Is contact lenses vs. glasses primarily a cosmetic choice?

amother

↑ Crystal

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 5:11 pm

amother Brass wrote:

They didn’t have the special lenses when I was a kid, this was almost 30 years ago. They’re so much more advanced and effective these days.

Cost isn’t that much of a factor for me. My lenses are expensive, my glasses are expensive…

Yeh wish I would be available years ago, my dh could've benefit from it. Now he is practically blind without his glasses.
Costs me quite a bit, but getting new prescription glasses every half a year wasn't an option. She started with a 150 2.5 years ago and is upto 700 now. Hopefully the lenses will work and slow it down.

amother

Yarrow

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 5:13 pm

No not always
I have far better normal peripheral vision with contact lenses
Choice often depends upon prescription vision correction and comfort level

amother

Dill

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 5:27 pm

I would say definitely cosmetics but glasses are also a great cosmetic choice too.

I started wearing lenses 10+ years ago and wore them literally 24/7.

A year ago I started having problems with then and exhausted all the different type of lenses.

Because I was so used to not wearing glasses it drove me mad to have it on my face.
If I had been wearing glasses for years I doubt it would have bothered me.
I actually think I look good in glasses but I couldnt stand the feel.

Bh bh I found another option and I am now using Ortho K.
Its been a miracle bh to be able to see.

I still think vision in glasses is always going to be the best you can ever get.
And yes there is a reason all opticians wear glasses.
(None of them also do laser)

shanie5

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 9:13 pm

amother Lightpink wrote:

My eyes are too irritated and sensitive to tolerate lenses, I’ve tried a few times with different doctors and it works short term and then I can’t tolerate it anymore so I’ve resigned myself to glasses. I try to have fun with it, splurge on new pairs and enjoy the way I look.

I love changing my look by changing my glasses. So when I found pair eyewear I was hooked. One frame with lenses, and different "toppers" to put on the front to change your look. I'm obsessed with them. Have about 50 different toppers!

http://rwrd.io/ff215gu?c

amother

Peachpuff

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 10:14 pm

chanatron1000 wrote:

I've realized that people have very different opinions on this, and I want to know what most people think.

ive been wearing contacts for 15 years and im just so used to wearing them that glasses are uncomfortable for me. ive tried buying cute glasses in the hopes that id wear them more often but it never pans out. I just love contacts!!!

miami85

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 11:35 am

For me I cannot function well in glasses. I NEED my contact lenses. I've tried and I tried to wear my glasses, I found glasses that look good on me, but when I'm wearing them it feels like my eyes are disconnected from my brain. I've tried updating my Rx, different shapes can improve the feeling but it's not a long-term solution for me. And I had a problem with my eyes this past summer which my optometrist said would improve faster if I could give my eyes a break from my lenses--which I tried, I really tried, but then I had to give a speech this summer, and I was preparing the d'var Torah and I was handing meforshim to my husband and asking him "am I reading/understanding this correctly?" For the actual speech I had to give in and wear my lenses.

NotInNJMommy

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 11:41 am

Glasses are uncomfortable for me and a pain when I'm shvitzy, or exercising, or it's raining outside, or I'm trying to drive or walk around and want sunglasses or need to wear safety glasses at work....and don't want to carry around or maintain $$ so many pairs of prescription lenses. It's also inconvenient in the 30 yrs I've been wearing them to not be able to cut onions while wearing them. I'm just a mess if I try to cut onions wearing my glasses---and then I can't see anything.

ETA I have a slight astigmatism in one eye so glasses technically work "better" as far as absolute clarity, but the practicalities usually make contacts more desireable for me to use.

Last edited by NotInNJMommy on Wed, Jan 10 2024, 11:48 am; edited 1 time in total

bigsis144

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 11:46 am

I have a very high (nearsighted) prescription + astigmatism, and glasses have always worked better for me.

And because I’ve worn glasses for 25+ years, my self-image has glasses. I got contact lenses for my wedding (some things looked a little out of focus, but it was manageable for one night + a few sheva brachos) and I looked pretty, but the young woman in my pictures doesn’t look like **ME**.

Sometimes I wish I could wear lenses - when exercising or dancing, my glasses slip down my face and it’s very annoying. But I don’t want to get lenses just for that. I looked into laser surgery and I wasn’t eligible because my prescription is too high.

Last edited by bigsis144 on Wed, Jan 10 2024, 11:58 am; edited 1 time in total

Ema of 5 ↓

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 11:50 am

chanatron1000 wrote:

I've realized that people have very different opinions on this, and I want to know what most people think.

For me it’s a sensory issue.

amother

Seablue

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 11:57 am

I see so much better with contacts.
My son wears one contact - can't do that with glasses once the prescription has a discrepancy of more than 2 numbers.
My daughter wears to slow deterioration.

I don't see it as cosmetic.

keym ↓

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 12:23 pm

Similar to other posters, I've been wearing contacts for 30 years and love them.
Struggle with dizziness and peripheral vision with glasses.
But recently the Dr has been telling me that I need to slow down my contact use, that my eyes are showing signs of oxygen deprivation due to years of contact wear.
So I wear disposable lenses but less time each day.

I need to learn how to drive with glasses.

Any ideas?

singleagain ↓

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 12:24 pm

keym wrote:

I personally have a slightly larger pair of sunglasses and just put those over my regular glasses but my dad drives with clip-on glasses. There are also sunglasses that are designed bigger and cover the peripheral with sun protection as well, which might be helpful

because honestly the biggest issue of driving whether you wear glasses or not is when the sun is right in your face

↑ keym

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 12:28 pm

singleagain wrote:

No. My issue is the peripheral vision part. I've spent 30 years in contacts. Glasses only when I'm sick or at night.

↑ singleagain

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 12:31 pm

keym wrote:

No. My issue is the peripheral vision part. I've spent 30 years in contacts. Glasses only when I'm sick or at night.

MEETSUN Fit Over Glasses Sunglasses for Men Women,Wrap Around Sunglasses Polarized 100% UV400 Protection https://a.co/d/egigDTa

I thought you were asking about driving and wearing glasses while you drive and my suggestion is to put sunglasses over such as these

I may have misunderstood your request

doodlesmom

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 9:56 pm

Glasses are like looking through a window all day! It disorients me, and gives me a headache.
Walking down steps in glasses is something I need to get used to, it makes the distance look off….

Then again I love the look of a clean face.
So for me it’s not cosmetic, but on others I do see that it can be.

amother

Clear

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 9:00 am

I make sure to wear contacts on days I'm going to drive. My vision is better in contacts. Also, I often need sunglasses and I don't want to be looking through 3 layers (glasses, sunglasses and windshield). I also like to wear contacts when cooking. My eyes don't tear up when working with onions. I like contacts for days when I wear a scarf, rainy or snowy days, or when I needed to wear masks.
Some days I need contacts to feel awake. Other days I stay in glasses to hide how tired I look. Or to hide my eyebrows.
Contacts are definitely not just cosmetic for me.

writinggirl

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 9:02 am

OP, are you asking this because of the recent thread where the poster asked if contact lenses are a luxury item? In my opinion, they are a central part of your appearance the same way a basic wig is. Just as I wouldn’t deny my child a wig and would find a way to pay for it if I had to, I would buy him/her contacts if they requested them. Maybe I’m in the minority here..

amother

Lightcoral

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 12:56 pm

My vision is way better with contact lenses, sharper etc. I've tried getting different prescriptions for glasses but it never compares to my contacts. I think astigmatism has something to do with it.

Rubber Ducky

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 1:02 pm

When I was a teen in the ancient days long ago, hard contact lenses stopped my nearsightedness from getting worse. Before that I needed stronger prescriptions every year. But I never found them comfortable and switched back to glasses after a year.

amother

DarkPurple

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 1:09 pm

It depends. I have kids with complicated prescriptions that absolutely don't translate as effectively to contacts, so for the foreseeable future they are stuck with glasses as an only option.
Personally, I love my contacts for many of the same reasons mentioned up thread