Once you have learned that your eyes need some artificial help, you have to decide whether to go with glasses or contact lenses. There are benefits and pitfalls to both, so make sure to consider your decision carefully.
After the visit to the optometrist who has told you that you need to do something about your vision, whether that is glasses, contact lenses or something else, you have some thinking to do. Most people opt for either glasses or contact lenses, at least for the first while, so which one should you go for? Both have their advantages and disadvantages to balance out.
Glasses
Eyeglasses are the most common way to deal with eye problems and have a long history. Eyeglasses use varying shapes and thicknesses of lenses bound or unbound by frames and hook behind the ears. Eyeglasses can be suitable for a number of reasons. They don’t interfere with your eyes if you have problems with dry eyes or runny eyes, they are easy to put on and take off and they are easier to get used to. Glasses are also far more affordable than contact lenses in the long run; one pair lasts between two and twenty years depending on how often you need to get your prescription checked (and how hard you are on your pair). However, glasses have some shortcomings. They are not as useful with more extreme cases of astigmatism, nearsightedness or short-sightedness and they can be fairly useless when it’s raining or when they fog up! Glasses also have to be cleaned, they can be broken, and they are easy to lose; and once they’re gone, you have to go to the store fast to get a new pair! Glasses also take longer to get used to for your eyes if not for the rest of you; they cause a light-bending effect that can be disconcerting until you get used to it.
Contact Lenses
Contacts are a relatively new development and they are very popular. Contact lenses use small lenses that are placed right on the eye to correct vision problems. Contact lenses can correct more extreme vision problems because they are more powerful than a glasses lens. They are aesthetically pleasing to many people because there’s no object blocking the face and they are also easier to keep track of; once on your eyes, they have a hard time falling out again until you want them out. For all their benefits though, contact lenses also have their pitfalls. They are more expensive than glasses in the long run since they have to be replaced daily, meaning you have to buy cases of them plus the cleaning fluids required and any lubrication needed to make them sit smoothly on your eyes. Many people are squeamish with the idea of putting things right on their eyes and they can be hard to get used to. Finally, if you have problems like dry eyes, runny eyes or just sensitive eyes, contact lenses will exacerbate the problem and make the vision correction pretty much null.
When you are considering the choice between glasses and contact lenses you have to consider your vision circumstances and your preferences carefully and don’t let anyone sway you either way. Talk to your optometrist if you require guidance on what will suit you best.
Larry Milton is a skilled optometrist who can help you choose the glasses you want. Whether it’s designer glasses or contact lenses, he can help you pick what’s best for you.