Glasses, Contacts, or Both?

When it comes to correcting your vision, you have two popular options: prescription glasses and contact lenses. Both can offer the clarity you need, but they come with different benefits, drawbacks, and considerations. The choice between glasses and contacts ultimately depends on your lifestyle, comfort preferences, and how you view convenience and style. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know to make the right decision.

1. Comfort: Glasses vs. Contacts

• Glasses: Many people find glasses comfortable to wear, especially since they don’t touch the eye directly. They’re easy to put on, remove, and adjust, and can even be a statement accessory to express personal style. However, if you wear glasses for extended periods or need to wear them for physical activities, they may fog up in certain conditions.

• Contacts: Contacts are worn directly on your eyes, so they provide a wider field of vision and don’t have the potential to slip down your face. However, some people may find them uncomfortable, especially when wearing them for long periods. Dry eyes, allergies, or prolonged screen time can also make wearing contacts more difficult. With Colorado’s dry climate a lot of people find contacts hard to wear, as they dry out.

2. Convenience: Glasses vs. Contacts

• Glasses: Glasses are low-maintenance; once you buy a pair, you simply need to clean the lenses and the frame occasionally and get them adjusted. Remember when your spray bottle given to you by Artisan Optical is empty it is a good time to come in and have Alicia adjust your glasses. You may need to change them throughout the day depending on if you have multiple pairs such as office lenses, driving lenses or sunglass lenses. However, they may not be as convenient during activities like sports or exercising, as they can slip off or get in the way.

• Contacts: Contacts require more upkeep. You need to remove, clean, and store them every night, unless you have daily disposable lenses that can be thrown out at the end of the day. You also need to have a good routine to ensure your hands are clean when inserting or removing them. However, for some, the benefit of being able to move freely and have unobstructed vision is well worth the extra effort.

  
  

3. Style: Glasses vs. Contacts

• Glasses: Glasses can be a fashion statement. With so many trendy frame styles and colors available, glasses allow you to express your personality and can even change  your overall look. Some people love the ability to change up their overall look with buying multiple styles to enhance their appearance in different ways. Check out our last blog to visit the trendy styles that are current. 

https://www.artisanopticaldenver.com/post/the-latest-in-eyewear-fashion-in-denver-co-a-guide-to-trends-styles-and-functionality

• Contacts: With contacts, no one will know you wear vision correction unless you tell them. If you're someone who prefers a more discreet option or wants the freedom to wear makeup without worrying about how glasses interact with it, contacts may be the better choice. However, there are colored contacts available if you want to discreetly express your style.

  
  

4. Cost: Glasses vs. Contacts

• Glasses: Glasses are a one-time investment for a few years (though you may need to replace them more frequently if your prescription changes). The cost can vary depending on the brand, style, and lens options (e.g., anti-glare coating, transition lenses, progressives, lens material etc.).Cost can also vary if you end up needing multiple pairs such as sunglasses, office lenses, reading glasses or distance glasses.

• Contacts: Contact lenses tend to be more expensive over time. You will need to regularly purchase lenses, cleaning solutions, and other accessories. Even if you choose a daily lens that does not require additional accessories, the daily lenses can tend to be more expensive. While some contact lens types may have a lower upfront cost, the ongoing purchase of replacement lenses can add up, as well as the yearly fit fee.  It is also good to note that even if you are primarily a contact lens wearer, it is necessary to have a pair of glasses in the event that you ever have an eye infection and cannot wear your contacts.  So you will still need to purchase both.

5. Eye Health: Glasses vs. Contacts

• Glasses: Glasses don’t pose a risk to eye health. Since they rest on your nose, they won’t directly touch your eyes, which means there is no risk of eye infections or irritation from prolonged use.

• Contacts: Wearing contacts can come with a higher risk of eye infections or dryness, especially if they’re not cleaned properly or worn for longer than recommended. If not cared for correctly, contacts can lead to discomfort or other eye-related issues. However, with proper hygiene and good habits, many people wear contacts without significant problems. Even if some contact lenses say they are safe to sleep in, Dr. Jensen does not recommend sleeping in your contacts due to the dry climate in Colorado. The daily brands such as Dailies Total 1, MyDay, and 1 Day  Acuvue Oasys are going to be the best for the health of your eye due to the oxygen breathability, and water content. Again with daily disposable, you simply throw them away at the end of the day for low maintenance and they are the healthiest for your eyes.

6. Performance: Glasses vs. Contacts

• Glasses: Glasses can sometimes limit your peripheral vision, as the lenses only cover a small portion of your field of view. They can also cause distortion at the edges of the lens, which might not be ideal for certain activities like driving or sports. However, multifocal lenses are more functional than multifocal contact lenses. Zeiss and IOT can tackle more problems than a lot of multifocal contact lenses can.

• Contacts: Contacts provide a full, unobstructed view of the world, offering more natural vision. Because they are placed directly on your eye, they won’t distort peripheral vision, and they can even help with activities like sports, where good vision is essential. Contact lenses can work very well over glasses for a vast majority of prescriptions.

  
  

7. Activity Level: Glasses vs. Contacts

• Glasses: If you lead an active lifestyle or participate in sports, glasses may not be the most practical choice. They can be heavy, and they may slip off or fog up when you sweat. Specialized sports eyewear may be an option. Brands like Maui Jim, Zeal Optics, and Wiley X are great for safety or sport specific eyewear. They can accommodate most prescriptions.

• Contacts: If you're active, contact lenses provide a clear advantage. They won’t get in the way during physical activities, and you won’t have to worry about them slipping or fogging up. This makes them a great option for athletes or anyone who participates in outdoor activities. You may still want non-prescription sunglasses for specific sport activities. There are some lenses that make it easier to see the ball for outside sports. You may also still need to get reading glasses to wear over your distance contacts.

  
  

8. Prescription Changes: Glasses vs. Contacts

• Glasses: In Colorado your eyeglass prescription is valid for 2 years. We still recommend a yearly eye exam, even if you decide not to update your glasses. Your eyeglass prescription is included with your eye exam at Artisan Optical. If your prescription changes, you only need to visit Dr. Jensen  to update your lenses. If you already own multiple frames,  Alicia can help evaluate them to see if they are reusable for new lenses. Often times brands such as Etnia, Orgreen, and SALT that use a cotton based acetate can be used multiple times over the years for lens replacement.

• Contacts: With contact lenses, you’ll need to have a prescription for each type of lens you wear. Your contact lens prescription is valid for 1 year in the state of Colorado, so you will need to update that prescription annually. Your contact lens fitting is an additional charge to your annual eye exam. The charge can vary depending on the different types of fitting. Dr. Jensen charges $50 for a spherical fit, $75 for a toric fitting, and $100 for a multi-focal fitting (this includes monovision).  There is also a $50 fee if you have never worn contacts before for us to teach you how to put them in and take them out. 

Final Thoughts: Choosing What’s Best for You

The decision between prescription glasses and contact lenses ultimately depends on what you value most—comfort, convenience, style, or practicality. Some people prefer the low-maintenance aspect of glasses, while others opt for the freedom and unobstructed vision that contacts provide.

It’s also important to remember  you don’t  choose one or the other exclusively. Many people use both: glasses for daily wear at home or in the office, and contacts for active days or special occasions. Consulting with Dr. Jensen and Alicia can also help you make a more informed decision based on your unique needs, prescription, and lifestyle. But even if you primarily choose to wear contacts, you will always need a good pair of glasses as a backup. 

Remember, whichever you choose, both glasses and contact lenses are excellent tools to help you see the world more clearly. The key is to select the one that best fits your preferences, routine, and eye health needs.

Remember, whether buying glasses or contacts to always support local and shop at Artisan Optical!