When you realize that you need to wear glasses, you might find yourself having mixed opinions on what kind of solution you want to consider using. For many people, glasses seem like the most economical and convenient solution, but others might choose to wear contact lenses to hide the fact that they need glasses. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to vision-correcting solutions, but quite a lot of people fail to see the best option; use them both!
1. It doesn’t make sense to get rid of one or the other
A lot of people have this idea that you either need to use contact lenses or glasses, but this is a pretty strange idea considering they’re both independent of each other. To illustrate this point further, we need to identify why people wear glasses versus contacts and vice versa.
Glasses are:
- More convenient to put on and take off
- Easier to clean compared to lenses
- Quite stylish if you pick more expensive frames
- Able to be “fixed” if they are broken *unless the lenses themselves are shattered
- Considerably cheaper if you invest in a decent pair
On the other hand, contact lenses are:
- Essentially invisible, making them a discreet option
- Less likely to get in the way of something like eating or kissing
- Won’t steam up when you eat or drink something hot
- More comfortable to some people
- Great for active types that exercise a lot
As you can see, there are a good number of reasons to use either glasses or contact lenses. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and in many cases, you could say that they make up for each other’s weaknesses. For instance, if convenience is a problem then you may want to consider wearing glasses since they’re easier to put on and take off. However, if you want to be discreet with your vision correction solution then lenses might be a better option.
It simply doesn’t make sense for someone to get rid of one solution for another. In fact, it’s best to actually keep both glasses and contact lenses because they’re both useful in different situations. While this can be a lot more expensive for some people, there are ways to manage the financial costs of owning and maintaining both glasses and contact lenses.
In short, don’t get rid of one for the other or consider them exclusive. You can carry a pair of glasses in your bag while you wear contacts and you can just as easily use disposable lenses when you need to be discreet or if you don’t want your glasses getting in the way of something. There are plenty of ways to incorporate both into your life, so we wouldn’t recommend getting into the mindset that you need to have one or the other.
2. Make using both contacts and glasses work for you
So perhaps you’re willing to wear both contacts and glasses now. Maybe you’ve seen that you don’t need to get rid of one or the other, but how exactly do you manage both contacts and glasses with ease? One of the biggest challenges is the financial investment required to purchase and maintain contacts and lenses. Thankfully, there are a couple of ways to cut costs. In addition, you’ll also want to balance the use of contacts and lenses to give your eyes a break, as contacts tend to be a little more demanding and could cause eye strain issues if used too frequently when you’re not accustomed to them.
To help you out, we’re going to explain a couple of helpful tips.
- Know your prescription to reduce costs. If you speak to your optician or look at any letters you’ve received, you’ll be able to get your prescription. It should show values such as OD and OS. These can then be used to purchase contact lenses and even fashionable round glasses from retailers and online stores. This can be a lot cheaper than getting your glasses and contacts from an optician.
- Take better care of your contacts and glasses. Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people fail to take care of their glasses and contact lenses. Losing a disposable contact because you didn’t handle it properly or scratching up your glasses because you don’t keep them in a case are simple mistakes that you should be avoiding at all costs. This will help you save money and prolong their use.
- Decide when you’ll be using contacts and glasses. It’s advised that you should try to balance wearing your glasses and contacts as much as possible, especially during the early stages when you’re still getting used to using your lenses. We suggest that you wear your contacts when you need a more discreet option, such as going out, and then revert back to glasses when you come home. This will help you get used to the cleaning and maintenance required to take care of both your glasses and contact lenses.
- Consider the type of contact lense you wear. There are several different types of contact lenses that you should be aware of. Soft contacts are generally the most common and comfortable to wear. There are also rigid lenses that can provide clearer vision but are a little more expensive unless you take care of them and use them for a long period of time. You also need to consider the length of time you’re using your contact lenses. For example, wearing disposables is fine if you primarily use glasses, but you should also consider bi-weekly or even monthly ones if you use your lenses on a regular basis.
At the end of the day, you’re free to pick one over the other if you prefer. After all, some people might not be in the best financial position to purchase and maintain both glasses and contact lenses. But as we’ve hopefully shown, there are plenty of ways to ensure that you can maintain both contacts and glasses without having to spend too much money.
