Hey all! Just thought I'd ask everyone on the forum whether they use (or prefer to use) contact lenses or glasses.

Here's my story - After discovering that I was near-sighted while taking a visual test for my driver's license, I went to the optometrist and bought my first pair of glasses. Since then, I've been wearing glasses (and going through several different frames) for about 15 years until I finally decided to wear soft contact lenses.

Certainly, there are pros and cons to each. Glasses are (overall) less expensive since you only have to replace them every five years or so and they can protect your eyes from anything that may enter your eyes by accident. Not to mention that it's just easier to take your glasses on and off. Contact lenses can easily hide the fact that you have an eye problem, but they can get expensive in the long run - for example, cleaning fluid and always having to buy new (2-week) disposable soft lenses. The other disadvantage is that they're easy to lose. It's not so bad if you have 2-week or one-day lenses, but what if you lose your hard lenses?

The other option, of course, is to get laser eye surgery (LASIK) and fix the problem forever. A friend of mine did this a few years ago and it worked out really well.

So...Do you use contact lenses or glasses...or did you ditch both of them in favour of laser eye surgery?

Contact Lenses of course! I wore glassess for a few years. I was tired of having to push them up my nose every 5 minutes. When it was time to get a new prescription I tried contact lenses. It has been almost a year that I've had them and I love them!

Glasses, I have been wearing glasses for, umm, 15 years at least, and I have never even tried contacts. Then again I have some sever phobias reguarding my eyes and I have never even been able to use eye drops dispite pretty bad allergies that would benifit from the use of eye drops. I can't imagine putting contacts in, can't even watch someone else do it without wanting to throw up.

I have to admit I was a bit scared at first of putting contact lenses in my eyes. It was quite a task trying to prevent the eyelids from closing and putting the lens in at the same time. I persevered, though, and I know I can put them on without even thinking about it.

I dont used any of them, but my opinion I prefer contact lense than eye glass, the reason is one, you can change the color of your eyes to beautify it, red, blue, gree, black white etc... second, contact lenses protect your eyes from any harms, third makes you feel comfortable.

Laser Surgery is the best answer.

I spent a couple of years wearing glasses. Hated them, made my nose sore, got broken alot because I was always a pretty active kid. So I switched to contact lenses. Way better than glasses. But they still had issues. Very irritating when they were dirty.

The other issue with my contact lenses was that they block some oxygen from reaching your eyes. Over many years, this becomes an issue. The blood vessels in your eyes get larger to compensate for the lack of oxygen. This is not a reversible side effect. Once they become enlarged... this is permanent. Eventually, these blood vessels will expand into the retina causing blind spots and other issues.

A few years ago, I spent $3500 for Laser Surgery. Very easy procedure, and very quick. A little freaky to have someone perform surgery on your eyes while you are awake, but not that bad.

Before having the surgery, I always assumed that 20/20 was perfect vision. Believe it or not... it can be even better. I went from something like 20/200 vision in both eyes, to 20/15 vision in both eyes. I can see better than I ever did with either glasses or contacts, and my exams are free for the rest of my life. If I ever need an adjustment, it is also free. A few more years, and it will have paid for itself just in savings from eye exams and replacement prescriptions.

Also, before the surgery, I was ineligable for any type of government Law Enforcement Positions due to vision requirements. Now I exceed their requirements, because they allow vision corrected by laser surgery. (this was the original reason why I got the surgery)

I've worn glasses and/or contacts most all my life. I have to say that I prefer wearing glasses over contacts anyday. I really don't like having to take care of the contacts they way they need to be, I have far better things to do with my time than make sure they stay clean, are replaced when needed, ect. Not to mention, they have always earritated my eyes to the point that I was constantly asked if I was high...

Glasses on the other hand have a tendency to slip off of your nose, or scratch and you have to take them off when you come into a warm area after having been in a cold area for a while, cause they tend to fog up on you. You also have a tendency to fiddle with them in nervous situations, cleaning them and such...

Wearing glasses can also show off a bit of your personality if you think about it. There are billions of styles to choose from for any one perscription and the one you choose is usually the one you like best...

I prefer glasses because I feel weird if I don't have some sort of glass on my eyes (regular glasses or sunglasses) and contact lenses just seemed to take more time than glasses.

Contacts, because I really don't like the way glasses look on me. I'd prefer neither, but contacts will do. Glasses make me look like a weird combination of punk and prep. I'm not into labels at all, but it would definately get to me if I had to wear glasses :\