Glasses or contacts? Recently learned I needed glasses and was wondering which is better
It isn't always such a simple choice. It depends on how bad your eyes are, if you have astigmatism or not and if you need correction for either near sightedness or far sightedness or you need multifocal or monovision.
If you have astigmatism you may not be able to get contacts. Some companies have come out with contact lenses, but they are for people with mild to moderate astigmatism.
I am nearsighted, and I am at the point now that if I got contacts for distance I would need to wear reading glasses. So it makes more sense just to get the glasses for distance.
They do have two other options for that which is the variable distance lens or multifocal. I tried them and they didn't work for me. My sister-in-law wears them and they work great for her. They also have monovision, which means one eye is used for distance and one for close up. Not everyone adjusts to that. I know just as many people who couldn't as those that could.
Also you need to think of other things. If you have allergies that make your eyes water, contacts will come out. You will also need/should to take them out before swimming or showering. Water in your eye will wash the contacts out. You also have to be thorough about washing your hands before handling the contacts, and be equally thorough about cleaning the lenses and cases if you are not wearing the daily disposable ones.
I preferred contacts when I could wear them. I didn't need to worry about losing my glasses and I could have several pairs of sunglasses that I could change up with. However even if you decide to get contacts, you should get a pair of glasses as a backup. If you get an eye infection or even a bad cold, you won't be able to wear your contacts.
No matter what you need to talk to your optometrist or optician about what best suits your needs and your lifestyle.
My girlfriend wears glasses because contacts irritate her eyes, but she said that you can see much better with contacts rather than with glasses (better peripheral vision). If you can get used to contacts and you can wear them without any problems, they are the better choice.
I would strongly suggest to get glasses .. And then perhaps get contacts as a secondary option. Contacts do not come without 'challenges' ..not everyone can wear them without irritation, they are notorious for not only causing irritation but eye infections, getting lost, becoming damaged etc .
If however, you are able to wear contacts with little problem, it's nice to have your glasses just in case you do ever have a problem...because it's only a matter of time when you will find you will have to revert back to glasses even if it's only temporary.
Hello!
I started wearing glasses about 10 years ago and if you ask me to move to
contacts, I will definitely decline the offer! I once tried and it went pretty
wrong; my eyes were always red and it caused a lot of discomfort. I got rid of
them on day three or four and later found out that not everyone can really
adapt to such a treatment!
Glasses are your best option if it's the first time you'll ever be needing something like that. Assuming you do annual visits, I suggest talking to your Optometrist about contacts during your next appointment. Of course not everyone will have the same experience, but for me there were too many complications with contacts. I frequently swim which is not suggested with contacts in, I also take naps frequently (also something I was told not to do with contacts in) and I couldn't get them out and ended up pinching my eye. With my glasses I only have to worry about forgetting them at home or breaking/losing them which I'll take over a contact fusing to my eye any day.