Contact Lenses vs Glasses: Which Is Better?

If you’ve been given a prescription by your optometrist, choosing whether to opt for glasses or contact lenses can be a difficult decision. There are many factors you will need to take into account; such as lifestyle, comfort, budget, appearance and convenience.

If you have dry or sensitive eyes, you may find that glasses are an effective solution, as contact lenses can cause problems with this. Glasses will also reduce the need to touch your eyes, decreasing any chances of infection or irritation.

However, there are downsides to glasses – many people don’t like the look of them; they can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, and lenses can be affected by external conditions such as fog. Also, because they sit half an inch away from your eyes, peripheral vision can sometimes be distorted.

This is where contact lenses can be a better choice. As they conform to the shape of your eye, contacts provide a wider field of vision and cause less distortions.

Another advantage is that if you exercise or play sports, contacts won’t get in the way as glasses do – and they won’t be affected by weather conditions.

Downsides to contacts usually relate to difficulty in application, and issues committing to regular care routines. However, both of these can be easily avoided – learning and practicing application techniques is easy to do, and daily disposable lenses mean you don’t need to worry about maintenance.

Contact lenses now come in a variety of options, from daily disposables to weekly contact lenses. New advances such as 1 day ACUVUE® TruEye® can even help to protect eyes from city life, with high UV protection and greater oxygen delivery.

Ultimately, the decision will largely depend on personal preferences, and many people find that a combination of the two works best for them.

source:  http://www.allaboutvision.com