Being visually challenged, I have worn contacts for 13 years and glasses for the last 17.
I wore night contacts for many years which were costly and inconvenient.
Now I primarily wear daily disposable contacts and glasses at night.
Since i’m increasingly wearing day-time glasses during Covid-19, I made a pros/cons list of glasses and contacts.
Glasses:
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Can look good/smarter |
Requires yearly adjustments |
| Reliable (i.e. you don’t “run out” like contacts) | Needs to be cleaned + supplies |
|
Creates interest, like any other accessory |
Inconvenient for sunglasses |
| Can become a defining feature | |
| Can look too busy with outfits | |
| Discomfort wearing something on your head |
Contacts:
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Looks better than glasses (on me) |
Needs to be replenished every year (with a year’s supply) |
| You can wear sunglasses with ease | You can lose or drop them |
| No maintenance | Needs to be paired with glasses at night |
| Looks clean/simple | |
| Outfit planning may be easier | |
| Rarely irritating, unlike glasses which shift around |
Reviewing this list confirms my view that contacts are more convenient and require less maintenance than day-time glasses.
If I buy generic glasses, both options are approximately the same price a year (~$300).
So I usually opt for contacts.
Before, bespoke glasses didn’t seem worth the expense.
My lens prescription changes every year. Plus, wearing glasses often prevented me from wearing sunglasses.
However as I mentioned above: during Covid-19 I’ve preferred glasses, especially at home. They add outside protection too.
So I can see myself warming up to glasses more.
It might be a good idea later to invest in a pair of metal-rim glasses with an attachable sunglass lens. But still mostly rely on contacts.
It’s a subjective matter and what you choose depends on your preference.
I’d be interested to hear more thoughts about glasses vs. contacts.
