneal damage, presbyopia, astigmatism, dryness, or any number of special corneal conditions. We will be using lenses that require more fitting time, design information, and possibly frequent lens or material change. These factors increase the cost of service compared to a disposable lens evaluation. Some conditions may require customized pricing.

Midwestern University Eye Institute reserves the right to adjust fees as needed.

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Fitting & Evaluation Fees

Evaluation
The patient is wearing lenses of known parameters, which have good fit and performance and require little to no change. No follow-up is required.

Level One
The patient is being fit or re-fit into spherical gas-permeable, spherical soft, toric soft, or spherical hybrid contact lenses for normal corneas. The fitting process may require several lenses and several follow-ups. Follow-up appointments within three months of initiating the fitting are covered in the fee. The patient is responsible for the cost of any visits past the three month time frame.

Level Two
The patient is being fit or re-fit into so multifocal or any type of monovision contact lenses for normal corneas. The fitting process may require several lenses and several follow-ups. Follow-up appointments within three months of initiating the fitting are covered in the fee. The patient is responsible for the cost of any visits past the three month time frame.

Level Three
The patient is being fit or re-fit into toric gas-permeable, multifocal hybrid, or multifocal gas-permeable contact lenses. The fitting process may require several lenses and several follow-ups. Follow-up appointments within three months of initiating the ing are covered in the fee. The patient is responsible for the cost of any visits past the three month time frame.

Level Four
The patient is being fit or re-fit into any contact lens modality for patients with keratoconus, or any other condition that results in an irregular cornea. This may include prior corneal transplantation, ocular injury, corneal dystrophy, and many other circumstances. The fitting process may require several lenses and several follow-ups. Follow-up appointments within three months of initiating the fitting are covered in the fee. The patient is responsible for the cost of any visits past the three month time frame.

Level Five
The patient is being fit or re-fit into corneal reshaping lenses. The fitting process may require several lenses and several follow-ups. Follow-up appointments within three months of initiating the fitting are covered in the fee. The patient is responsible for the cost of any visits past the three month time frame.