Contacts or glasses?

[mattkime]

I'm about two years into wearing glasses and I'm wondering if I should consider contacts. Last I was at the optometrist I brought up the idea and he brushed it off...which surprised me and maybe I should go elsewhere.

I was tempted to get prescription sunglasses and my wife pointed out that they're unnecessary with contacts.

Experiences pro and con?

[rgG]

I wore contacts for about 30 years. I LOVED them.
My eyes eventually got too dry, so I couldn’t comfortably wear them anymore.

[Acer]

rgG wrote:
I wore contacts for about 30 years. I LOVED them.
My eyes eventually got too dry, so I couldn’t comfortably wear them anymore.

Same here, to the letter.

[graylocks]

I've had contacts since I was 16. Don't wear them daily but still love to have them when necessary.

[Filliam H. Muffman]

Didn't use them for 11 years because we weren't allowed to use contacts at work due to all the chemical hazards. It wasn't convenient enough to put them in for 5 hours at home.

I have double astigmatism in one eye, so they never worked quite as well as glasses (didn't have toric when I was young). I occasionally wore them until I needed progressive/bifocals at 39. I did not think the multifocal lenses were comfortable for long days of working at a computer. Looking back I am not sure if it was dry eyes or eye fatigue.

[bazookaman]

Acer wrote:
[quote=rgG]
I wore contacts for about 30 years. I LOVED them.
My eyes eventually got too dry, so I couldn’t comfortably wear them anymore.

Same here, to the letter.
Ditto.

[hal]

I have astigmatism and my doctor said that contacts were not an option - which is ok with me.

[anonymouse1]

Laser surgery, if you’re young enough.

[Dennis S]

I tried contacts in my early 20s. I must have been allergic to them. I couldn’t wear them.

[John B.]

I had glasses from 2nd grade until my early 20s.

Started wearing contacts - gas permeable/rigid lenses because of astigmatism (I know there are other options now). First month+ that I had contacts it was about 45 minutes in the morning to get them in my eye and in the right place.

Had Lasik in my early 30s. Common thinking and word from the surgeon was that I would need reading glasses in my early 40s. Cost of the surgery had a positive ROI over 10 years of lenses & associated solutions. I'm well past that 10 year mark and I still don't wear reading glasses (really small print gets fuzzy though).

I'd have a conversation with your optometrist on why they aren't supportive of contacts. Also if you go the Lasik route, go somewhere with a good reputation (preferably by people you know), and if the surgeon says you're not a good candidate, listen to the opinion....I know several people who went forward after being told they were a 'marginal' candidate and several of them had chronic dry eye or severe night halo problems afterward.