Glasses and contacts both help you achieve better vision. Some people prefer the fashion and convenience of glasses, while others would rather avoid keeping track of another accessory. When you’re deciding how to correct your vision, consider the following.
If you desire ease of wear, eyeglasses may edge out contacts. You can take them on and off at will; there’s no need for storage; and there’s no need to have an extra pair with you when you travel (unless you’re particularly forgetful.)
Soft contacts come in daily wear (so you take them out and clean them at night), disposables that you wear one day and discard, or extended wear that you can wear for a week at a time before cleaning or discarding. You may prefer contacts if you’re quite active and don’t want your glasses slipping when you sweat.
Glasses don’t irritate your eyes, but you may not always enjoy how the feel against the bridge of your nose or around your ears. With glasses, though, you don’t have to worry about touching your eyes to put them on and take them off – they’re a slip on and see. Plus, when you don’t have to put your fingers in contact with your eyeballs, there’s less risk of infection.
Contacts are comfortable for most people, but some find contacts irritating. After all, they are small discs of plastic or glass that sit right on top of your eye. If you’re eligible for soft contacts, they’re generally more comfortable than hard varieties.
Glasses are generally easier to care for. You put them on and instantly see better. Wipe them down with a soft cloth.
Contacts require some maintenance. You need special cleaners and a storage case. Taking care of contacts isn’t complicated, but does require a little extra effort.
Contacts usually give you a better vision correction than glasses. They move as you shift your gaze, and there’s no compromised peripheral vision. You also don’t have to worry about contacts fogging up or getting covered in rain drops in a storm.
When you have a particularly strong prescription, glasses can be bulky and thick. Plus, you may have visual distortion around the edges of the lenses.
A lot of people just don’t like how they look in glasses and opt for contacts instead. But, you may like the style that comes with glasses. You can change frames to suit your mood or event.
Glasses can adjust for day and night wear. Specific types of lenses are available that are clear when you’re indoors or it’s nighttime. When you’re out in the sun, however, they dim to create automatic sunglasses that still offer vision prescription. Contacts cannot do this.
If you have a pretty consistent prescription, you can use the same glasses for years – meaning less cost. Contacts need to be replaced regularly, so they tend to take a bigger bite out of your budget.
At South Rural Plains Health Services, we can help you make the right decision for your vision correction needs. Call us, or book an appointment online to get expert guidance when it comes to your eye health and vision.
