Glasses or lenses. Which is better?

Every year tens of thousands of Ukrainians face the need to correct their eyesight. And many of them are wondering what to choose – traditional glasses or more “advanced” soft contact lenses (SCL)? According to experts, there can`t be a single, clear-cut answer, because both options have their advantages and disadvantages. Here we list only the main ones.

Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses are the easiest and most affordable way to correct poor vision. The first mention of this invention dates back to the 13th century. Then in Italy magnifying glasses were used for the first time in order to get a better view of a blurred picture.

A lot of time has passed since then, production technologies have been developed and improved, and today the thinnest spectacle lenses can correct even the worst eyesight. Moreover, it is possible to choose a frame with which the glasses will look like a fashion accessory.

Advantages of Eyeglasses:

• Long service life.
• Low cost in comparison with soft contact lenses (of course, if you are not going to buy an expensive frame).
• Convenient and easy to use (it takes a few seconds to put them on and take off).
• Easy to take care of: a napkin and a spectacle-case is all you need.
• A good opportunity for you to wear any makeup, as well as hide your facial imperfections and make your look more charming.

Along with a large number of advantages, eyeglasses have some disadvantages that often make wearing them uncomfortable:

1. It is inconvenient to do sports, dance, swim, climb mountains, box and do other activities with your glasses on.
2. When the temperature drops sharply, eyeglass lenses fog up, which can reduce visibility.
3. Glasses can give the wearer a complex, especially in childhood.
4. In the summer time it is difficult to reconcile wearing sun glasses and prescription glasses.

Contact Lenses

The first contact lenses were hard. But in 1960 a breakthrough was achieved in ophthalmology – the world learned about the first soft contact lenses. Over time, the technologies and materials have improved, and new types of MCL have been created. And today we can choose the most suitable lenses from a wide range of products of leading manufacturers.

Advantages of Contact Lenses:

• They do not limit your field of view (which is important for drivers).
• They are invisible in your eyes and do not change the shape of your face.
• Soft contacts cannot break, which means splinters won`t damage your eyes.
• It is convenient to engage in sports, dancing, and lead an active lifestyle with contact lenses. They take up little space in your luggage, so you can easily take them with you on business trips and journeys.
• There are colored contact lenses, which means they can change or enhance the color of your eyes.
• Depending on a mode of lens wear, you could wear soft contacts for up to 1 month without removing them from your eyes.
• They do not fog up in the cold and anti-reflective coating cuts down on the frustrating glare on the lenses.

These positive elements make contact lenses very popular and sought after among people with poor vision. They make the lives of many men and women around the world far easier and better.

Disadvantages of Contact Lenses:

1. Unlike a pair of glasses that you buy once in several years, lenses require regular investments.
2. You cannot wear them when you are suffering from cold or allergies.
3. Misusing contact lenses may lead to rips and tears; as a result, you will be forced to throw them away ahead of time.
4. Poor contact lens care and violation of the mode of lens wear/frequency of replacement can lead to very complex and unpleasant consequences – allergic reactions, infections, corneal ulcers, etc.
5. Novice contact-wearers may initially struggle with putting in and taking out their lenses. This takes longer than manipulating their glasses.

So what is the best choice?

In every case the choice is individual. After all, contact lenses have a number of contraindications (to some diseases, hormonal medications). In order to choose wisely, listen to your needs and make sure to consult a qualified ophthalmologist.

At Okomedikas Ophthalmology Clinic, we will help you choose the best option from a wide selection of eyeglasses and contact lenses of leading manufacturing companies.