In Calgary, getting contact lenses is a three-step process: book a contact lens exam and fitting with an optometrist, choose the lens type and brand that suit your eyes, then order or reorder your supply. In Alberta, contact lenses are regulated as medical devices, so a complete eye exam and professional fitting come before a valid prescription is issued. FYidoctors, Canada's largest eye care provider, offers fittings, leading lens brands, online ordering, and a subscription with home delivery at its Calgary locations.
What to Remember
- In Alberta, contact lenses are medical devices, so a professional fitting and valid prescription come before your first order.
- A fitting measures your eyes — corneal curvature, lens size, and eye health — so lenses fit safely and comfortably.
- Common options include daily and monthly disposables, toric lenses for astigmatism, and multifocal lenses for presbyopia.
- Reordering is simple with online ordering, a subscription with home delivery, and insurance direct billing.
- FYidoctors offers fittings, leading brands, and convenient ordering across its Calgary locations.
Getting Fitted for Contact Lenses in Calgary
A contact lens fitting is your first step, and in Alberta it's required before you can get lenses. Health Canada regulates all contact lenses — corrective and coloured alike — as Class II medical devices.
Under Alberta's Health Professions Act, a complete eye examination and a professional contact lens fitting must be finished before an optometrist can issue a contact lens prescription. Even coloured or decorative lenses with no vision correction need a fitting; the Alberta College of Optometrists notes they are safe only when properly fitted and maintained.
Why so thorough? A fitting protects your eye health and your comfort. During the appointment, your optometrist checks the health of your eyes, then uses a keratometer to measure the curve of your cornea. From there, they determine the base curve and diameter your lenses need, assess your eyes for a good match, and have you try trial lenses. A follow-up visit confirms the lenses are working well before you settle on a final prescription.
Keep in mind that a contact lens prescription is not the same as a glasses prescription. It adds details a fitting reveals — base curve, diameter, lens brand or material, and a wear schedule — so a glasses prescription alone cannot be used to order contacts. In Alberta, the expiry date on your prescription is set at your optometrist's discretion, based on your eye and overall health.
For Calgary families, this is where doctor-led care pays off. With more than 650 optometrists and over 300 locations across Canada, FYidoctors can handle everyone's exam and fitting under one roof — a real help when you are the one keeping the whole household's eye care on track.
Contact Lens Brands and Types Available in Calgary
The right lens depends on your prescription, eye health, and lifestyle — and there are more options than most people expect. Daily disposables are worn once and thrown away, offering convenience and a lower risk of infection. Monthly disposables are reused for a set period with proper cleaning and can offer good value.
Toric lenses correct astigmatism, where an irregular corneal curve blurs vision. Multifocal lenses help with presbyopia, the age-related loss of near focus that usually begins around 40. Silicone hydrogel lenses let more oxygen reach the cornea than older hydrogel materials, which supports healthier wear.
Gas-permeable and scleral lenses suit irregular corneas — such as keratoconus — and some dry-eye conditions. Coloured lenses are available too, and, as noted, they also require a fitting.
FYidoctors carries leading brands, including Acuvue (Johnson & Johnson), Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, and CooperVision. Rather than leaving you to guess, your optometrist matches a brand and lens type to your eyes, weighing your prescription, comfort, and daily routine.
Parents in Calgary may want to ask about myopia control. Nearsightedness is rising among children — University of Waterloo researchers estimate about a quarter of Canadian kids are now myopic — and studies show that soft myopia-control contact lenses can slow how quickly it progresses. One example, CooperVision's MiSight 1 day, was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2019 as the first soft lens indicated for slowing myopia progression in children aged 8 to 12. If your child is a candidate, your optometrist can explain the options and what is suitable here.
Ordering and Reordering Contact Lenses in Calgary
Once your fitting is complete and you have a valid prescription, ordering your first supply — and reordering later — is straightforward. You can order online, set up a contact lens subscription with home delivery, and use insurance direct billing to simplify payment. A subscription is handy for busy households: your lenses arrive on schedule, so you are not scrambling when a box runs out.
Buying from your eye care provider also keeps a doctor in the loop. If your vision changes or your eyes need a different lens, your optometrist can adjust your prescription and follow up — something a standalone retailer cannot offer. It helps to keep your prescription current, too.
The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends eye exams every year for children and teens and every two years for adults aged 20 to 64, and active contact lens wearers may benefit from annual check-ins. In Alberta, annual eye exams are publicly funded for children up to age 19.
FYidoctors pairs local Calgary clinics with Canada-wide ordering and delivery, so you get personal, doctor-led care with the convenience of national scale.
Book Your Calgary Contact Lens Appointment
Ready to get started with contact lenses that fit your eyes and your life? Book an appointment for an eye exam or find a location near you.
FAQ
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