The most common question of people who have vision problems is what to choose, contact lenses or glasses. First of all, it is important to listen to the advice of your optometrist or ophthalmologist because they know best what the health condition of your eyes is.
Whether you decide to wear glasses or contact lenses, consider your lifestyle, comfort, convenience, and budget at your disposal. Keep in mind that one choice is not necessarily better than another because both contact lenses and glasses have their advantages and disadvantages.
Glasses have many advantages over contact lenses. They require very little cleaning and maintenance, your hands do not come in contact with your eyes while wearing them, they are cheaper than lenses (if viewed in the long run) and you can experiment with them and build your style.
Contact lenses, on the other hand, sit directly on the eye and do not interfere with peripheral vision. One of the biggest advantages of lenses over glasses is freedom of movement. By wearing contact lenses, you do not need to worry about any damage to the frame of the glasses, eg during sports or other activities. If you find yourself outside in the rain, your glasses get wet quickly, and when you enter from cold to warm rooms you can’t avoid fogging, especially in winter. Users of contact lenses can play sports indefinitely or wear sunglasses as they wish.
Advantages of contact lenses
- Contact lenses ideally sit on the eye and follow the curvature, thus providing a wide field of view and causing less distortion and obstruction compared to glasses.
- The lenses do not interfere during sports or exercise.
- Contact lenses will not affect your fashion style because they are not visible.
- You can experiment with contact lenses and see how you would look with different eye colors.
- Weather conditions do not affect contact lenses and will not fog up during the winter like goggles.
Disadvantages of contact lenses
- Some people may have trouble inserting contact lenses, so it is important that an ophthalmologist or optometrist explain to you how to properly insert and remove lenses.
- If you fall asleep with contact lenses in your eyes, chances are your eyes will be dry, red, and irritated after you wake up.
- Contact lenses reduce the flow of oxygen and can affect the occurrence of dry eye syndrome.
- Lenses need to be properly and regularly cared for and cleaned to avoid potential eye infections. If you have problems with care, consider one-day contact lenses. These lenses do not require any extra care, simply put them on in the morning and throw them away in the evening.
Advantages of glasses
- If the very thought of touching your eyes seems awful, wearing glasses reduces the need to touch your eyes.
- Frames can be a reflection of your fashion style and personality.
- Glasses are cheaper than contact lenses in the long run because you don’t need to change them that often.
- Glasses can further protect the eyes from external influences such as wind, dust and debris.
- If you have dry or sensitive eyes, the glasses will not increase eye dryness as is the case with lenses.
Disadvantages of glasses
- The glasses are away from the eyes and reduce peripheral vision and distort the image.
- Frames can put constant pressure on the nose and ears, which often leads to headaches and discomfort.
- Some people don’t like how they look with glasses and you need to be careful what kind of clothes and hair color you combine with them.
- Atmospheric changes affect your vision – glasses fog, vision is impaired due to rain,…
What to choose?
Listen to the advice of your ophthalmologist or optometrist and choose according to your own wishes. It is optimal to combine contact lenses and glasses. If you wear lenses full time, be sure to take them out in the evening and let your eyes rest with your glasses, and if you prefer glasses, choose one-day lenses for sports and other activities.
Taken from: https://www.adrialece.hr/