Eye glasses vs contacts - which is best for you?

Are you planning to make a switch but you can’t decide what's best?

The American Optometric Association estimated that about 45 million Americans are wearing contact lenses. There are several reasons why people decide to wear glasses to help with their eye issues, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, presbyopia, and the most common, astigmatism.

Choosing between eyeglasses and contacts just boils down to personal preferences. It means it depends on your lifestyle, your comfort, your budget, and your aesthetics. There are, however, different pros and cons to wearing either the glasses or the contacts.

The pros of contacts

One of the top reasons most consider making the switch from glasses to contact is the full field of focused vision. Unlike eyeglasses, contacts allow you a good look from all directions. Wherever you move your eyes, your contacts follow. This isn’t possible with eyeglasses as there are reflections and distortions when there are sudden movements. Aside from that, lenses don’t steam, and when it rains, it doesn’t have water drops. It’s more efficient and offers more comfort.

Contacts are also comfortable to wear even when you are doing strenuous activities like running or working out sine sweat. Contacts don’t slip and bounce when you’re jumping or running. Most athletes with vision problems prefer contacts as this allows them to fully participate in their game. Mayo Clinic reports that adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise/ 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week. Many would make excuses that doing so is uncomfortable due to their eyeglasses – they slip, they moist, and steam. Contacts thus take away those issues and might incite physical activities among adults.

The pros of eyeglasses

Contacts need to be appropriately maintained, and they need to be taken out after some hours, appropriately cleaned, and replaced frequently. These things are costly – and these costs are nonexistent in eyeglasses.

Glasses are good as it is, you only need a cotton cloth to clean it. It’s like a one-time investment that lasts for a long time, even with minimal care. Glasses also have a lower risk of infection as opposed to wearing contacts. The glasses sit on the eye’s surface; they don’t touch the eyeball at any given time

CDC reports that 1 in 500 contact lens wearer suffers from a severe serious eye infection that eventually leads to blindess. With glasses, you aren’t facing this risk.

There are many options for glasses as they come in several frames and designs. One can choose any shape and size that fit their face and preference.

Reach out to your eye doctor and have your eyes checked again. Your doctor will offer you some options to help you decide. For contacts, you’d need to see your eye doctor more frequently for check-ups and follow-up care. So, should you make the switch? Go back to your daily activities. If you’re an active person and more comfortable moving around, then contacts are your best choice. If your activities allow for eyeglasses, then there’s no need to make the switch.