Glasses or contacts?

Hello

I’ve been wearing glasses since I was five years old, and, well, I finally managed to break them.
My prescription is roughly -0.75, plus some astigmatism.

Now, purely for aesthetic reasons, I am considering switching to contact lenses instead of glasses.
Should I go through with it?
I have never worn contacts before, so I honestly have no idea what the procedure is like, how they feel, how long they last, how much they cost, or even the specifics regarding cleaning and maintenance...

I don't usually skimp on my eyewear (I typically opt for high-end titanium frames from places like Warby Parker and premium lenses with multiple anti-reflective coatings), so should I be looking for a specific brand??
I would appreciate any opinions or suggestions, as this is quite important to me.
And if you have nothing else, maybe just a link 🙂
thanks!

It’s really a bit of both. First off, you absolutely need to schedule a comprehensive eye exam to determine if contact lenses are even a viable option for you. If they are, your optometrist will walk you through the specific types available based on your unique ocular profile—whether you're dealing with astigmatism, declining vision, or other factors—and help you choose what fits your lifestyle best, since there is a huge variety out there.
In any case, my personal advice is to get your prescription updated for glasses as well. It’s always wise to have a reliable backup ready for those days when you just don't feel like putting lenses in, or if you experience some irritation or inflammation, or simply because your eyes need a break from them...
I have to say, contacts are a total game-changer when you're driving, or when smoke and wind become an issue; they offer great protection and prevent that annoying watery-eye sensation. Plus, let's be honest, they definitely help you look your best.
That being said, don't go ditching your standard glasses entirely. Having a good pair is essential...
Susan James42
p.s. You should probably factor in a solid pair of sunglasses into your budget too...
p.p.s. Maintaining proper lens hygiene is quite literally the most important thing in the world!

If you plan on wearing contacts all day long, please understand that semi-rigid lenses are the way to go; soft lenses simply aren't a substitute for glasses. I personally wore soft lenses for years, right up until I completely ruined my eyesight!

I’d highly recommend going with contact lenses. I’ve been wearing glasses since the 6th grade, but honestly, I just got tired of them. Between the constant fogging, the smudges, and the way they slide down your nose whenever you sweat... plus you can't exactly wear sunglasses over them... it gets old.

A few years back, I tried soft contacts. They were fine at first, but like someone else mentioned here, you can't just wear them 24/7. They seem more permeable, which I guess means bacteria can get in and cause an infection if you aren't careful.🙂
Then one of them literally cracked on me, so I called it quits for a while.
And you have to replace them once a year, too.
Last year, I switched to semi-rigid lenses, and they’ve been a total game changer. There’s a bit of a learning curve compared to the soft ones—with soft lenses, you just pop them in and forget they're there—but once you get the hang of these, they just fit better.
They're much more reliable.

I ordered mine through a local private eye clinic. Between the exam, the lenses, and the initial starter kit with all the solutions, I paid about $267 and had everything ready to go within two days.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
👋 👋

Sure, they’re pretty much indispensable when things go south during a total meltdown.
There's no 🙂 , and dealing with them is just 🙂
...

I’ve been rocking hard contacts for about 20 years now.😢 (Back when there weren't many other options, and by the time they showed up, I was already too far gone.)
I basically trashed my eyes, so no pair of glasses is ever going to fix things for me now.
I deal with what doctors call fluctuating astigmatism.👎

But honestly, I can wear these same lenses—meaning the same prescription, not necessarily the exact same physical pair—without any real issues.
And my vision is actually 👍

hm...
In a perfect world, I’d probably go with both glasses and contacts...
but man, that gets expensive fast!

Up until now, I've just stuck with glasses, though I did manage to smash them once. I have never actually tried contact lenses.

I suppose I'm the type of person who plays it safe, so I'd probably lean toward glasses. But then again, they drive me crazy sometimes, and part of me really wants to try the contacts...
I'm just torn.

Go ahead and fly free
👍

Roger Smith6 said:Hey everyone,

I’ve been wearing glasses since I was five years old, and—surprise, surprise—I finally managed to break them.
My prescription is roughly -0.75, plus some astigmatism.

Now, purely for aesthetic reasons, I’m considering making the switch to contact lenses.
Is it worth it?
I’ve never worn contacts in my life, so I’m completely in the dark regarding the process—how they feel, how long they last, the cost, the cleaning, the maintenance... the whole nine yards.

That said, I don't skimp on my gear (think high-end titanium frames from a designer brand or premium lenses with advanced anti-reflective coatings), so should I be looking for a specific manufacturer?
I’d appreciate any insights or suggestions you might have; this is a big decision for me.
If you have any helpful links, please send them my way. 🙂
Thanks!

Just how strong is that astigmatism? Is it centered on the cornea or the lens? And honestly, how much discipline do you actually have to stick with a daily routine?
Those are just the starting questions...
Once I have those answers, I can give you some more practical advice.

I’ve got these soft contact lenses sitting in their little case, just waiting for my allergies to clear up and for me to actually work up the nerve to wear them... Honestly, looking at them now, I have no clue how I'm ever going to find the courage to actually pop them in my eyes.

So, I've got myopia and astigmatism, but hey—these are soft lenses. If I couldn't get these specific ones, I wouldn't even bother with contacts. There is zero chance I'm paying for toric lenses because I don't plan on wearing contacts very often anyway. I don't even wear glasses right now.

Is it possible my eye doctor intentionally gave me a stronger prescription since there aren't any cylinders listed? My myopia used to be around -0.75, but now it's -1.25. I haven't even tried the lenses yet, so is there a chance they'll feel way too strong? Or is that just how it works to compensate for my
astigmatism, which is about -0.5?

Or am I just losing my eyesight altogether? 😢 (At this rate, I'll be carrying a white cane by the time I finish college 😁 )

boldeagle said:What’s the cylinder strength? Are they located on the cornea or the lens? And how willing are you to wear contact lenses?

Gosh, I don't know all those specific medical details...
but I am definitely motivated. I would wear them CONSTANTLY, since I used to wear glasses all the time anyway. Basically, I need the help, and I'll need it as long as I'm using my eyes.

Casey Palmer5 said:I have these soft contact lenses sitting in their case, just waiting for my allergies to clear up and for me to find the nerve to actually try them... Honestly, looking at them now, I have no idea how I'm ever going to muster the courage to put them in my eyes.

I deal with both myopia and astigmatism, but since these are soft lenses, I figured they'd be easier. If I couldn't get these, I wouldn't have bothered with hard lenses at all. As for toric lenses, there's no way I'm paying for those; I don't plan on wearing contacts very often anyway. I don't even wear glasses.

Is it possible my optometrist intentionally gave me a higher prescription since there are no cylinder values listed? My myopia used to be around -0.75, but now it’s -1.25. I haven't even tried the lenses yet, so is there a chance they might feel too strong? Or is that jump necessary to compensate for my
astigmatism, which is about -0.5?

Or am I simply losing my eyesight altogether? 😢 (At this rate, I'll be carrying a white cane 😁 )

Are you referring to your eye's prescription or the actual lens power? Usually, a glasses prescription is slightly weaker than what the eye needs because the eye eventually adapts to a stronger negative correction.
It's possible your vision has weakened by 0.25, and people often say that contact lens prescriptions need to be stronger than glasses—I assume it's because they sit closer to the eye and require more curvature, though I can't be entirely certain of the physics behind it.
Regardless, just try them and see how it goes. Generally speaking, contacts provide much better visual correction and don't distort things up close, so they won't "shrink" your field of vision—though that probably isn't an issue for you given that your prescription isn't particularly high to begin with.

wiredfox72 said:If you're planning on wearing lenses all day long, then semi-hard is the way to go—soft contacts aren't some magic substitute for actual glasses. I stuck with soft ones for years until my eyes finally gave out on me.

Hmm... now I’m actually starting to worry. I've been rocking soft contacts basically non-stop for five years now and they've been absolutely perfect. In what possible way are soft lenses supposed to wreck your vision?😕

crimsonbear75 said:Hmm... now I'm actually getting a little worried. I've been wearing soft contact lenses non-stop for about five years now and they have been absolutely perfect. In what way are soft lenses supposed to wreck your eyes?😕

Yeah, I'm curious about that too. I wear glasses 24/7—the very first thing I do when I wake up is slide them on, and I don't take them off until I go to bed. So, if I switched, I'd basically be wearing contacts CONSTANTLY.
Is that actually okay? And why is there such a big deal about soft lenses being bad?

I've been wearing soft contact lenses for about two years now. I only take them out at night. No real issues so far.
I make sure to go for my regular eye exams with my optometrist, and everything looks great.

Before this, I used rigid gas permeable lenses for a year, but I eventually switched to these because they're just much more comfortable.

With soft lenses, you can pretty much get through an entire day or even a couple of nights if you're traveling or stuck somewhere unexpectedly without any trouble. It’s just not possible with hard or RGP lenses.

Compared to glasses, which definitely limit your field of vision, lenses are just better. You just have to follow the instructions and make sure to disinfect them daily.

I think I’m going to go with contact lenses. I'm getting pretty tired of glasses, and they honestly make my head look way bigger than it actually is. Not to mention how damn annoying they are to keep clean...

I’d honestly recommend soft contact lenses to anyone who can pull them off; I am beyond satisfied with my experience—you pop them in and pretty much forget they’re even there. You can go for a run, jump around, or even dive into a pool without a second thought... enjoy those new eyes, Roger Smith6 🙂

thanks 😎

Regarding contact lenses:
First off, we need to clarify something crucial: this isn't really an ophthalmologist's domain—it's a matter for a contact lens specialist. An ophthalmologist is essentially "in charge" of your glasses prescription.
For years, I was perfectly happy with soft contacts, right up until my eyes started feeling incredibly dry. Now? I’ve basically become dependent on artificial tears just to get through the day. You see, soft lenses don't allow oxygen to pass through nearly as well as rigid gas permeable lenses do, which means bacteria tend to build up more easily, often leading to bouts of conjunctivitis. Furthermore, the material used in soft lenses makes it impossible to achieve the same level of precise vision correction you get with rigid lenses; they simply can't hold a prescription as accurately. They're fine if you're just popping them in for a quick outdoor excursion or a workout, but after wearing them for a few hours, your eyes start drying out. By the time you actually notice the irritation, the damage has been happening for quite some time... maybe even a year or more! And don't even get me started on the economics of it all—there is a massive profit margin in those disposable soft lenses compared to rigid ones, which can last almost indefinitely. For me, though, price is secondary; it's about eye health. Honestly, isn't it unbelievable how much of a difference there is between different types of specialists? If I think of anything else worth mentioning, I'll be sure to post it. There's certainly more to say about this...

...I mean, honestly, who in Washington, D.C. is actually going to bother wearing contact lenses when they could just head over to the Holy Spirit