The Pros and Cons of Contact Lenses and Eyeglasses

And When You Should Schedule a LASIK Consultation in Overland Park, KS

More than 60 percent of Americans require daily vision correction of some kind. For many, the most common options tend to be either eyeglasses or contact lenses – old-school standards that have stood the test of time.

Choosing the best option can be a difficult decision, but fortunately, there are now plenty of possibilities when it comes to laser eye surgery. People are abandoning their glasses and contacts and opting instead for permanent correction with a short recovery time.

Not sure which vision correction method is right for you? Review the pros and cons of contact lenses and eyeglasses, then learn more about consultation for LASIK and other corrective eye surgery.

The Pros of Contact Lenses

Contact lenses can be worn for a variety of refractive errors, including astigmatism correction. Contact lenses are inserted onto the eye in front of the iris – the colored part of your eye.

Contact lens wearers appreciate benefits, such as:

• Invisible vision correction; no one knows you’re wearing them.
• More natural vision than eyeglasses, including peripheral vision.
• Don’t interfere when playing sports or doing other activities.
• Come in a variety of options, including daily wear, monthly wear, hard, and soft lenses.
• Can wear any type of sunglasses you’d like.

The Cons of Contact Lenses

Contact lens-wearers may experience some downsides, including:

• Requiring specialized care, including cleaning and storage.
• Vision can get blurry if contact lenses rotate if you have a high astigmatism.
• Drying out and causing blurry vision.
• Can fall out, dislodge, or slide behind the eyelid.
• Must be removed and replaced according to schedule, based on the type of lens you wear.
• Increased risk of eye infection.

The Pros of Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses also are a common method of refractive error and astigmatism correction. There are two types of eyeglass lenses: single vision for distance sight and multifocal ones for near-vision issues.

Other benefits include:

• Easy to wear; just put them on and go.
• Fashionable frame options to complement your personal style.
• Can correct a variety of vision issues, thanks to multiple types. Multifocal lenses can be bifocals – correcting for both distance and reading; trifocals – correcting for distance, reading, and middle vision; or progressive – bifocals and trifocals without a dividing line.

The Cons of Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses are not without downsides. Although they are easy to use, some people experience the following difficulties associated with their eyeglasses:

• Distorted vision at the edges of the lenses, especially for those with astigmatism or a strong prescription.
• Poor peripheral vision.
• Sensation on your nose and behind your ears.
• Slow adjustment to progressive lenses.
• Lenses fog up and get wet in the rain.
• Not ideal for sports particularly contact sports.
• Cannot wear “over-the-counter” sunglasses, and must wear prescription sunglasses or clip-ons.
• The appearance of “coke bottle” glasses, particularly for those with strong prescriptions, despite the use of polycarbonate lenses.

Which Is Better: Glasses or Contact Lenses?

It depends. Ultimately, only you and your ophthalmologist can decide which type of vision correction is best for your eye health and lifestyle.

Contact lenses are not ideal for everyone, while wearing glasses is simply not possible for others due to their daily life and occupations.

Thankfully, medical advances allow eye surgeons to offer other options for laser vision correction.

What If I Want Corrective Eye Surgery Instead?

Fortunately, laser eye surgery resolves the negatives of wearing eyeglasses and contact lenses. Corrective eye surgery is possible for people with a variety of refractive errors and for adults of all ages.

If neither contact lenses nor eyeglasses sound appealing to you, you can Schedule a LASIK consultation with a Kansas City refractive surgeon – or a consultation for other types of laser eye surgery.

A refractive surgeon and their team will perform an in-depth exam on your eyes to determine your candidacy for procedures like SBK LASIK surgery, refractive lens exchange, refractive cataract surgery, and more.

Book Your LASIK Consultation – Or Learn More About Other Laser Eye Surgeries

Meet with a refractive surgeon in Overland Park, Kansas, at Durrie Vision to find out whether corrective eye surgery is right for you. Our Advanced Ocular Analysis provides a comprehensive picture of your eye health so our team can determine which procedure you qualify for.

It’s easy to schedule a LASIK consultation at Durrie Vision. Simply complete our brief online form, or call our office. While you wait for your appointment, complete our self-candidacy test to learn more about the laser eye surgeries you may be eligible for.