glasses or contacts?

[shrmn8rpoptart]

so on thursday, it's time for my annual eye appointment, and i know i'm going to have to get glasses (my regular doctor told me i probably shouldn't be driving... ) and the question is, do i get glasses or contacts?

 

[indra]

I have really bad astigmatism and myopia (can't spell worth a damn either!) and had to use toric contact lenses if I wanted soft ones, and they were great for driving and smokey bars, but I couldn't read with the blasted things. Plus I needed glasses for when I wasn't wearing the contacts anyway. And now I make stained glass (and some fused glass) for a living, so contacts aren't recommended (glass chips and chemicals), so I'm just using glasses full time.

So...what I mean is that it depends on what you will be doing with them. And you might find you need to get glasses even if you opt for the contacts anyway.

 

[Bunbury]

I wear glasses, too many horror stories about contacts

 

[Rinn]

If you get contacts you need glasses anyway, but if you get glasses you can get frames to suit your personality and make a statement about who you are.

Plus you don't have to worry about the contact lens finding its way BEHIND your eye.

Seriously it happened to a friend of mine.

 

[Tania]

Aaahhh, but if you have "tough" eyes (like me) and play a lot of sport, contacts come in very handy, especially supposed non-contact sports like hockey...

Suggest getting contacts with a cheap pair of glasses and see how you go.

 

[meegannie]

I have both, but I wear my contacts FAR more than my glasses because I look really stupid in glasses, I hate wearing them out in the rain, and I like having peripheral vision.

 

[Liesje]

I have both. Without either, I cannot see my hand clearly when my arm is extended. When I was little, I had to copy spelling lists and things like that off of other kids' papers b/c I could never read the board. I was kinda embarassed and ashamed b/c I didn't know what was wrong until in middle school I was old enough to understand it's just poor eyesight. The first thing I remember about glasses is being able to see individual blades of grass and leaves on trees; I never knew people could see those things. I started with glasses but that's not so good for gymnastics. Now I wear contacts most of the time, glases at night after I've washed my face and such. I like contacts b/c you have your entire range of vision and they're so easy to care for and put in/out once your used to it. I had to get new glasses though b/c my Prof. said it will be really dusty in Africa.

 

[Doozer61]

glasses

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Contacts.

 

[forbonou2]

Shrmn8-definetly, I vote for contacts!! You just can't play vollyball in glasses-safely, I mean! And hey-leaves you able to wear the coolest sunglasses!!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

screw the eye doctor... renew your contact lens prescription at 1-800-Contacts, only go to see the eye doctor once every two-three years. I mean hell... when I wore glasses I only had to go see the damn guy when my vision started getting blurry... now they want me to go once a year, drop $350 bucks on a contact lens appointment AND pay for new contacts? Dear mr. eye doctor, allow me to introduce my friend, Haywood Jablome.

 

[tiny dancer]

Contacts if you can wear them. I can't because I have Dry Eye Syndrome.

 

[nbcrusader]

Laser surgery

I used 1-800-Contacts before I got my eyes fixed.

 

[shrmn8rpoptart]

hmm, well i guess i might be leaning towards glasses now. though, if i can get insurance to pay for it, both sounds like the way to go. i really want that peripheral vision, but i probably don't want to have contacts in all the time. nb, i think you're right on the laser surgery, i have a friend getting it in january, but i don't think my parents are gonna spring for that right now.

also, i am really nearsighted (i think...i can't see far away) and have a slight astigmatism. does that have any effect on whether or not contacts are a good idea?

livluv, i know what you mean about seeing the leaves and blades of grass. i tried on a friend's pair of glass and saw everthing, and that's when i first realized how bad my vision was.

 

[DaveC]

screw the eye doctor... renew your contact lens prescription at 1-800-Contacts, only go to see the eye doctor once every two-three years. I mean hell... when I wore glasses I only had to go see the damn guy when my vision started getting blurry... now they want me to go once a year, drop $350 bucks on a contact lens appointment AND pay for new contacts? Dear mr. eye doctor, allow me to introduce my friend, Haywood Jablome.

 

[Liesje]

I dream about laser surgery (and the day insurance will cover it).......however, I am pretty lucky b/c my uncle is an eye dr. and he gives me everything at cost. My new glasses cost $165 w/ the scratch-resistant coating and sunglasses piece, but I figured it was worth it for something as important as vision! If I'm without contacts or glasses, not in my own home, I pretty much panic. If you can swear soft contacts, I'm guessing that's the cheapest option. If one gets lost or rips, it's WAY cheaper to replace than lost or broken glasses.

You know what else I just remembered from being little? There was this kid who loved apples and I hated apples, so every lunch I'd give him my apple and he'd let me wear his glasses for the long recess.

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

I have glasses, and rather like the way I look in them. Not sure I'd get contacts at all.

Oh, and girls with glasses are sexy

 

[Niamh_Saoirse]

Both. I usually wear glasses, but whenever I got out I like to wear my contacts.
It also depends on my mood: if I'm feeling too lazy, I wear my glasses, because it's too much hassle to put my contacts on.

 

[Kate1]

I wear glasses cos im short sighted i need them for watching tv and reading the board at college. Which is basically all the time grrr! They suit me supposidly there a bit croocked at the mo, but ah well!

I want to get some contacts too see oasis next yr and hopefully U2 as well and i dont wanna get nocked and lose my glasses. It would be like velma from scooby doo! lol

Not tried them yet, so they better be alright

 

[dreamingoutloud1]

I have glasses and contacts, but wear contacts most of the time. You can wear contacts if you have an astigmatism, I do, and there hasn't been a problem. In fact, since I've been wearing contacts, my vision has gotten better! I use the ones that you throw away after 2 weeks. If you tear or lose one, you can just pop open another pack! You don't have to trudge back to the eye doctor, and spring for another contact....

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Oh, and girls with glasses are sexy

i wear glasses because i have to...too many reasons but i'll name some. i've got dry eye syndrome and my eye (yes, i only have poor vision in one eye) is too fucked up for me to wear contacts. i had to wear an eye patch and glasses for about half my childhood.

 

[arw]

contacts

 

[Kariann]

I have both. I usually end up wearing my glasses to work because I get up too early to be sticking a finger in my eye!

 

[wolf Q]

I wear soft contacts. I've always meant to get some glasses as well for times when I don't feel like putting in the contacts (I've had them for 4 years now) but I haven't. My brother works at 1-800-Contacts, so I get my contacts through him.

I work in a pet grooming salon and it really sucks because I'm always getting hair in my eyes, stuck under my contacts and such. I think if I had glasses they'd fall off and I'd break them or something though.

 

[Kate1]

i cant be bothered to pay for laser eye surgery though, im too scared the glasses look ok on i guess plus its WAY EXPENCIVE!

 

[u2valleygirl]

I had laser eye surgery. I love it. But my eyes were really bad. I couldn't wear contacts anymore and I was getting married and I did not want to walk down the isle in glasses so I bit the bullet. It's one of the best things I have ever done.

The hardest thing for first time contact lense wearers is getting over the fear of touching your eye. I guess the most important thing to ask yourself is do you like the way you look in glasses. You can get glasses now and in a few months try lenses.

 

[Liesje]

I wore my glasses to work today just for kicks and I ended up in SUCH a bad mood! First, they kept falling off b/c I had my hair down w/ a headband that was using the space behind my ears. Then, I had trouble on the computer b/c the glasses make everything seem more round. I walked into my boss b/c of the no peripheral vision thing. When I got home I threw them off right away b/c it's below freezing, snowy, with and icey wind and the second you go inside, the glasses fog up.

GET CONTACTS!!!

 

[Mr. BAW]

I had laser eye surgery. I love it.

Been wearing glasses since I was 21...32 years Did you do a lot of checking doctor's backgrounds and history before you finally did it? what would be a more important factor, the cost or the doctor's reputation? how long did it really take until you actually see clearly? I've heard about patients having a gray haze for several days, weeks....did you experience that????

but willing to learn.

 

[u2valleygirl]

Been wearing glasses since I was 21...32 years Did you do a lot of checking doctor's backgrounds and history before you finally did it? what would be a more important factor, the cost or the doctor's reputation? how long did it really take until you actually see clearly? I've heard about patients having a gray haze for several days, weeks....did you experience that????

but willing to learn.

My understanding is that laser eye surgery is most effective if you have near or far vision. If you wear bifocals, or need reading glasses your vision will not be 100% corrected and you may still have wear reading glasses. I researched my doctor. But there are so many clinics that due dozens of procedures every single day. I think a clinic that has been in business for a while is probably most important. I certainly don't think you have to go to the most expensive clinic in town, just one with a decent reputation.

I saw an aura around headlights for a month. But to be able to look at a clock and see the time first thing in the morning is a great feeling!

 

[gorman]

I switched to contacts about 3 years ago. At first I had daily wear contacts, which aren't a very good thing for a lazy person such as myself. Also, my eyes were more sensitive than most, so it was a bad combo. About a year ago, I switched to the Acuvue contacts, which you can keep in for a full week, then take them out and clean 'em for a night, then wear for one more week. After that, you just throw them away and put in a new pair. I haven't had the slight bit of discomfort with the Acuvue lenses, which wasn't the case with the daily wear.

There's really nothing to worry about with them. They can't get lost in your eye or anything, nor can they really get off-center once they're in your eye (I've yet to have it happen). The only drawback is that they can be pricey, so definitely take that into consideration. I'm very happy with 'em though.