Contact Lenses vs. Traditional Glasses From Our Jacksonville Optometrist

If your eye doctor has written you a prescription for corrective lenses, you have a significant choice to make: contact lenses, or traditional glasses? While each patient's personal style plays an important role in the decision, it's also important that they consider the everyday tasks and long-term costs associated with each. Patients should also appreciate that they can certainly switch between contacts and glasses, but they must be mindful of the maintenance required by each.

Eyeglasses

Glasses have existed for much longer than contacts - nearly 800 years - and today they are nearly ubiquitous in our culture. Millions of people rely on glasses not only to correct their vision but also as an indispensable fashion accessory. For much of their history, eyeglasses were considered "medical devices" that were sometimes humiliating to wear, but models designed to be fashionable were introduced about 50 years ago and are now so popular that many are sold even with non-prescription lenses. While glasses require significantly less hygienic maintenance than contact lenses, it's important that wearers keep a backup pair and repair kit handy in case of breaks.

Contacts

Contact lenses allow wearers to correct their vision without changing their appearance, making them an ideal choice for anyone who doesn't like the way they look in glasses. Contacts are also popular with athletes who don't want to wear bulky protective glasses, and they are also advantageous because they don't collect condensation in wet conditions. However, contact lenses require more maintenance than glasses: most can only be worn a few times and must thus be ordered regularly, and even reusable lenses must be cleaned daily, and lenses must always be removed nightly in order to avoid unpleasant complications. Despite this additional work, many people choose to wear contacts at least some of the time because it's often convenient to be free of glasses, and because they are becoming increasingly easy to use due to continuously improving materials.

Schedule an Appointment at VAL-Uvision Today!

With two locations in Jacksonville, Val-U Vision is the area's premier destination for eye care, offering everything from routine eye exams to more advanced procedures. Val-U Vision's team has decades of collective experience in eye care and works hard to ensure every patient's comfort and satisfaction. Contact us today to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment at either of our locations.