young man during eye exam in Washington

Contact Lens Exam in Washington

Vision Without Limits

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Discover the Freedom and Convenience of Contact Lenses

  • Need bifocal or multifocal contacts?
  • Rigid gas permeable or soft lenses?
  • Disposables, dailies or colored contacts?

Contact lenses give wearers a full field of focused vision no matter where you look. Because they move with your eyes, contacts help allow you to track action with sharp and clear peripheral vision. Moreover, if you lead an active lifestyle, contacts provide more freedom and flexibility to enjoy your favorite sports.

A contact lens exam will help us determine the perfect contact lens fit for your eyes and lifestyle!

teo women wearing contact lenses


What to Expect From Your Contact Lens Exam

  • Regular eye exam

    During your comprehensive eye exam your optometrist will check that your eyes are healthy and will test your vision to determine your contact lens prescription.

  • Contact lens consultation

    During your contact lens exam your optometrist will check for dry eye symptoms and consult with you to determine what type of contact lenses are the best fit for your lifestyle and vision needs.

  • Contact lens fitting

    For ideal vision correction and comfort, contact lenses must fit well. Your optometrist will examine the size and shape of your cornea and pupil to ensure the right fit.

  • Contact lens trial and follow-up

    Your optometrist will insert trial lenses and ask you to keep them on for 15-20 minutes to be sure the fit is comfortable and vision is clear. After a few days, you'll come in for a follow-up evaluation.


Where Can I Get a Contact Lens Exam?

The right contact lenses, carefully fitted and prescribed by your optometrist, can provide many benefits and prevent discomfort and eye disease.

Once you have determined the right contact lens, you can start enjoying the benefits and freedom of daily or regular contact lens wear.

We offer contact lens exams at our eye clinic and will help determine the best contact lenses for your needs and eye shape. Simply schedule your appointment by contacting Metropolitan Optical – Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington today.

man putting in contact lens


Experience a New Perspective With Contact Lenses!


End of Year Savings: Sept 30-Dec 31
End of Year Savings: Sept 30-Dec 31

Have you taken full advantage of your insurance benefits and flexible spending account (FSA) this year? We are offering Buy One, Get One 50% Off Complete Eyeglasses in addition to any unused benefits you may have. 

If you’re enrolled in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA), remember that most plans expire on December 31st.

You can apply your benefits towards vision-related services, including:

  • Comprehensive Eye Exams
  • Eyeglasses (Frames + Lenses)
  • Specialized Computer Glasses
  • Contact Lenses
  • Prescription Sunglasses

*Requires purchase of complete prescription pairs, including frame and lenses. Discount applied to complete pair of equal or lesser value. Does not include sunglass frames,Barton Perreira, Cartier, Cazal, Chanel, Cutler and Gross, Dior, Dita Lancier, Fendi, Gucci, ic!Berlin, l.a. Eyeworks, Maui Jim, Mykita, Nifties, Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Persol, Ray-Ban, Robert Marc, Salt, Salvatore Ferragamo, Skaga, Silhouette, Tom Ford, WOOW, accessories, contact lenses, or medical procedures. Cannot be combined with any other discounts, promotions, or insurance plans. Not valid on previous orders. Other restrictions may apply. See practice for full details. Offer valid 9/30/2024-12/31/2024. 24AEG-836847.

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Contact Lens Exams FAQs

Can dry eye sufferers wear contact lenses?

Usually, yes. While some types of contact lenses can aggravate symptoms of dry eye syndrome, such as eye dryness, redness and irritation, other contacts are perfectly suitable for dry eyes. Speak with an eye doctor near you regarding your dry eye symptoms, and they'll prescribe the perfect contact lenses for ultimate comfort.

Can a child wear contact lenses?

It's a case-by-case basis. Typically, eye doctors don’t prescribe contacts to children under the age of 11 or 12, though there are exceptions. Wearing contact lenses requires responsible care, including cleaning and disinfecting routines. Most teenagers can handle contact lens care if they’re motivated to wear contacts.

Do I need an eye exam and prescription for tinted contact lenses?

Yes! Even if you’re just using contacts to change the color of your eyes, you still need an eye exam and a prescription. Contact lenses are a medical device and require fitting by an eye doctor.

Patient Reviews
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156 Reviews
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- Sep. 14, 2024
Top Tier service is always received at every level when I visit Metropolitan Optical!
- Sep. 13, 2024
Doctor and every staff are very friendly and good customers service, also they explain every step un... til you get discharge. Excellent
- Sep. 13, 2024
Dr. Ayalew and every staff member give the highest quality customer service.
- Aug. 30, 2024
Great professional optical services. I’ve purchased prescription glasses twice with Metropolitan ... in last year. Customer service is excellent. High quality and reasonably priced frames. Paul at the Penn Ave shop most recently helped me with selecting non-slip prescription glasses for working out. Very happy with them and the Lunor glasses purchased in 2023.
- Nov. 07, 2023
Dr. Ayalew is an exceptional eye doctor who goes above and beyond for her patients. I recently had a... n eye emergency on a Sunday night and emailed her, she replied st 5 am instructing me to come in first thing in the morning. I know she squeezed me in because I was unable to schedule the appointment online. Upon arriving I was literally greeted at the door and taken straight to the exam room. (I’m sure this isn’t always the case so I don’t want to build any unrealistic expectations, same goes for emailing on a Sunday night, but this was my experience today so I’m just sharing factual events) Dr. Ayalew thoroughly examined my eyes, patiently explaining the condition and answering all my questions. Her expertise and genuine concern for my well-being are always evident at my appointments. My insurance switched a few years ago and metropolitan optical doesn’t take my new insurance but Dr Ayalew is so good I go to her anyway and pay out of pocket, money speaks louder than words — this is greatest endorsement I could give any doctor. Over the past 25 years living in DC, I've consulted with several optometrists. Without a doubt, Dr. Ayalew stands out as the best in my opinion. Her combination of expertise, compassion, and patient-centric approach is unmatched. I highly recommend her to anyone seeking exceptional eye care
- Sep. 26, 2023
Love this place! Everyone is professional and has their masks on. They are able to repair my glasses... within 10 minutes. Will recommend this place to anyone in DC area.
- Sep. 23, 2023
I simply do not understand the negative comments about the staff. I will chalk it up to a bad day. H... ave been seeing Dr. Ayalew for nearly two decades. She is great and her staff is friendly and efficient.
- Sep. 20, 2023
Dr. Ayalew was great! Personable, professional, knowledgeable and very thorough.
- Sep. 18, 2023
Big fan of Dr. Ayalew. She is highly knowledgeable, takes the time to listen to my questions and con... cerns, and is always warm and friendly. Staff at the practice are also terrific.
- Jun. 26, 2023
I came to the office 15 minutes early and immediately taken care of. The staff was friendly and eff... icient. Once, I met with the doctor, she provided all relevant info and answered my questions. Very satisfied.
- Apr. 28, 2023
As a tourist from another country I stopped in this shop to have my daugther’s glasses fixed (she ... had lost a nose pad). They were super nice and fixed the issue on the spot. Thanks!
- Apr. 24, 2023
Dr. Ayalew and her entire staff are fantastic. I switched to her practice a few years ago when my p... revious doctor retired and have been incredibly happy ever since. She is thorough, thoughtful and very knowledgeable. I have an eye condition that requires regular monitoring and correction and she has helped me understand the challenges, solutions and what to expect as I age. Everyone in the office is knowledgeable, helpful and thorough too. In fact, I raved about how great my first experience was so much that my wife started going to her too. Now she won't go anywhere else either. Top notch!
- Apr. 05, 2023
Always great service.
- Feb. 19, 2023
Ever since I met and started having my eye exams with Dr. Ayalew... well, I will never change who I ... "see". I now drive 2-1/2 hours+ from where I currently live to have my appointments. Top KNOWLEDGE, TRUST, CARE, and CUSTOMER SERVICE from her, and her entire staff! (PS. I don't give many reviews...)
- Feb. 09, 2023
Dr. Saba is the best!!
- Jan. 27, 2023
I had been experiencing significant changes to my eyesight that in truth I was dreading a visit to t... he optician which was why I had delayed for so long. Dr. Saba Ayalew however made the whole process feel less intimidating. With her and her team's care, examination and advice she was able to identify that my prescription had been too strong and a simple adjustment would be half the battle. She offered advise on eye care, and long term eye health which was very much appreciated. Normally, I make my own frame selections, but at Metropolitan, the advise of Emebet Ayalew, took the humming and hawing out of making a selection. She was quick to give me great options. I walked out with 2 pairs of new glasses on order, and appreciated their quick turnaround as well their exacting standards to make sure that the lens were produced to fit my face perfectly. Much gratitude for the proffesionalism and care. A definite recommend.
- Nov. 07, 2022
Really great customer service and the doctor is very skilled as well.
- Oct. 03, 2022
Dr. A is awesome. She takes time to listen to what I think is going on vision wise, and performs a ... thorough exam. I've seen Dr. A several years now and I trust her with my vision. The front staff is always top notch. I receive excellent recommendations on frames from them, and always feel like they are taking extra steps to ensure I am happy with their service.
- Sep. 19, 2022
Dr. Ayalew and her staff in all locations are wonderful! Been with her for years and she is always v... ery accurate and very thorough.
- Sep. 06, 2022
I should never have stopped going to Dr. Ayalew! First time back in 8 years or so and never leaving... until she retires lol Awesome doctor, just awesome! It feels so good to see properly again with her expertise! The staff in the front helping you with glasses are the best as well. Everyone is so friendly and actually nice. You don't feel like you're part of an assembly line just getting pushed out.

View All 156 Reviews

Contact Lens Exams in Washington

Our optometry practice in Washington

Photograph of Saba  Ayalew
Hours
  • Monday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
  • Tuesday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
  • Wednesday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
  • Thursday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
  • Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • Care First
  • Aetna
  • Davis Vision
  • VSP
  • EyeMed

Want to Wear Contacts for the First Time or Try New Contacts?

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young man with green eyes wearing contacts