Vision Correction
The matter of choosing glasses versus contact lenses is a personal one. There are a lot of vision correction options today ranging from glasses, contacts, corrective vision surgeries, just to name a few. Your optometrist can help you select which option or options are best suited for you. With today’s technology, glasses and contacts have experienced phenomenal changes in materials, styles, features, and comfort.
Glasses
With numerous styles, colors, and shapes, eyeglasses are up to date on the latest fashion trends. Glasses are a great accessory to make any outfit fashionable and enhance your facial features, but there are many other reasons why glasses might be the right choice for you.
In today’s digital world, it is important to properly protect your eyesight in order to ensure that it lasts a lifetime. Glasses not only protect your vision from digital screens, but they also keep dirt and dust from getting into your eyes. Furthermore, eyeglasses can also help protect your eyes from harmful UV rays.
Eyeglasses are also a convenient option. Unlike contact lenses, glasses are easy to put on and take off. Eyeglasses do not require additional cleaning and do not need to be replaced as often as contact lenses.
As technology has expanded and grown, so has eye care technology. Nowadays, there are numerous additions that can be made to your eyeglasses to better protect your eyes and vision.
Some of the common vision issues you might experience are:
Nearsightedness – trouble seeing far away.
Farsightedness – trouble seeing nearby objects.
Astigmatism – trouble seeing far away and close up.
Presbyopia – trouble with near vision tasks, typically after the age of 40.
Types of Lenses
Even though people spend much more time focusing on frame selection, as a medical device, the lenses of your eyeglasses are the most important part.
There are a number of variables to consider in selecting lenses.
- If your prescription requires thicker lenses, you may want to ask for aspheric lenses which are thinner than normal lenses.
- Shatter-proof lenses are a great option for children or sports eyewear.
- Photochromic lenses can serve as eyeglasses and sunglasses. The lenses gradually get darker when exposed to the sunlight to block out the sunlight and UV rays.
- Polarized lenses create greater eye comfort by reducing glare specifically from the water or snow and are great for sunglasses for those who spend time outdoors.
- There are also a number of coating options that you can add onto lenses to enhance certain characteristics such as anti-reflective coatings, anti-scratch coatings, or UV coatings to reduce exposure from the sun.
Think you or someone you know might need glasses? Make an appointment with your family optometrist or find one here.
Contacts
If you are interested in contact lenses, today’s options are incredible! They are more comfortable due to the technological advances in coatings and materials. If you have concerns about wearing contacts, talk to your family optometrist. They can find the right option that will work for you.
Contacts rest on your cornea, which give you the feeling of having vision that is more natural. The distance between your eyes and your glasses will impact how well you see the world around you. The frames of your glasses affect the outer edges of your field of vision. But contacts allow you to have access to your full peripheral vision.
A sudden switch from the cold outdoors to the warm indoors causes water condensation on your glasses. Contacts yield clear vision regardless of the temperature. Unlike glasses, contacts are also ideal for dashing through the rain!
It is distracting to adjust your glasses in the middle of your favorite sport. In some high-contact sports such as soccer and football, it is impossible to wear glasses. But you still need to have perfect vision. Contacts are convenient, as they enable you to have 20-20 vision and greater mobility.
Even if you are not a sporting aficionado, you can still enjoy wearing contacts. Once you put them in, they remain in place. You can then go about your day without thinking of adjusting them to be able to see.
Today’s contact lenses can correct all of your vision correction needs, including changing deformed eyes, injured eyes, color of eyes – just to name a few aspects of technology today.
What Are Contact Lenses?
Contacts are the perfect correction solution for those who do not want to wear eyeglasses and/or have corrective surgery. Millions of people wear contacts, especially those who lead active lifestyles and want crisp, clear vision without having to keep a pair of glasses on their face. Most people are able to wear contact lenses and enjoy the freedom of being able to see without the help of glasses.
Types of Contact Lenses
Your optometrist will determine the proper type of contact lenses best suited for your active and healthy lifestyle. Various types of contact materials exist, and your eye doctor will evaluate and determine what is best for your individual needs.
First Step to Contact Lenses
If you’re interested in wearing contacts, the first step is to schedule a contact lens exam with your optometrist. A contact lens exam is meant specifically to fit you with contacts. This type of exam is thorough and involves several steps. During a contact lens exam, your eye doctor will first determine if your eyes are healthy enough to wear contacts. Since contacts actually touch and cover the eyes, your eyes need to be as healthy as possible before you try wearing them. Your eyes will then be measured. Your eye doctor will get the most accurate measurements possible. These precise measurements allow your optometrist to prescribe the right contacts to fit properly and comfortably on your eyes. If you are new to wearing contacts, your eye doctor will teach you how to insert and remove the contacts from your eyes. You’ll also learn how to properly care for them, including cleaning and storing.
Remember that contact lenses are medical devices that must be taken seriously. Just like prescription medicine, you wouldn’t be able to just call up your doctor and ask for a refill without being examined, the same is true with contact lenses. Protecting your eye health is very important to your optometrist, who will ensure your contacts are healthy and safe for your eyes.
Vision Surgery
Considering alternatives to glasses or contact lenses? There are many surgical procedures available that can correct your eyesight. If you’d like to know more about vision surgery, schedule an appointment with your optometrist to determine if you are a good candidate. Corrective eye surgeries range from laser reshaping of the eye’s surface in procedures such as LASIK and PRK to surgical insertion of artificial lenses to correct eyesight. After you talk to your optometrist and determine the best option, your eye doctor can refer you to a vision correction specialist for surgery.
Your Family Eye Doctor
Your family eye doctor is here to help with regular exams, diagnosing and treating serious eye conditions, and assessing your overall health and how it affects your eyes. Make an appointment for a checkup today.
