Why contact lenses are better than glasses. Which is better: lenses or glasses? Benefits of contact lenses

A person who first encounters vision problems is faced with the question of choosing between glasses and lenses. The first is preferred by older people. Habit plays an important role in this. Young and active patients prefer lenses instead of glasses. They look more aesthetically pleasing and require little or no additional care. But there are a number of contraindications, due to which it is undesirable to use lenses. Therefore, the primary choice should be the advice of doctors.

What are they?

The quality of visual acuity is measured in diopters. They pay attention to them when choosing corrective devices.

Eye lenses are convex products made of a special material and intended to be placed directly in the eye. This invention appeared at the end of the 20th century and immediately gained popularity. The glasses are the same lenses, but placed in a solid frame. To feel the difference, a person should try both methods of vision correction. Only this way will help you make the right choice. If your vision improves while wearing glasses, you should stop at them.

Pros of glasses and benefits of lenses

It is very easy to store such a product.

Both human inventions have their positive and negative qualities. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully study the pros and cons of glasses and contact lenses before opting for any of them. Young people always choose the latest developments. Therefore, lenses that are difficult to see on the eye are always a priority. They do not slip or sweat, and do not need to be wiped clean. In addition, whether a person has a big difference between diopters, anisometropia, he also needs to give preference to lenses. But glasses also have their positive qualities:

  • The ability to remove them at any time. This is necessary for periodic rest of the eyes.
  • A case is enough to store them. They do not need to be placed in a special solution.
  • Unlimited wear period. If the quality of a person's vision remains the same, he will not need new glasses for vision correction soon.
  • Lack of direct eye contact. This eliminates the risk of conjunctivitis and other purulent-inflammatory processes in the organs of vision.
  • The ability to wear in any physiological state of the body.

Cons of using


Such products should not be removed from the eyes without washing your hands.

It is not very comfortable to wear glasses. They constantly slip, make it difficult to dress and undress. People are often annoyed by glasses slipping off the bridge of the nose. They also have a limited viewing angle. But the respondents give priority among the negative aspects of wearing glasses to an unaesthetic appearance. Although the lenses look better, they also have a number of disadvantages:

  • Fixation in the eye. They cannot be retrieved at any moment. To do this, you need to wash your hands and have a special box with a storage solution nearby.
  • The inability to use them for children. A child who does not control his movements should not wear lenses, as the baby can accidentally damage them and injure the eye.
  • The need to purchase additional accessories for storage and care.
  • Limited term of use. This requires additional financial investments.
  • A number of contraindications for concomitant diseases of the organs of vision.

Glasses are the most popular device for correcting human vision, despite the appearance of comfortable and invisible lenses, they are still used by most people. The glasses are easy to use, improve vision well and do not require careful maintenance. But it is believed that glasses reduce visual acuity. A person begins to see worse when the outer muscles of the eyes stop working well and cannot provide the desired shape of the lens. If you constantly wear glasses, according to many experts, the muscles will begin to get used to this condition and atrophy. As a result, the vision continues, the person goes to new glasses, and this situation repeats. Therefore, patients are often prescribed lenses with a slightly understated one in order to load the eye muscles. In fact, the harm from glasses is not exactly proven, there is when a person wears glasses all his life, and his vision does not decrease, and vice versa, for many people visual acuity deteriorates, despite the fact that they do not use devices for correction.

But we can definitely say that incorrectly selected glasses are harmful to the eyes. Doctors say that if a person wears a device not designed for its performance, then his vision will deteriorate by about 5% per year. Therefore, you need to select glasses only from a competent specialist, while it is important to check both eyes. The doctor must not only choose the right amount of diopters for each eye, but also determine the focus and distance between the pupils.

Cheap sunglasses made of plastic or any material that allows the sun's rays to pass through are also harmful to the eyes, leading to corneal burns and cataracts.

Eye damage from contact lenses

Modern contact lenses allow air to pass through, lie softly on the eye without causing inconvenience or scratching, correct vision well, providing a full view, while peripheral vision remains poor with glasses. But the harm from improperly selected lenses can be even greater than from improperly selected glasses, since the lenses fit tightly to the eye, are constantly in contact with the mucous membrane, can rub the eye, cause corneal erosion, conjunctivitis, ulcers and other diseases.

You need to buy lenses only in a specialized salon or vision correction center after a specialist examination.

Lack of care and non-compliance with the rules for wearing contact lenses also lead to unpleasant consequences. Lenses must be cleaned every day, stored in a special solution, put on and removed only with clean and dry hands, otherwise you can get an infection.

Statistics say that more than 50% of the world's inhabitants today suffer from a decrease in visual acuity. Previously, this flaw could only be corrected with glasses. In the 21st century, more and more people can be found wearing contact lenses.

Therefore, for the women's site "Beautiful and Successful" the question of which is better, lenses or glasses, is one of the most relevant. And in order to answer it to our readers, the site in this article will tell you about all the advantages and disadvantages of modern vision correction methods.

Pros of glasses

The oldest, and in some sense even outdated, means for correcting vision are glasses.

They were originally used by the ancient peoples of the North to protect their eyes from the blinding sun and cold wind. Of course, these devices were pretty primitive.

Glasses with glass were, according to historians, invented in Italy in the 13th century. Of course, then no one thought about what better corrects vision, lenses or glasses, since there was no such choice.

Since then, the glasses have changed and improved a lot.

The quality of modern glasses has also improved in comparison with what it was a couple of decades ago. Thanks to the use of high technologies, even very weak eyesight can be corrected with thin optical glasses.

In addition, there is a huge selection of beautiful and stylish frames in optical stores, thanks to which the glasses have become a rather attractive and fashionable accessory. By the way, our site has already told.

Those who are thinking what is better to buy, lenses or glasses, should bear in mind the following advantages of the latter:

  • They are cheaper in cost than contact lenses.
  • They are quick and easy to put on and take off.
  • Well-chosen glasses can change your face for the better, hiding some of its flaws and highlighting its dignity.
  • The glasses can be used without changing for about two years.
  • It is very easy to care for your glasses, you just need to buy a napkin for optics and a case.
  • When wearing glasses, you can safely do makeup.
  • With the help of glasses, you can correct almost any visual acuity disorders.

It is quite fair to say that it is better not to wear lenses or glasses at all and have excellent eyesight. But in the case when there is no other way out, you still have to make a choice. At the same time, it is very important to take into account some of the disadvantages of glasses.

What are the disadvantages of glasses

Those who have worn glasses for more than one year will be able to list all their shortcomings without hesitation.

  • Glasses limit the radius of vision, which over time leads to atrophy of the eye muscles. According to the ophthalmologists themselves, prolonged wearing of glasses negatively affects the state of vision.
  • You cannot play sports, dance, swim with glasses. So in such situations it is better to put on lenses or take off glasses completely, completely trusting other senses.
  • Glasses can create psychological discomfort. Especially often people who have to wear glasses from childhood suffer because of this.
  • In winter, glasses fog up.
  • When wearing corrective glasses, you should not wear sunglasses, and in summer this is especially important.

Anyone who is tired of the inconvenience of glasses will find it useful to know what the advantage of lenses is.

Pros of lenses

Speaking about what is better and more comfortable, lenses or glasses, one cannot but refer to the history of the appearance of lenses.

Originally made of glass, these hard lenses caused some discomfort when worn.

In 1960, soft contact lenses were invented that were much more comfortable than the hard glass version. It is the advent of a new soft polymer material that has made contact lenses very popular.

However, such lenses also needed improvement, as they did not allow oxygen to pass through well and caused excessive dryness of the eyes.

The most recent discovery in the field of contact vision correction was the invention of silicone hydrogel materials. Lenses made from this material have characteristics that make them particularly attractive to consumers.

  • They practically do not interfere with the penetration of oxygen to the cornea of \u200b\u200bthe eye, due to which they do not cause discomfort.
  • They can be worn up to 12 hours in a row without taking off.
  • They can play sports, swim, dance, move actively.
  • The question of which is better, contact lenses or glasses, is resolved positively towards the former from the point of view that hydrogel lenses do not break when dropped.
  • They do not limit the radius of vision, they are able to correct it by 100%, while glasses are always selected one diopter less than necessary.
  • Lenses help you feel more confident and attractive, and are especially suitable for people who have complexes about wearing glasses.

Disadvantages of lenses

The advent of silicone hydrogel contact lenses has made them a great alternative to glasses. But still, the question of what is better to wear, lenses or glasses, has not been fully resolved.

And the reason for this is a number of disadvantages that lenses still have, even the most modern breathable ones.

  • Contact vision correction is not a cheap pleasure. The lenses themselves are pretty decent, besides, they need to constantly buy a special disinfectant solution. It is recommended to change lenses at least once every six months, and even better - to do it every three months.
  • Putting on and taking off lenses is a rather delicate procedure that requires a certain amount of dexterity and care.
  • Even the most modern lenses require getting used to, so you cannot switch to them immediately after wearing glasses.
  • When it comes to what is better for the eyes, lenses or glasses, you need to keep in mind: lenses can injure the cornea, which in turn can lead to the development of an inflammatory process in the eye.
  • A lens that has fallen out of the eye can be very difficult to find.
  • Lenses are not suitable for people with very sensitive eyes.
  • For some vision defects, lenses may not be worn.

Which is better: lenses or glasses?

If we analyze all the above facts, then we can say that it is impossible to answer the question about the advantage of lenses over glasses or vice versa: each specific case will have its own indications.

But, as practical experience shows, most people who constantly wear lenses wear glasses from time to time.

It is very convenient to alternate between different methods of vision correction.

For example, if you do not need to leave the house and do not want to fiddle in front of a mirror with lenses, you can use glasses. In addition, if suddenly the eyes become inflamed, then it will be simply impossible to put on the lenses.

Hence the conclusion suggests itself: in the question of which is better, lenses or glasses, you need to compromise between the two options. If you want to look relaxed, young, energetic, then you should wear lenses. There is a desire to change the sports image to a business and stylish one - it's time to buy glasses.

Why choose one thing, if you can have both, and constantly change yourself, surprising others with your unpredictability?

That is why our site advises all readers to try on a variety of images, deciding for themselves what is best for them, lenses or glasses - in a variety of life situations: in the company of friends, at work, on vacation, at a party, on a date, in an interview, etc. etc.

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What are the advantages and disadvantages of different types of vision enhancement? Do they have contraindications and limitations? Is it possible to combine them? It is important to understand the many nuances of using popular correction methods.

The advantages of glasses

When choosing a method of improving vision - contact lenses or glasses - people often prefer the more common and proven method. Indeed, spectacle correction has been used for a very long time. The technology for the production of glasses for glasses is constantly being improved, the method of their selection is being detailed and improved.

Modern spectacle lenses can be made from different materials. Plastic ones are lighter in weight, do not put pressure on the bridge of the nose, glass ones are more durable.

You can also choose spectacle lenses depending on the number of optical zones (foci) for vision correction. In the elderly, single vision lenses are used to correct near or long distance vision. Multifocal glasses have been developed to correct visual acuity simultaneously at different distances. But to get comfortable with them, an adaptation period is required.

Wearing glasses has several other advantages:

  • the simplest method that does not require any skills;
  • ease of glass care - it is enough to have a cover and a napkin;
  • ease of use with painted eyes and eyelashes;
  • lack of direct contact of spectacle glasses with the surface of the eyeball;
  • glasses are used for a long time if they are preserved and there is no deterioration in visual acuity;
  • the ability to change the appearance by changing the shape of the glasses, their color or frame.

You can choose a hypoallergenic frame, lightweight, matching in color. For children, special soft frames are produced, which are firmly fixed behind the ears, on the bridge of the nose and do not interfere with the baby's play.

Special coatings for spectacle lenses have been developed to improve their quality. Photochromic lenses play the role of sunglasses in sunny weather outdoors, indoors they look like ordinary glasses.

Polarized glasses for glasses eliminate glare, protecting your eyes from glare when looking at reflective surfaces or headlights of an oncoming vehicle. The anti-reflective coating applied to the glass also reduces glare.

The hydrophobic coating is water-repellent and prevents fogging. Models of sports glasses have been created that reliably hold on the face, protect the eyes from ultraviolet rays, and do not fog up. Most modern glasses have a multi-layer coating, so their price is high.

Disadvantages of glasses

What to choose to improve vision? The ophthalmologist will tell you about the pros and cons of each type of vision correction.

The use of glasses has the following disadvantages:

  • change in appearance, which does not always suit a person;
  • forced restrictions with an active lifestyle (inconvenience with constant use, fear of breaking or losing);
  • restrictions on the use of sunglasses;
  • difficulties when practicing outdoor sports;
  • the need to constantly carry glasses with you;
  • undesirable effects on health, aggravation of vision problems with inadequate selection of spectacle lenses;
  • the occurrence of visual distortions when removing glasses;
  • limitation of lateral visual fields due to the presence of arches;
  • fogging of glasses at temperature drops;
  • problems of use in rain, snow;
  • the difficulty of selecting glasses with a difference in visual acuity of more than 2 diopters;
  • high cost of modern spectacle lenses and stylish frames.

The advantages of lenses

Contact lenses are a modern solution to the problem of poor vision. Active youth often make a choice in their favor.

When using glasses, some people develop an inferiority complex and self-doubt. In this case, lenses are a great alternative to glasses. In addition, by changing the color of the lenses, you can brighten your image, highlighting the beauty of your eyes.

Lenses help to hide various features of the eyes that impair the appearance. These include congenital defects - albinism, multicolored iris, and acquired - scars on the iris or cornea, leucorrhoea.

Besides the aesthetic benefits, the good thing is that the lens follows the movements of the pupil. This ensures the naturalness of the optimization of vision, the absence of blurring of the contours of objects and other visual distortions, preserves the physiological boundaries of the visual fields. The lenses can be worn for 12 hours with an active lifestyle.

The contact method of correction has several more advantages:

  • independence of the quality of vision from the presence of precipitation, temperature changes;
  • the opportunity to play sports;
  • good vision correction even with anisometropia of more than two diopters;
  • you can use any sunglasses;
  • disposable lenses do not cause inflammatory changes and are easier to care for (thrown away at the end of the day, a new pair of lenses is used in the morning).

Disadvantages of lenses

Using lenses, a person faces some difficulties.

There is a need to take them off before going to bed and put them on in the morning in front of a mirror in good light, observing hygiene and caution.

There are limitations in water procedures, as it is possible for the lens surfaces to become infected with water.

Careless use can damage the membranes of the eye, which is fraught with complications, up to loss of vision. It takes time to learn how to use and store lenses.

Daily wear during the work week, especially if hygiene is not followed, can lead to the formation of corneal ulcers and other dangerous inflammation.

An allergic reaction may occur. Even the correct use of lenses in one way or another changes the metabolism and microcirculation in the membranes of the eye, limiting the access to oxygen and causing dryness of the mucous membranes. Therefore, there should be breaks in the use of contact lenses.

After a certain period of time, the lenses need to be renewed, which is fraught with financial costs. The disadvantages include their high cost. In addition, they are easily lost during installation or removal, and soft lenses are damaged in the hands of beginners. In this regard, it is advisable to have with you not only the container with the solution, but also a pair of spare lenses.

To exclude complications, an ophthalmologist consultation is required every three months.

What is the best correction method?

Which is better for the eyes - lenses or glasses? In solving this issue, the patient's preferences cannot play a decisive role. Only an ophthalmologist, after collecting an anamnesis and a full examination, will determine which method of improving vision is optimal.

When choosing a method of visual correction, a specialist takes into account many details:

  • Age restrictions - The use of lenses is not suitable for children under 12 years old, they often cause difficulties in the elderly. In the absence of the effect of attempts to correct vision with glasses, in some cases the lenses can be used in children, including those with congenital anomalies in the structure of the eye.
  • The nature of professional employment ... People who work in chemical plants, dusty industries, it is better to use glasses. Doctors recommend the use of lenses for patients working in the medical or construction fields. Also, the contact method of improving vision is suitable for professional athletes.
  • Health status - the presence of problems with coordination of movements, fine motor skills, mental disorders, eye diseases, a tendency to allergies exclude the correct use of contact lenses.
  • Driving ... For patients who have been driving a car for a long time, optometrists often advise the use of soft contact lenses. They provide high clarity of vision even in the dark, physiological fields of vision, comfort in use, and oxygen access to the membranes of the eye.

Ophthalmologists advise to have adequate glasses in any case. In response to this, patients are often perplexed: "But I constantly wear lenses, and that suits me." You need to know that sometimes the use of lenses has temporary contraindications, then they just need to be replaced with glasses.

These include colds of viral or bacterial etiology, especially with severe catarrhal symptoms, the need for a course of taking certain medications. Such drugs are diuretics, desensitizing drugs, vasoconstrictor drops for a cold. It is undesirable to use lens correction when taking oral contraceptives, drugs for motion sickness and dizziness.

After the end of the course of drug therapy, a person can use the lenses again after consulting a specialist.

How to make a choice?

What is best to wear so as not to aggravate the problem of poor vision? Only an ophthalmologist can select a way to optimize vision.

The use of contact lenses is contraindicated in a number of eye diseases:

  • inflammatory and allergic diseases of the eyelids, conjunctiva, cornea;
  • lens pathology;
  • dacryocystitis;
  • low sensitivity of the eye membranes due to disturbances in the innervation of the eye;
  • dry eye syndrome and other lacrimation disorders;
  • ptosis of various etiologies;
  • strabismus.

The advice of doctors when choosing lenses or glasses is necessary if the patient is sick with serious chronic diseases.

You need a therapist's consultation and his opinion on the state of health in the presence of the following diseases:

  • state of immunodeficiency;
  • bronchial asthma;
  • allergic rhinitis;
  • tuberculosis of any organs;
  • chronic respiratory diseases with frequent relapses;
  • oncological neoplasms.

In these diseases, eye lenses are contraindicated.

Is it better to wear lenses or glasses for myopia? With moderate and severe myopia, especially in combination with, contact lenses are the best correction method. It is often difficult to choose glasses for this pathology. Rigid lenses protect the damaged lens well, while at the same time normalizing visual acuity. If you have vision problems, an urgent consultation with an ophthalmologist is necessary.

Glasses or lenses - what to opt for? This issue is resolved for each person individually after consulting an ophthalmologist. The purpose of any optical correction is to provide good vision and visual comfort when reading, driving a car, looking at the landscape outside the window.

To give your eyes a rest, you can use lenses at work, and when you come home, change them for glasses. If there is no time and conditions for the care of lenses, glasses will help out, with active events, hiking and playing sports lenses will come in handy. Adequate correction stimulates vision, restores the joy of life and efficiency.

Useful video about glasses and lenses

Choosing for themselves the most comfortable method of vision correction, many ask themselves the question: which is better for the eyes - glasses or lenses? The correct answer to this can only be given by an ophthalmologist. A detailed study of the features of the structure of the eye and an understanding of the specifics of a particular disease allows you to accurately determine the most suitable correction method for each person.

However, if there are no special violations in the form of astigmatism or other atypical deviations, then you can safely start choosing between glasses and contact lenses, based only on your own preferences. It is better if both remedies are available, because each of them has its own advantages.

Good sides and disadvantages of glasses

The undoubted advantage of glasses is a wide range of prices for them. At any specialized outlet, you can pick up both an expensive fashion accessory and a completely budgetary one.

This is the main reason why most people prefer these for their daily wear.

The second reason is to create your own style. A carefully chosen frame helps to hide imperfections and, conversely, to focus on the advantages of the face shape.

A stylish accessory can be bright - these are the ones that young people prefer to draw attention to themselves. Severe frames are chosen by older people, usually those who are trying to emphasize the business style of clothing and a serious approach to work.

In addition, glasses can always be equipped with modern sun glasses. They perfectly protect against harmful ultraviolet radiation and contribute to the creation of your own original image. Also, many glasses have an anti-reflective coating that prevents them from fading in the evening from bright headlights or during the day with strong solar activity.

Finally, they are easier and cheaper to care for. To keep them clean, you do not need to buy special care products. It is enough to wipe them periodically, removing dust and dirt. Storage in a case protects the accessory from damage and the glass from scratches.

Another important difference is that the glasses do not have direct contact with the eye. Therefore, they cannot irritate the mucous membranes and serve as a source for the spread of infections.

Disadvantages of glasses:

  • fogging of glasses with a sharp change in temperature;
  • reflection of light in the dark can cause short-term glare;
  • image distortion caused by the shape of the glasses;
  • limited lateral vision;
  • rub the bridge of the nose and the area of \u200b\u200btouch of the arches with the ears;
  • they can be lost at any time and are sometimes difficult to find;
  • a fragile structure often breaks, and glass breaks;

Also, in addition to all of the above, they are not recommended for those whose vision difference between the eyes is more than two diopters.

The advantages of contact lenses and their disadvantages

Lenses are valuable, first of all, because they return people to see with their own eyes. Without a complex design to be worn on the face, full vision returns for a while. Almost invisible films do not completely affect the general appearance of a person. Therefore, they are ideal for those who experience feelings of inferiority associated with wearing glasses.

The lenses do not distort the image, making the resulting image perfect. Objects and their sizes and distances remain unchanged, which is completely impossible when wearing glasses on the nose. After all, the lenses move with the pupils, correcting vision as naturally as possible. They are lightweight, practically not felt and, if placed correctly, do not cause any negative sensations. Contact lenses do not fog up when temperatures change and do not restrict lateral vision.

It is also an undoubted advantage - an individual selection for each eye. That is, even if the diopter difference exceeds two units, the correction is possible. People with such a problem are not allowed to use glasses and the only way out for them, besides surgery, is to use lenses.

Disadvantages of lenses:

  • regular replacement is necessary to avoid infection and irritation of the mucous membranes;
  • the high price of the product itself, solutions, drops and care items;
  • direct contact with the cornea can cause discomfort and even pain;
  • any speck that gets into the eye requires immediate removal and rinsing of the lens, which is not always convenient;
  • you need careful care after each wearing and before each use;

In addition, everyone who wears lenses must regularly visit an ophthalmologist. After all, their direct contact with the surface of the eye can disrupt the cornea. They dull the sensitivity of the eyes a little and therefore the devastating consequences of improper use of lenses and the onset of the disease can go unnoticed.

So which is better - glasses or lenses?

The main thing is not to forget that the eyes need rest. Therefore, any doctor will tell you that the constant wearing of lenses can lead to even more loss of vision. Therefore, they need to be given not only to rest, but also to do special health exercises every day.

At home, if you do not need to watch TV, read or work at a computer, it is better to do without them altogether. At this time, the eyes will not only rest, but also due to the need for the muscles of the eyeball to work and, therefore, fully function.

The best solution is to have both. Contact lenses can be worn outdoors, walked to work, and used to meet other people. Glasses, it is better to always have on hand as a fallback. Also at home it is better to use glasses for short-term tasks - reading, writing, watching movies and TV shows.

Remember that poor vision can be cured or at least prevented from worsening. Therefore, change the means of correction more often and regularly engage in wellness procedures.

The materials posted on this page are for informational purposes and are intended for educational purposes. Site visitors should not use them as medical advice. The determination of the diagnosis and the choice of the method of treatment remain the exclusive prerogative of your attending physician.

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