“Are eyeglasses better than contact lenses?”
I'm 25, and currently wear glasses for nearsightedness. But now I'm thinking about contact lenses because I don't like how I look with glasses. Which is better?
8 Answers
Everything has a tradeoff. Glasses are the gentlest on the eyes but you have to deal with inconvenience. Soft contact lenses are the most convenient in terms of lifestyle, although they are not recommended for people in dusty or dirty environments. They also increase the risk of infections such as corneal ulcers so proper hygiene is a must. Hard contacts - called rigid gas-permeable contact lenses - are not as comfortable as soft contacts but they give the clearest vision of either soft contacts or glasses. These are usually reserved for people with high corrections who are not ideal candidates for soft contacts.
Neither is better than the other; it depends on whether or not your eyes can take contact lens, which may not work if you have dry eyes. Both give excellent vision.
It is not a question of “better,” but two different approaches.
Jeffrey D. Gold, MD
Jeffrey D. Gold, MD
If there is little or no astigmatism, then contacts ususally let you see just as well as with glasses. There is a risk of developing complications from contact lens wear, but the risk is small if you care for the lenses properly.
They both correct your vision, you choose.
Sometimes. For high powers, cl’s give sharper vision. But mostly the difference is minimal.
Safer for eye health on glasses, but convenience with contact lenses. Risk of infections with contacts if you are not careful with hygiene and care of lenses.
Cosmetics is one thing, but one is not superior to the other. Contacts help give a better peripheral field of vision though.
