I have Ultra Flex 55, 7/14 contact lenses, power -1.00, base curve 8.6, sphere 14.2. I tried to order color contacts online, but they told me the ones I wanted (Focus softcolors) were a different type of lens and did not come with a base curve of 8.6. I don't understand why they couldn't help me.

N.

With hundreds of models of contacts, and every type fitting just a little differently, it is very important that people have an optometrist or ophthalmologist examine their eyes before they start wearing a new type of contact. To put it another way, you should not order a random pair of contact lenses off the Internet without first having a contact-lens specialist determine whether that particular type of lens is safe for you.

Besides variations among lens brands, each person's eyes have different characteristics that can influence what type of contacts he or she should get. Some people have dry eyes; others are more susceptible to allergies. In addition, every eye has a unique shape, so a particular brand of contact lens will often fit certain people's eyes better. Lifestyle factors, such as how often a patient is willing to remove and clean contacts, also need to be considered when selecting contacts. For example, the biggest cause of eye infections is people sleeping in contact lenses not designed for overnight wear.

A contact-lens specialist should spend time trying different contact lenses on a patient to determine which contacts fit best, as well as which feel most comfortable and are best suited to his or her lifestyle. Contacts that do not fit properly can bind to the cornea, causing corneal inflammation and infections that may even lead to permanent vision loss.