When it comes to choosing between contact lenses and glasses we need to take a few things into consideration, starting with comfort, lifestyle, aesthetics, and budget. All of these things need to be considered before making your decision. 

Additionally, one option is not necessarily better than the other; every option offers you certain advantages that the other doesn’t. Generally speaking, if your eyes are healthy but you simply don’t have a 20/20 vision, you can choose whichever suits you best between the contact lenses and glasses. 

So, which is the better option for me? Well, let’s dive in and find out more about the advantages and disadvantages of both glasses and contact lenses to help you choose. 

What Are the Advantages of Opting for Glasses?

First of all, let’s talk glasses. They can be stylish, comfortable, easy to maintain as they need minimum cleaning and can live longer, and are a lot cheaper than having and maintaining contact lenses. But those are not even half of their benefits. Here is a list of the pros only found in glasses:

• No need to touch your eyes, minimizing the risk of getting an infection or irritating your eyes
• Glasses can protect your eyes from dust, wind, debris, and other environmental factors
• If you have sensitive or dry eyes, glasses will not worsen the dryness
• Generally, glasses are much cheaper when compared with contact lenses
• You can use the same pair of glasses for ages, if you keep them from getting lost or breaking, you will only need to change the prescription when needed
• Glasses are quite fashionable and can add a little something extra to any outfit, depending on the style and personality of each person
• If you spend most of your time in front of screens and laptops, glasses can be provided with a guard that protects your eyes from ultraviolet rays emitted by screens

Are There Disadvantages of Opting for Glasses?

As much as we eyeglasses lovers want to say no, there are disadvantages to wearing glasses as well. Here is a list of all the cons of opting for glasses:

• If you have just started wearing glasses or have recently changed your prescription, it might become challenging for you to focus on objects as your vision would be a little blurry for a couple of days
• Peripheral vision might get distorted as glasses are worn almost half an inch from the eyes
• If you haven’t chosen a pair of glasses that fit your style and facial aesthetics, you will probably not feel very confident wearing glasses
• Glasses can make someone’s eyes appear either too little or too large which is not the natural appearance
• Glasses can get in the way of playing sports, they also oppose risk if broken as the glass can get in the person’s eyes
• Wearing glasses in cold weather can get quite uncomfortable as the lenses will fog up and it will affect your vision
• Some glasses can cause some pressure on the nose and ears, leaving marks on your skin when you take them off. This pressure can also lead to headaches and overall discomfort

What Are the Advantages of Opting for Contact Lenses?

There are plenty of fun advantages of going for contact lenses; they simply sit on your eyes and it feels and looks more natural, you can do all the fun outdoor activities you want, and even take a few walks in cold weather worry-free. That being said, here is a list of all the pros offered to you by contact lenses:

• You get to see all angles, wearing eye contacts allow you a wider vision with a lot fewer obstructions and distortions than glasses
• No need to match your outfits with glasses anymore. Just put on what you want and you are ready to go
• Weather conditions such as cold weather cannot fog up your contact lenses, you will always have a clear vision in any weather
• Putting on contact lenses allows you to exercise and play sports without worrying about the risks of glasses breaking
• Contact lenses can come in any color you want, making your choices for Halloween and other events much easier
• There are a type of contact lenses that shapes your cornea while you sleep known as Ortho-k, these contacts help you see clearly the next day without using either glasses or contacts

Are There Disadvantages of Opting for Contact Lenses?

As appealing as all the advantages sound, there are a few disadvantages when it comes to wearing contact lenses every day. It involves touching your eyes more than once per day, and it requires a few lifestyle changes as well. So, here is a list of the cons of opting for contact lenses:

• It takes practice to learn how to apply and remove your contact lenses, that practice involves a lot of eyes touching and maybe even poking by mistake, which overall irritates the eyes
• Wearing contact lenses decreases the oxygen reaching your eyes which leads to badly impacting the eyes that suffer from dry eye syndrome
• If you regularly use contact lenses and sit in front of screens and laptops for long hours, it can lead to computer vision syndrome
• Having contact lenses means you need to clean them every day, even on the days when you do not use them. Cleaning them also requires special solutions and techniques that can take some time of your daily routine to avoid potential infections
• Falling asleep while wearing contact lenses will cause your eyes to be red, dry, gritty, and irritated the next day. However, you can consider daily disposable contact lenses or extended wear contact lenses which you can wear for 30 days straight

Who Should Not Wear Contact Lenses? 

As mentioned before, contact lenses oppose more risks than glasses do. Therefore, people with certain eye conditions should not opt for contact lenses as they increase the risk of them developing a serious eye infection. You should not consider contact lenses if you suffer from any of the following conditions:

• Dry eyes syndrome
• Keratoconus
• Post-LASIK or other refractive surgery
• Corneal Scarring
• Astigmatism
• Pellucid Marginal Degeneration
• Presbyopia
• Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC)

It is also best not to opt for contact lenses if you think the contact lens care routine is not possible to fit into your daily routine. However, if you decide to go for contact lenses, you need to watch tutorials on how to wear and take them off properly, how to properly clean them and how often, and which solutions to use. Make sure to ask your doctor before trying or purchasing any products on your eyes. 

A Final Close-Up  

Choosing between glasses and contact lenses is tough as both are great options that offer different advantages. However, each option fits certain lifestyles while the other can’t. Therefore, before making a commitment to either option, be confident that it can fit easily in your life.