Here’s Why You Should Still Have a Pair of Glasses if You Wear Contacts

Both contact lenses and glasses are practical choices for achieving sharper vision, but many people favor contact lenses over glasses or vice versa. 

If you prefer contact lenses, you might feel relieved that you don’t need to worry about breaking or losing your glasses anymore. But that doesn’t mean you should toss them out. At iSight Vision Care in Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach, California, ophthalmologist and optometrist Vicki Lin, MD, and our team encourage you to keep a pair of glasses around, even if you prefer to wear contacts. 

In this article, we discuss the benefits of keeping a pair of glasses, even if you wear contacts daily. 

Glasses are a backup for contacts 

When you remove your contacts, you could always lose or damage them. You also need to replace contacts every 7-30 days, even if you use reusable lenses. 

Unfortunately, life can be unpredictable, and you might find yourself in a position where you don’t have the replacements you need when the time comes.  

Whether you lose your contacts, damage a contact lens, or just don’t have the replacements you need when you need them, a backup pair of glasses can allow you to see clearly until you can get new contacts. 

Glasses help you avoid eye irritation

Contact lenses can be both comfortable and convenient, but they can also cause eye problems under some circumstances. Wearing contacts for an extended time period or improperly cleaning them can lead to eye irritation. 

You should wear glasses instead of contact lenses any time your eyes feel irritated because contacts can cause further irritation and redness. 

Even if your eyes aren’t irritated, wearing glasses from time to time gives your eyes a break while reducing your risk for irritation and dry eye. 

Glasses are convenient for certain activities

Sometimes, it’s easier to wear glasses because you can remove them on a whim. You might need to quickly put them on or take them off when you do the following:

Swimming or water sports

Swimming can dislodge your contact lenses, so it may be easier to avoid wearing them during activities like these.

Spending time in front of a screen

Some glasses have specific enhancements, like blocking blue light. If you sit at a computer working all day, blue light glasses can reduce eyestrain, and you can easily remove them when you rest your eyes. 

Relaxing at home

You might not find it necessary to put in contacts if you’re relaxing at home. But if you decide to do something later that requires full visual acuity, you can easily put your glasses on for the time being.

Explore your options

Dr. Lin and the team invite you to visit our office to explore your options for glasses, including lenses that block UV rays or computer glare. Call iSight Vision Care or request an appointment online today.