When you need prescription lenses to help you see, you have a lot of options. You can get a variety of styles and types of glasses and contacts that fit your needs and your lifestyle. However, making the decision of which is best can be tough. There are a lot of factors to consider with both options, but most people feel one works better than the other for them.
In this article, we’ll compare glasses and contacts in terms of ease of use, care and keeping and even how they fit into your lifestyle. Let’s dive in!
Glasses
Glasses are a good go-to for most people. They’re easy to clean, easy to care for and incredibly versatile. You can get simple frames, opt for designer frames or find something in between. Glasses are also typically a cheaper option than contact lenses because you only need to buy one pair every few years. You don’t have to replace them until your prescription changes.
People with unique vision trouble, such as specifically near-sighted or far-sighted might also find they do better with glasses because they can remove the prescription lenses when they don’t need them. For example, someone who is near-sighted can use their glasses to drive and watch television but take them off when they want to read a book or be on the computer.
The final reason some people prefer glasses to contacts is that there is less risk of developing an eye infection. With glasses, you don’t have to put your fingers in your eyes or worry about properly sanitizing anything. This makes it much more difficult to contract an infection by accidentally putting bacteria in your eyes.
Contacts
Contact lenses are a great option if you don’t want people to know that you need prescription lenses. They can solve almost all the same eyesight issues as glasses, but fit neatly in your eye without altering your appearance. Some people prefer this flexibility in their look and the ability to wear any type of sunglasses and still be able to see. (Ambien)
One downside of contacts is that they do require considerable care and upkeep. Because they go directly into your eye, you have to ensure your contact is sterilized and moisturized so it doesn’t irritate or infect your eye. You’ll need to keep your contacts in a sterilizing solution when you aren’t using them and switch them out monthly (or daily in some cases).
Finally, perhaps the biggest draw of contacts for some people is that they’re easier to wear than glasses. It’s simple to put them in and take them out, you have better use of peripheral vision and the lenses will never fog up or get scratched the way your glasses might. This means less hassle and less worry that you’ll be inconvenienced by your prescription lenses.
How to Choose
Choosing between glasses and contacts often depends on a combination of your personal preferences and your lifestyle. There are three important things to consider when making your decision:
- Comfort level. To use contacts, you need to be comfortable with putting them in and taking them out of your own eye. For some people, this can take a while to get used to or they simply don’t like the idea of doing it. If you’re not comfortable putting things in your eyes, then glasses are likely a better choice for you.
- Activity level. Highly active people who enjoy spending time outdoors tend to prefer using contact lenses. They’re easier to manage, you don’t have to worry about them breaking, and some brands you can even wear for multiple days at a time without removing them. This makes contacts a much more versatile choice for people on the go.
- Eye sensitivity. If you have sensitive or dry eyes, there’s a potential for contact lenses to irritate your eyes. Some people who struggle with these issues find that their eyes don’t tolerate contact lenses, even with moisturizing eye drops. There are some contacts made especially for people with dry eyes that you can try, though. Some people find those work better for their eyes. Others opt to just stick with glasses instead of fighting to find the right brand of contacts.
Keep in mind that if you choose contacts, you’ll likely need a pair of glasses as a backup option. If you get an eye infection or need a contact prescription, you’ll need glasses to use in the interim until you can insert your contacts again.
These are a few tips to help you decide if glasses or contacts would be best for you and your lifestyle.
