Should I wear glasses before switching to contacts?

I have an appointment with the eye doctor coming up soon, and I’m already bracing myself for the inevitable diagnosis—you know, the whole "you definitely need to start wearing glasses" routine... 😳

So, here is my question: instead of jumping straight into frames, can I just go with contact lenses right away, or am I absolutely REQUIRED to wear glasses first? I’m not exactly thrilled about the prospect of rocking spectacles, if I'm being honest... so I figured I'd ask...

Thanks in advance

It’s certainly not a requirement, though you might find it useful to have a pair of glasses specifically for lounging around the house.😉

🙂 Honestly, she doesn't even need them if her prescription is that light anyway.

Steven Jones61 said:🙂 Honestly, she doesn't even need them if her prescription is that light anyway.

hmmm... I have a nagging suspicion it won't be all that minimal...
And if it turns out to be a bit more serious, do you think they'll just hand me a bill for reading this stuff?

Go with glasses, seriously. You just can't wear contacts all day long without hitting a wall. If your eyes start stinging or looking bloodshot, you're done—and yeah, even those fancy soft lenses eventually get annoying. Sure, there are some specialized ones out there designed for sleeping, but that’s a whole different ballgame. Besides, you already have a dedicated thread about contacts.
Glasses are actually pretty stylish.

I’ve been rocking contacts for six years straight. I don't even own a pair of glasses. You don't actually need them if you don't want to.

Edward Green said:I’ve been rocking contacts for six years straight. I don't even own a pair of glasses. You don't actually need them if you don't want to.

Man, give me a break. If you're sitting at a -4.00 prescription like I am, you better have some backup glasses. This isn't just about squinting at the TV; it's about driving. Imagine losing a contact lens and being totally stranded because you can't see a damn thing behind the wheel without your glasses...

Sandra Ross27 said:Man, give me a break. If you're sitting at a -4.00 prescription like I am, you better have some backup glasses. This isn't just about squinting at the TV; it's about driving. Imagine losing a contact lens and being totally stranded because you can't see a damn thing behind the wheel without your glasses...

My prescription is a -3.5, so there isn't much of a difference. Without my contacts, I am effectively blind. I own glasses, but they're based on an old prescription, so they basically only serve the purpose of helping me stumble around the house for twenty minutes before I hit the sack. I once wore them to walk a few feet from my apartment to drop something off for a neighbor, and I saw well enough to walk right past her because I didn't realize it was her standing there.😳
The point is, you can definitely manage without them, just like Edward Green mentioned. I went three whole years without any glasses at all, and now I've gone and gotten these lousy things that I don't even want.
Of course, it's smarter to have a backup pair like I suggested in my first post, but you can certainly survive without them.

Sandra Ross27 said:Go with glasses, seriously. You just can't wear contacts all day long without hitting a wall. If your eyes start stinging or looking bloodshot, you're done—and yeah, even those fancy soft lenses eventually get annoying. Sure, there are some specialized ones out there designed for sleeping, but that’s a whole different ballgame. Besides, you already have a dedicated thread about contacts.
Glasses are actually pretty stylish.

Maybe they are... I suppose some people just have the right face shape for frames.
But personally? I’d much rather deal with contacts.😬

Sandra Ross27 said:Man, give me a break. If you're sitting at a -4.00 prescription like I am, you better have some backup glasses. This isn't just about squinting at the TV; it's about driving. Imagine losing a contact lens and being totally stranded because you can't see a damn thing behind the wheel without your glasses...

I've got a -2.75 and a -4.75, and honestly, I don't even own glasses. Back when I used them—before the contacts—they gave me splitting headaches after wearing them for even a little while. Apparently, it was because the difference between the two lenses was too much. So, I spent more time without them than with them, and I managed just fine. Now? Without my contacts, I feel completely lost.😁

Bottom line: if I lose my contacts, I've got some emergency cash tucked away. Worst case scenario, I'm stuck for a few days waiting for a new shipment to arrive. I know I can handle it—I survived pink eye once, I can survive this.😬

Besides, I don't drive anyway. If I miss my bus, I'll just ask someone for the route number.🤣

Edward Green, you clearly have a terrible eye doctor. I’ve dealt with prescription mismatches before too, but the only time I had a disaster was when some "genius" sub doc filled in for my regular ophthalmologist while he was on vacation, and those lenses gave me a massive migraine. I don't get why you didn't just file a complaint immediately to get a re-check and a new pair of lenses??? One side was probably way off, either too strong or too weak.

I honestly will never understand why some people are so insecure about wearing glasses. There is zero shame in being nearsighted and rocking frames. These days, you can find basically any style you want at any shop. It blows my mind that people won't even take a simple step to fix their own comfort.
🤣William Thomas3, you'd be better off just getting LASIK. Or maybe just DIY it in your garage.

Sandra Ross27 said:Edward Green, you clearly have a terrible eye doctor. I’ve dealt with prescription mismatches before too, but the only time I had a disaster was when some "genius" sub doc filled in for my regular ophthalmologist while he was on vacation, and those lenses gave me a massive migraine. I don't get why you didn't just file a complaint immediately to get a re-check and a new pair of lenses??? One side was probably way off, either too strong or too weak.

I honestly will never understand why some people are so insecure about wearing glasses. There is zero shame in being nearsighted and rocking frames. These days, you can find basically any style you want at any shop. It blows my mind that people won't even take a simple step to fix their own comfort.
🤣William Thomas3, you'd be better off just getting LASIK. Or maybe just DIY it in your garage.

So, I suppose it’s time to actually roll up my sleeves and get to work... 🥳

Sandra Ross27 said:Edward Green, you clearly have a terrible eye doctor. I’ve dealt with prescription mismatches before too, but the only time I had a disaster was when some "genius" sub doc filled in for my regular ophthalmologist while he was on vacation, and those lenses gave me a massive migraine. I don't get why you didn't just file a complaint immediately to get a re-check and a new pair of lenses??? One side was probably way off, either too strong or too weak.

I honestly will never understand why some people are so insecure about wearing glasses. There is zero shame in being nearsighted and rocking frames. These days, you can find basically any style you want at any shop. It blows my mind that people won't even take a simple step to fix their own comfort.
🤣William Thomas3, you'd be better off just getting LASIK. Or maybe just DIY it in your garage.

Since when did wearing contact lenses become a sign of an inferiority complex? To be fair, I feel physically better with contacts, but there's also a certain sense of security that comes with them. As for this "comfort" you're talking about—my version of comfort is not having to worry about frames slipping down my nose, my lenses fogging up every time I step onto a city bus, or being unable to play sports without a struggle. It takes me maybe thirty seconds to put my contacts in or take them out. If you truly believe that losing a single minute of your day 😁 is a massive sacrifice of comfort, then fine, whatever. Otherwise, just let everyone live their lives and stop trying to lecture people. 😁

So, just a quick reminder of how blind Walter Hayes5 actually is...

Walter Hayes5 said:My prescription is a -3.5, so there isn't much of a difference. Without my contacts, I am effectively blind. I own glasses, but they're based on an old prescription, so they basically only serve the purpose of helping me stumble around the house for twenty minutes before I hit the sack. I once wore them to walk a few feet from my apartment to drop something off for a neighbor, and I saw well enough to walk right past her because I didn't realize it was her standing there.😳
The point is, you can definitely manage without them, just like Edward Green mentioned. I went three whole years without any glasses at all, and now I've gone and gotten these lousy things that I don't even want.
Of course, it's smarter to have a backup pair like I suggested in my first post, but you can certainly survive without them.

...so apparently she can't see that I'm just telling people there's zero reason to be embarrassed about wearing glasses and that there are times when they're a lifesaver. William Thomas3 is convinced they don't look good on her, and since she hasn't worn them until now, I guess she still doesn't plan to. All I'm saying is it's not a big deal and she thinks they won't suit her. I was trying to be encouraging, not lecturing her.
I don't know, Walter Hayes5, why you totally misread me and decided to come at me. Nowhere did I say contacts take up too much time?? Maybe don't post when your blood sugar is crashing or when your 401(k) takes a dip below the market average. 😁

Look, the perks of contacts are obvious, but any eye doctor will tell you your eyes need a break from them during the day. Not to mention there are medical issues where you absolutely cannot wear a contact because you'll risk contamination (like a stye). Headaches, dust, staring at a computer screen all day, losing a lens, or some random finger poking your eye... those are all moments where glasses are clutch. You can pop them on in a heartbeat if "speed" is such a massive issue for you. That's why I recommend glasses as a backup tool, not that I'm claiming they're inherently superior to contacts.
Unfortunately, Walter Hayes5, I have to point out that your knowledge of ophthalmology is just as shallow as your way of cleaning lenses.😬

Sandra Ross27 said:So, just a quick reminder of how blind Walter Hayes5 actually is...

...so apparently she can't see that I'm just telling people there's zero reason to be embarrassed about wearing glasses and that there are times when they're a lifesaver. William Thomas3 is convinced they don't look good on her, and since she hasn't worn them until now, I guess she still doesn't plan to. All I'm saying is it's not a big deal and she thinks they won't suit her. I was trying to be encouraging, not lecturing her.
I don't know, Walter Hayes5, why you totally misread me and decided to come at me. Nowhere did I say contacts take up too much time?? Maybe don't post when your blood sugar is crashing or when your 401(k) takes a dip below the market average. 😁

Look, the perks of contacts are obvious, but any eye doctor will tell you your eyes need a break from them during the day. Not to mention there are medical issues where you absolutely cannot wear a contact because you'll risk contamination (like a stye). Headaches, dust, staring at a computer screen all day, losing a lens, or some random finger poking your eye... those are all moments where glasses are clutch. You can pop them on in a heartbeat if "speed" is such a massive issue for you. That's why I recommend glasses as a backup tool, not that I'm claiming they're inherently superior to contacts.
Unfortunately, Walter Hayes5, I have to point out that your knowledge of ophthalmology is just as shallow as your way of cleaning lenses.😬

I suppose it’s a good thing my supposed lack of depth has actually worked in my favor, since my doctor constantly praises how great my eyes look and claims he can't even tell I'm wearing lenses. 😁

👋

Poor kid, you actually believe everything they feed you! 🤣 🤣 🤣 You know how it goes, though... luck favors the bold.

Sandra Ross27 said:Go with glasses, seriously. You just can't wear contacts all day long without hitting a wall. If your eyes start stinging or looking bloodshot, you're done—and yeah, even those fancy soft lenses eventually get annoying. Sure, there are some specialized ones out there designed for sleeping, but that’s a whole different ballgame. Besides, you already have a dedicated thread about contacts.
Glasses are actually pretty stylish.

Nah, they really aren't...

Sandra Ross27 said:Edward Green, you clearly have a terrible eye doctor. I’ve dealt with prescription mismatches before too, but the only time I had a disaster was when some "genius" sub doc filled in for my regular ophthalmologist while he was on vacation, and those lenses gave me a massive migraine. I don't get why you didn't just file a complaint immediately to get a re-check and a new pair of lenses??? One side was probably way off, either too strong or too weak.

I honestly will never understand why some people are so insecure about wearing glasses. There is zero shame in being nearsighted and rocking frames. These days, you can find basically any style you want at any shop. It blows my mind that people won't even take a simple step to fix their own comfort.
🤣William Thomas3, you'd be better off just getting LASIK. Or maybe just DIY it in your garage.

Look, I'm talking about a stretch of time where I cycled through a few different eye doctors and several pairs of glasses, and my head still throbbed the whole time. 🙂 For a while, I actually walked around without any corrective lenses at all because anything was better than those constant headaches. Ever since I switched to contacts, the headaches stopped and I can actually see. It's been six years like this. It works for me, and frankly, I don't give a damn whether whoever you saw before was competent or not.😁

Edward Green said:Look, I'm talking about a stretch of time where I cycled through a few different eye doctors and several pairs of glasses, and my head still throbbed the whole time. 🙂 For a while, I actually walked around without any corrective lenses at all because anything was better than those constant headaches. Ever since I switched to contacts, the headaches stopped and I can actually see. It's been six years like this. It works for me, and frankly, I don't give a damn whether whoever you saw before was competent or not.😁

Man, what a mess. There are seriously some total amateurs out there...

I’m a contact lens person (my prescription is -5 and yeah, it’s definitely getting worse). You don't strictly *need* glasses, but honestly? I think you should probably have a pair on hand. If you lose a lens, you're basically useless—at least in my book. Personally, I wear mine all day long, though obviously not while I'm sleeping...
You really have to be careful with them, too. I have a friend who ended up with corneal damage three times because of her lenses and had to rush to the ER to get them removed. Everything was totally fine when she first started wearing them and got used to the feeling, but then...