There tends to be common complaints when it comes to glasses and contact lenses. Whether you share one of these complaints or have other reasons for wanting to ditch your lenses, we hope you’ll stop by to talk about your options with Dr. Walton. You may find that LASIK or PRK is just the thing you’ve been searching for.
Typical Glasses-Related Frustrations
Eyeglasses have been around for a long time. The first wearable eyeglasses were invented in Italy in the year 1284.
Some people love their glasses. Frames are endlessly customizable. You can choose just the right pair for your style, personality and facial features. Plus, they offer grab-and-go portability. Maintenance is little more than storing them when not wearing and giving them a quick swab with a cloth when they get dirty.
Even with all those advantages, many people jump at the chance to ditch their glasses. LASIK provides just such an opportunity for those who are good candidates for the procedure. Here are some of the main reasons people look for alternatives to spectacles:
- Not so comfy. Glasses frames are not always the most comfortable. They may put pressure on the bridge of your nose and the area behind your ears. If it’s an issue of how the frames fit, you may be able to fix the problem. Or you could be one of those people for whom glasses simply always feel uncomfortable. You may be constantly aware of them on your face, and headaches may be caused by the pressure of the frames.
- Foggy vision. Glasses have a tendency to fog up from humidity. They tend to get blurry and streaky in the rain. You may have encountered other issues related to the clarity of your lenses in response to weather and climate.
- Not a next-to-skin fit. Glasses sit about half an inch away from your eyes. This issue with fit can be bothersome for a few reasons. First, you may find you are distracted by how your peripheral vision isn’t completely covered by the lenses. Second, it may make you more aware of your glasses and that you are wearing them.
- May not be your favorite look. Some people really don’t like the way they look in glasses, regardless of frame style. You may feel like they hide your features, change your natural facial appearance or don’t really feel like you.
- Inconvenient or impossible during certain sports or in certain careers. Swimming, firefighting, marathon running – these are just a few of the activities where wearing glasses isn’t possible. That means you have to switch to contact lenses, which have their own drawbacks.
What About Contact Lenses?
- Difficult technique. No matter how long you’ve used contacts, you may have trouble getting them in from time to time. Worse yet, it’s easy to drop them on the ground as you try to insert them. Some people get contact lenses stuck behind their eyelid, which is not a good feeling.
- Less oxygen to your eye. These lenses block the amount of oxygen that reaches the surface of your eye, so they may make your eyes feel dry and irritated.
- Increased risk of infection. Contact lenses must be cleaned daily, and your fingers must be clean to insert and remove them. Grime, grit and bacteria introduced to the contact lenses may infect your eyes.
- They aren’t great for sleeping in. While you simply pluck glasses off your face before you go to sleep, it’s easy to forget to remove your daily lenses before going to bed. The next morning, you may wake up with red, irritated eyes. Extended wear contact lenses may be a good option if this happens frequently; or, better yet, find out if you’re a candidate for LASIK and never bother with contacts again!
Consider LASIK as a Third Option
Initial LASIK consultations with Dr. Chris Walton in Mobile are complimentary, so there’s no risk and no cost to find out if LASIK surgery is an option for you and if it will be a good fit for your goals. Dr. Walton cares about helping his patients find the vision correction that works best for them, and he looks forward to helping you compare glasses, contacts and LASIK. To arrange your visit, please call the practice at 251-341-3385.
