POINT-TO-POINT COMPARISON BETWEEN EYEGLASSES AND CONTACT LENSES


Many of you are excited on what to get after an eye exam. Sometimes the excitement may turn into confusion when your eye doctor gives you the options of wearing either prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. Which one is really the best option? Is it eyeglasses or contact lenses(CL)? If it is your first time to wear either of the two, it is important to know the advantages and disadvantages of the two options. This article will enlighten you of the difference between prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses for you to know the best choice for yourself.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CHOOSING BETWEEN PRESCRIPTION EYEGLASSES AND CONTACT LENSES.


 The OVER-ALL OCULAR HEALTH plays a great role on choosing between prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. If a person has dry eyes, contact lens experience may not be satisfactory compared to CL wearers with healthy ocular surface.
DRY EYE- NOT SUITABLE FOR CL
VISUAL DEMAND: your visual demand is an important consideration in choosing between eyeglasses and contact lenses. 

  • If you’re visual demand involves static activities like computer work, reading fine prints, working in laboratories and the like then eyeglasses would be the best choice for you.
  • But if your visual demand involves physical activities like playing different sports, dancing, working out in the gym and the like, CL is the best solution for a spectacle-free lifestyle with clear vision.


Cosmetic appearance: Having a visual error is not the end of having a fashionable lifestyle. It wouldn’t also limit your choices on what would best match your OOTD (outfit of the day) or your look for an event. In fact having eyeglasses or contact lenses becomes a part of your fashion statement and even your identity.

  •  A piece of advice for you with high degree or “grade” of visual error wearing eyeglasses might be a little bit uncomfortable because of the weight of the glasses itself and it usually has a minifying or magnifying effect of your eyes when people look at you.
  •  But with contact lenses, you will have more of that “natural look” you want to achieve. Certain eye conditions can also be hidden using contact lenses.

Environmental conditions: some weather conditions may become a hindrance in wearing either eyeglasses or contact lenses. 

  1. In foggy areas, it is difficult to wear eyeglasses unless the lenses have anti-fog properties. 
  • In windy and dusty surroundings, contact lenses may become hazardous to the eyes.


    CLARITY OF VISION


For Low Grade Prescription:

  • Eyeglasses and contact lenses offer the same degree of clarity. If the eyes are healthy internally and externally, the clarity of vision for eyeglasses and contact lenses are the same.
High Grade Prescription:
In high amount of visual error, contact lenses present a great advantage over eyeglasses especially among nearsighted OR myopic people.

  • High amount of nearsightedness will cause distortions on the lenses of prescription eyeglasses. Wearing eyeglasses with high degree of nearsightedness has that “minifying effect” – making things around look smaller, in fact, the first thing a person who switch from eyeglasses to contact lenses notices is the change in size of his surroundings. 
  • The opposite effect is observed among farsighted OR hypermetropic people, high amount of farsightedness can cause the surroundings to look bigger while wearing eyeglasses and people who switch from eyeglasses to contact lenses observe that their surroundings got “smaller”. Though the issue on the thickness should still be considered. 

   COMFORT


 In a healthy eye, well-fitted contact lenses are expected to be comfortable for the patient. Comfort with contact lenses varies with the material used. 

  • Hard contact lenses usually can cause significant discomfort especially for first time wearers even if it is well fitted. The smaller the contact lenses, the more uncomfortable it is to use for patients because the edges of the contact lens rests on the cornea that is a very sensitive part of our eyes.






HARD CL & SOFT CL
  •  Unlike for soft contact lenses which are bigger in size, the edges does not rest on the cornea rather on the sclera or the white part of our eyes making it more comfortable for patients other than the material itself being soft and just conforming to the shape of the cornea. 
In prescription eyeglasses, discomfort could come from different factors such as:
Frame material: the weight of the frame depends on the material used. A heavy frame might cause discomfort to the patient especially for patients with high grade. There are two spectacle frame materials: metal and plastic. Choosing the right frame material is also important thing to consider for patients who have allergies or who have sensitive skin. There are hypoallergenic, lightweight and stronger frames such as metal titanium that is mostly used by patients who are weight conscious. 
Lens material: a thinner lens will mean a lighter frame especially for high-grade prescription. The weight of the lens will significantly add to the over-all weight of the frame. Polycarbonate is one of the lens material used for patients with high-grade prescription because it provides thinner, lighter and higher protection because of its impact resistant feature.
Frame fit: the way the eyeglasses sits on the face is important factor that will decide the over-all comfort of the eyeglasses. If the frame is well adjusted to the face, nose marks can be avoided as well as the tendency of the frame to slide or fall off the face.

COST
Generally, contact lenses are more expensive compared to eyeglasses because of the frequency of replacing the contact lens. Aside from the contact lens itself, its accessories like the solution and the case also adds to its expenses.

  •  If a person has dry eyes, contact lens lubricants will also contribute to its over-all expenses.
  •  Unlike eyeglasses, replacement usually takes a year or more. Sometimes patients only replace it if the frame is already broken, or if the lenses need to be upgraded and if the patient wants a new style of frame. Since eyeglasses is also considered as a fashion statement, there are patients who prefer getting different styles of frames this makes it more expensive than contact lenses.

   MAINTENANCE

How to keep your lenses from having scratches? 

     1. There are simple ways to maintain the quality of your lenses.
  •  First, you can clean your lenses by washing it with soap or dishwashing liquid and rinsing it with water. You may use a tissue to pat on the water droplets or you may leave it air dry.
  •  After making the lenses and frame dry, you may then use the microfiber to gently wipe the lenses in one direction preferably from the inner part of the lens up to the temples of the frame. Specially formulated lens cleaner are also available to remove hard stains on the lenses while you are travelling. 
  • Regular replacement of nose pads every month or every 3 months can help avoid build up of dirt around the guard arm of the nose pads. It is also important to take note to always remove and put on the glasses with two hands. This is to avoid misalignment and breaking the temples of the frame. This is applicable for all types of frame. 
  • For plastic frames, avoid leaving the frame in a hot or humid room temperature to make sure that the frame will not expand and loosen its fit on you.

   
    2. Contact lenses are sometimes a handful when it comes to its maintenance. Before handling your contact lenses you have to make sure that you have thoroughly wash your hands and cut your nails short. 
  • Contact lens should be clean before and after using it by soaking it in the solution and rubbing it against your finger. Then the contact lenses should be stored in a contact lens case with solution.
  •  Changing the contact lens case monthly is also important to avoid build up of microorganism in the contact lens while storing it inside the case. Inserting and removing contact lenses might take time for new wearers but you will definitely enjoy clearer vision without eyeglasses. 

             

Eye Risk

The only risk eyeglass wearers face is the probability of the lens breaking in their eyes, which can be prevented by having an impact resistant lenses. Plastic lenses today offer more advantage compared to ophthalmic glass because it does not shatter upon hard impact. The problem with plastic lens is that it easily gets scratch compared to ophthalmic glass, that is why plastic lenses are usually coated with scratch resistant coatings.

Contact lenses on the other hand are high risk for the eyes since it is in close contact on eyes. Hygiene and strict compliance of your eye doctor’s advice can help prevent complications associated with contact lens wear. Allergies to the contact lens material and from the solution could also occur that can be easily managed by replacing the material and identifying the ingredient that causes the allergic reaction from the solution.

 Age of Wearer
In eyeglasses, the age of the wearer is not an issue. As long as the frame is well fitted to the face of the patient and the lens material and design is well planned, there will be no problems with eyeglasses. In fact, it is also one of the reasons why eyeglasses are offered first due to its flexibility on the age range of its wearers. 
Contact lenses are little bit tricky especially for patients that are Too young and too old. Among younger patients, it is the responsibility of the parents or guardians to make sure that the patient properly removes and inserts the contact lenses outside the clinic. 
  • Older patients face health problems that can decrease sensitivity and sensation on the eyes like diabetes. Some older patients need an Add already for them to read better at near. These kind of patients are usually given multifocal contact lenses or monovision CL the problem with the said CL they do not give the same quality of clear vision at near compared to eyeglasses. Such CL will not work well for patients who spend prolong near work activities. Also, patients with hand tremors are discouraged to wear CL because of difficulty wearing and removing CL. 

 Age is not the sole basis whether a person is fit to wear contact lenses or not. For young and adult wearers, eye doctors  usually take note of the maturity and hygiene of the patient before they allow CL wear.

   Adjustment Period

Adjustment with eyeglasses is often due to the changes in grade, change in lens material or a conflict between the lens design and the size of the frame especially with high-grade prescription. It is rare that the patient has to adjust on the frame material and frame weight because in the first place, during the frame selection the patient has already fitted and assessed how she feels while wearing the frame. 
  • In contact lenses, adjustment could be due to different factors, such as changes in grade, change in contact lens material especially if from soft to hard contacts and/or change in lens design.


NOW, THIS BLOG MAY CLEAR SOME BENEFITS AND CAUSES OF EYEGLASSES AND CONTACT LENSES.



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