7 Reasons Why You Should Choose LASIK over Wearing Contact Lenses

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man holding transparent contact lens in his finger
by Dougherty Laser Vision

Have you ever thought about how much effort and time go into wearing contact lenses? While they are a popular vision correction option, you do need to be aware of the risks associated with contacts, the amount of time you will waste wearing them, and the potential side effects.

1. You must get annual eye exams for contacts.

Every year, you must see an ophthalmologist to get a new contact eye prescription. Exams can take about an hour each time, not to mention any time you have to take off work to get the exam.

With LASIK, you have an initial consultation, your laser eye surgery, and a few follow-up visits. You should visit your ophthalmologist periodically to confirm your vision is still good.

2. It takes time to get used to putting in and taking out contacts.

Learning the right way to put in contacts and take them out takes a considerable amount of time. You want to be careful to make sure your hands are always washed and germ-free before touching your contacts.

With LASIK, there is no learning curve. You have your surgery, go through recovery, and have clear vision. Most people enjoy 20/20 vision or better!

3. Contacts are easy to drop, tear, and damage.

You have to handle contacts very carefully. Otherwise, you could cause tears, drop them on the floor, or roll them up so you have to toss them out because they are no longer wearable.

Since LASIK corrects the source of your vision problem, there is nothing to wear or worry about dropping, tearing, or damaging.

4. Contacts must be replaced frequently.

Even if you have extended-wear contacts, you still have to replace them with new ones based on the recommended wearing time. This is an ongoing expense that won’t go away unless you get laser eye surgery.

LASIK surgery is more affordable and will pay for itself in the long run, compared to the lifetime costs of contacts. You can even get 0% financing to help pay for your laser surgery!

5. You can get infections and illnesses from the germs on your contacts.

Have you ever gotten pink eye? Chances are, it was because you touched an infected surface with your hands, and then touched your eye or contact lens. If you get pink eye, you must throw away your contact case, the current set of contacts, and the cleaning solution as a precaution. Additionally, it is very common to experience corneal abrasions if you wear contacts. Corneal abrasions are scratches on the surface of the cornea that can occur if your contacts become damaged and irritate your eye or if you leave them in too long. Not to mention, corneal abrasions can also occur when putting in your contacts, especially as a newcomer to wearing contact lenses.

While you can still get eye infections and illnesses from touching or rubbing your eyes after getting LASIK, you aren’t out the costs of replacing everything that could be infected. Plus, people who get LASIK don’t touch or rub their eyes as often as people who wear contacts.

6. You can’t wear contacts when swimming and playing certain sports.

There are some limitations when you must remove your contacts and go without them. This makes swimming and playing sports less enjoyable if you can’t see clearly.

With LASIK eye surgery, you can swim, play sports, and enjoy yourself because you will see clearly. You do have to wait until you complete your LASIK surgery recovery before resuming swimming and sports.

6. The cost difference between LASIK and contacts.

It is important to note that there is a significant cost difference between LASIK and wearing contact lenses. If you wear contacts over the span of 30 years, you will pay up to $46,000 for your lenses and associated costs. On top of this, if you require glasses as well, this will cost you an additional $12,000 across that same timeframe. On the other hand, the average cost of a LASIK procedure totals $5,000, making LASIK a highly cost-effective choice in the long run.

BONUS Reason to Choose LASIK over Contacts

Choose LASIK over Contacts

After getting LASIK, you will be surprised by how much time you lost every day wearing contact lenses. What will you do with all this extra time you gain? You could watch a few more episodes of your favorite show when binge-watching television. You could get outdoors and spend time exercising, going to the beach, or just simply relaxing on your deck reading your favorite book.

Ready to see clearly and reclaim lost time? Say goodbye to contacts by contacting Dougherty Laser Vision at (805) 864-5448 to schedule a virtual telehealth or in-office consultation for LASIK eye surgery today! We also offer other laser corrective eye surgery options, general ophthalmology, and cataract and glaucoma services.