Being able to see things clearly is vital to everyone for completing daily activities comfortably. However, having the blessing of 20/20 vision is often a dream for many.
For those with healthy eyes but unhealthy vision, there are various options to correct your sight. Contact lenses or eyeglasses – you can choose any one of them to correct refractive error (Myopia, Hyperopia, or Astigmatism).
Wondering what might be better for your eye. The answer to what to choose depends on lifestyle, personal preference, cost, and eye prescription needs. But before picking one, What you need to know is the potential benefits and drawbacks of both.
Continue reading this article to better understand the advantages and disadvantages of contact lenses vs eyeglasses, and enjoy the good sight.
Contact lenses vs Glasses :
The argument about which one is better is not new, since contact lenses were invented in 1880. However, some might prefer switching between them by digging out the benefits of both, while others like to stick to one that suits their needs well.
For example, if you are a beginner, looking for less maintenance and cost, eyeglasses are always the best bet. While for people involved in an active lifestyle and sports, contact lenses provide better convenience and comfort.
Benefits of contact lenses:
- Better peripheral vision: Sitting directly to the curvature of the eye, Contact lenses provide unobstructed vision and excellent focus.
- Great for an active lifestyle: For athletes and sports enthusiasts, contact lenses allow the eye to move around freely without worrying about eyeglasses getting in the way or breaking.
- The array of shades: Not just vision correction, contact lenses come in an array of different colours to add new sparkle to your eye.
- Unaffected by weather: Contact lenses generally remain unaffected by extreme weather conditions such as fog and rain, which might affect vision with glasses.
Benefits of glasses:
- Easy to maintain: Just put them on and go, eyeglasses are easy to wear and require less maintenance and care than contacts.
- Fashion accessory: More than an aid to correct your vision, glasses put a great fashion impression indicating a person’s unique personality and style.
- Safe for the eye: Wearing eyeglasses is simple and you don’t need to touch your eye – thus it lessens the chance of eye infection.
- Less replacement: Unless you have broken your existing one or your prescription got changed with time, you don’t need to replace glasses often
- Cheaper option: A pair of eyeglasses is generally less expensive than contacts.
- More Protection: Specially coated glasses such as photochromic, polarised, and others provide more protection against UV, dust, and debris.
- Less maintenance: Depending on their types – (extended use, daily wear, or disposal), contact lenses require frequent replacement, proper care, and high maintenance.
- Best for screen: Glasses fitted with blue light filters are best recommended for people who spend long hours in front of the screen.
The drawback of contact lenses:
- Dry eye syndrome: Reduction of oxygen permeation to the eye while wearing contacts can rectify the problem of dry eye.
- Computer vision syndrome: If your job involves sitting in front of a computer for longer, contact lenses may contribute to dry and irritating eyes from digital strain.
- High maintenance: Contact lenses require frequent cleaning and maintenance to minimize the risk of eye infection.
- Nightly removal: Wearing contact lenses overnight may cause dry, irritated, or red eyes in the morning.
- High price: Cost of contact varies based on factors such as brand name, usable life, and technology featured in crafting them, which makes them costlier than eyeglasses.
The drawback of glasses:
- Distortion: While sitting away from the eye lens, glasses often offer distorted peripheral vision. Meanwhile, glass frames obstruct vision when looking at the sides.
- Hides facial aesthetic: People with glasses may not like how it hides their features and makes them look less attractive.
- Unappealing thick lenses: People with high prescription need frames with thick edges and glasses, making their eyes look highly magnified or minified under the eye. This makes the eyeglass wearer feel less confident with glasses.
- Discomfort: Some frames may put constant pressure over the nose, ears, and side of the forehead causing headache and discomfort to the wearer.
There you have it – all the advantages and disadvantages of eyeglasses and contacts. So, now is the time to weigh them together based on your unique preferences and needs.
Let’s explore glasses vs contact lenses in the comparison chart and pick one or both to match your requirements well:
| Contact lenses | Glasses | |
| Placement from eye | Worn right on eye lens to provide more natural vision | Placed at a distance from the eye lens that may result in image distortion sometime |
| Peripheral vision issues | More natural vision | Side vision issue with bulky frames |
| Comfort with high prescription | Thick lenses of contacts remain almost invisible and give you a discreet look | Eyeglasses Lenses gets thinker for high prescription |
| Convenience | Enjoy better convenience following contact lens healthy habit | Constant weight on the ears and face can cause vision discomfort |
| Fit for an active lifestyle | Ideal for people involved in active sports. Won’t interfere with other safety gears | Distracting when doing outdoor activities |
| Effect of weather condition | Don’t fog up | Fog up when wearing a mask, in winters and bit uncomfortable in the rainy season |
| Maintenance | Require more cleaning and maintenance | Less maintenance required |
| Aesthetic look | Coloured contacts can instantly change the colour of the eye to transform your appearance | Available in unlimited tint but do not change eye colour |
| Complement with your facial features and outfit | Matches everything you wear and complement almost everyone | Need to complement with your style and outfit |
FAQs
For people whose work or lifestyle involves staring at a computer screen all day, glasses can be an ideal choice for eye health.
Note that Continuous exposure to digital screens can result in eye strain and dry eye syndrome, and wearing contacts for dry eye can only worsen the condition.
Though artificial tears can help elevate the dry eye symptom, wearing glasses over contact lenses is usually preferred, being a safe choice.
As long as you follow a healthy eye and contact lenses care routine, you have not noticed any potential problem (eye infection or alignment) posing a risk, you are good to wear contact lenses all day long.
Note that some serious hazards of wearing contacts can lead to blindness and hence proper contact lens hygiene should be maintained to avoid potential danger.
If you choose to switch from glasses to contact lenses or use both based on your work and requirements, you are not alone. Remember that you may feel a dry eye or change in sight, during the initial adjustment period. However, it is temporary and in a few days, you will be amazed by the comfort of the lenses.
