Glasses or Contact Lenses: Which is Right for You?

Pros and cons of glasses vs contacts

Ah, the eternal question for the visually challenged: should you go for glasses or contact lenses? Do you prefer the look of a nice pair of glasses or do you prefer the practicality of contact lenses? Wherever your allegiance, there are clear benefits to each. You could’ve guessed that our allegiance belongs to glasses as we think there are plenty more benefits of glasses than contacts. However, we’ll try to be impartial!

In this article, we’re going to run you through some of the benefits so you can make an informed decision for yourself. Some people prefer glasses, while others prefer contact lenses. But, why?

We’ll start with a few simple pros and cons before going into greater detail. Here goes!

Pros of wearing glasses

Put them on and go about your day. Unlike contact lenses, there is no fiddling around and they don’t need as much care. They’re easy!
You don’t have to touch your eyes. A lot of people feel uncomfortable with touching their eyes. You don’t have to worry about that with glasses.
You can choose from different styles! You can make more of a fashion statement with glasses simply by changing your frames up every so often. With lenses, you’re kinda stuck with them (unless you go for coloured lenses, of course).
They create the impression of intelligence. We’re only half-joking here, because it’s a tale as old as time! Glasses are a great way to create the ‘intellectual chic’ look.
They’re easy to take care of and hard to lose. Unlike contact lenses, you don’t need to worry about special care instructions or hygiene precautions. Glasses are also a lot harder to misplace or lose.

Cons of wearing glasses

Some don’t like the weight of glasses on their nose. If this applies to you, then perhaps contact lenses are the better option.
Glasses aren’t ideal for some sports. If you’re an avid sportsperson, glasses can be a bother when they fog up or move about.
They’re somewhat easier to damage. This depends on how careful you are but glasses are more susceptible to damage.
Smudges and scratches. Linked to the above, smudges can get a little annoying (however, with Arlo Wolf you’ll get a high quality lens cloth with every order…)
Some people don’t like the way they look in glasses. Think you just don’t suit glasses? This is one of the many reasons our Try Before You Buy service was introduced, as well as our Face Shapes guide!

We have to say, we’re pretty fond of glasses! But of course, we’re a little biased. Here are the pros and cons of contact lenses.

Pros of wearing contacts

They don’t get in the way when you’re playing sports. If you’re into your sports, lenses may be the preferred option.
Lenses are generally the choice for those who don’t like glasses. Sacrilege, we know. But, if you’re not that keen on glasses then lenses are the next logical choice.
Set and forget. Once they’re in you don’t have to think about them again (until it’s time to take them out, of course).
Lenses move naturally. Unlike glasses which are essentially stationary and move with your head, contact lenses move naturally with your eyes and give you a natural field of view.
You’ll likely adapt to lenses quicker. If you’ve been told that your vision needs to be corrected, the choice is yours. Glasses tend to take a bit longer to get used to (but then again, you might never get used to the manual application of lenses!).

Cons of wearing contacts

They can sometimes be painful. Depending on which contacts you have, debris can become lodged under the lens which can be a regular annoyance.
Lenses wear out and must be replaced regularly. We did say that lenses are generally a more convenient option. However, you’ll still have to replace them on a regular basis.
Touching your eyes is a little weird for some. We mentioned this earlier but will expand here. Touching of the eyes is one of the most common reasons for shunning lenses. It’s understandable! Eyes are sensitive and lots of people don’t want the irritation. Plus, it requires strict hygiene to avoid infection.
There’s the increased risk of corneal infections. On the subject of infections, if you’re not careful you could introduce infections to your eyes or even scratch the surface with your nails. You need to be very careful.
Long-term, contact lenses are often costlier. When compared with the one-time purchase of glasses, contact lenses, disinfectant solution and other accessories will cost you a bit more.

Now you have all the information, the choice is yours. Remember that we have a vast range of glasses available, including prescription eyewear for women and prescription glasses for men. You can even try glasses online with our Try Before You Buy service.

In the meantime, check out the following articles from our blog.