Last Updated on November 23, 2022 by amy
When it comes to healthy eyes, it’s no joke you want to make the decisions that are best for them. So, the question is should you choose glasses or contacts? In this case, you can have it all. When you’re exercising, you may want to stick to contacts, but if you are reading while getting ready to go to bed, you may want to wear your glasses. Only you can know what is best for you based on your lifestyle and specific needs. Other factors that influences your decision are convenience, budget, and aesthetics. There is no right or wrong when it comes to making a choice—it’s all about wearing what’s best for you at that given moment. Below is a guide that tells you the differences between glasses and contacts.
Pros and Cons of Eyeglasses
- PRO:Wearing glasses reduces hand contact with the eyes which is reducing the chances irritation as well as developing an eye infection
- PRO:If you have dry or sensitive eyes, eyeglasses won’t heighten the problem like contacts do
- PRO:Glasses can protect your eyes from environmental factors such as wind, dust, and debris
- PRO:Frames can be a fashion statement that reflect your personality and style so have fun making a bold statement
- PRO:Eyeglasses are economical compared to contact lenses in the long term. You can keep your glasses as long they don’t break and your prescription has not changed.
- CON: Some frames can exert constant pressure on your nose and behind your ears, which can lead to headaches and discomfort
- CON: Remember when you come inside from the cold the weather the fog builds up on lenses? You would have to take them off and wipe them down. On a rainy day, vision can be a little blurry as well
- CON: Some people may not like how they look in glasses as it may hide their best features or make them almost unrecognizable
- CON: The luxury of peripheral vision may be distorted—after all the eyeglasses are about a half an inch from the eyes
- CON: Some people may face blurry vision or difficulty focusing on objects when they first start wearing glasses or change prescriptions
- CON: If you have a strong prescription, the edges on your lenses may be thicker than you would like it to be. It may look unappealing due the eyes appearing unnaturally minified or magnified
Pros and Cons of Contacts
- PRO: Contacts don’t get in the way during exercise or any physical activity
- PRO: Contacts doesn’t get in the way of your outfit
- PRO: Contacts aren’t affected by weather conditions and won’t fog up in cold weather like glasses
- PRO: Contacts are made to fit the curvature of your eye so that provides a wider field of view and causing less vision distortions (peripheral vision)
- PRO: Colored contact lenses can enhance appearance so try on different colors
- PRO: Some contact lenses reshape your cornea while you sleep. This is referred to as overnight orthokeratology (Ortho-k) which temporarily corrects myopia, so you can see clearly the next day without wearing glasses or contacts
- CON: When you’re first learning to apply contacts, it requires time, patience, practice and proper technique, but some people may struggle to get used to that
- CON: Contacts reduce the amount oxygen reaching your eye which cause or increase the severity of dry eye syndrome
- CON: Are you on the computer often? Well, wearing contact lenses will likely contribute to the symptoms of computer vision syndrome
- CON: The routine of taking care of your contacts can be redundant—such as cleaning them each day and storing them in the case every night. If you wear disposable contacts, they need to be replaced periodically based on the supply
- CON: Life happens and you fall asleep in your contacts. When you wake up, it feels like a horror show for your eyes—they are dry, gritty, red and irritated. The worst part is that they tend to stick to the eye so you have to be gentle in removing them to avoid ripping them
What Do Glasses and Contacts Have in Common?
Now that you are aware of the pros and cons of glasses and contacts, let’s see what similarities they share.
- Care and Handling – Glasses may require to be sprayed several times per day while contacts need to be cleaned and stored properly before and after each use
- Both can correct astigmatism – Astigmatism is an irregular cornea shape that distorts vision. It is common for people think that only glasses can correct astigmatism, but contact lenses do as well. Gas permeable (GP) contact lenses are preferred for correcting astigmatism since they hold their shape, allowing proper vision, better than soft lenses.
- Both are affordable – In a way both are affordable choices in the long run. When you consider wearing glasses or contacts on a daily basis, they are important as they are adding to the quality of your life, so in many ways, they are worth it.
Still Not Sure Which Way to Go?
If you are still not sure which option to choose, we completely understand and that’s why we want to share some of our thoughts. We understand that sometimes you have to factor in your budget and actually have to choose between either glasses or contacts. However, you have to consider that you will be wearing this on a daily basis which means that you want to have the options to either wear glasses on Monday, contacts on Tuesday, and the list goes on. In an ideal situation, it is better to have both because you can decide what you want to wear based on the moment and lifestyle. For instance, let’s say it’s been a busy work week and you haven’t had much sleep, which means your eyes are tired when you wake up in the morning. On days like these, glasses is the way to go because your eyes need as much oxygen it can get without contacts covering your cornea. When it’s time to go to the gym, usually you don’t want anything on your face, so contacts is the best way to go for that time. Another instance is when you are cooking, there is steam in the air, the onions causing tears, and spices may get into the eyes. In this case, contacts are preferable because your eyes have a layer of protection that prevents the painful tears from cutting onions. In the case of studying or using the computer screen for longer periods of time, glasses make these moments comfortable to deal with. Does that make sense? Depending on the activity, you will be thankful to have option of either glasses or contacts.
Factors to Consider
Even after weighing in the pros and cons of your options, sometimes it’s not enough. If you feel you are still unsure about your path of vision, please talk to a professional eye care specialist because there are several factors that can affect your decision. These factors include the following:
- Age
- Cost
- Individual preference
- Lifestyle
- Occupation
- Other health conditions
- Severity and type of refractive error
No matter what you choose, we hope that you make your decision based on what is comfortable for you and fit for your lifestyle. It is ideal to have both for convenience, but we know that it may not work out that way. As you can tell, there is a lot of information to soak in, so please take your time to review the benefits and the setbacks of each option to determine what is best for your needs. We wish you the best of luck on your journey!
No matter what you choose, we hope that you make your decision based on what is comfortable for you and fit for your lifestyle. It is ideal to have both for convenience, but we know that it may not work out that way. As you can tell, there is a lot of information to soak in, so please take your time to review the benefits and the setbacks of each option to determine what is best for your needs. We wish you the best of luck on your journey!
