Prescription Glasses and Contacts, The Pros and Cons

If you have less that perfect vision, you have many options to help correct your eye sight. While most people chose to just deal with glasses, contact lenses are a good choice for many people also. It seems like the world assumes that no one would ever want glasses if there are other options available.

In fact this is not always the case. Many people prefer to continue wearing glasses because they have done so for many years and they are used to them. For these people, the idea of having to change their routine isn't a pleasant one or they may just like wearing glasses!

Most people who need vision correction often choose contact lenses as they view them as more convenient. After all, they do not require the frequent cleaning like glasses do and you can still wear safety goggles that may be a requirement of your job. Contacts also will not fog up during extreme temperature changes or in humid areas which is a very often heard complaint of people with glasses.

There are some advantages to wearing glasses though. They come in many different colors and styles so you can use them to really spice up your wardrobe. You don't need to worry about any special cleaning products or eye drops, and they can be slipped off easily at night and stored in a case. This saves time and money leaving you with more available for other things. They will also not irritate your eyes like contact often can.

Contact lenses are not meant for everyone though. There are certain vision impairments that can't be corrected or even slightly improved by the use of contact lenses. However there are many conditions and impairments that respond well to contact lenses. For instance, astigmatism responds well to contact lenses in many cases. Also, for those of us who need bifocals, there are now bifocal contacts. Your optometrist can easily recommend contact lenses for you or convert an established eyeglass prescription to contact lenses.

Glasses have some drawbacks too. Unlike contacts, where your entire field of vision is in focus, glasses can only correct the area directly in front of your eyes. This gives you very poor peripheral vision. They can also be knocked of and broken if you partake in sports leaving you with a very expensive replacement. There is also the problem with fogging and smudges depending on the environment that you are wearing them in.

As you can see, the choice between glasses and contacts seems to be a question of your individual taste and lifestyle. An older person who is accustomed to wearing glasses is certainly more likely to stick with them and not convert to contacts, where younger people wear contact lenses as soon as they are able and seldom wear glasses unless it is absolutely necessary.