Lasik: What Contact Lens Wearers Should Know
If you wear contact lenses there are some things you should consider before making the decision to have Lasik surgery.
Similarities. Both Lasik and contacts are able to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and, to some extent, astigmatism. Both Lasik and contacts can eliminate the effect of minification and peripheral distortion that might have been evident if and when you wore glasses, because both options correct your vision right at the surface of your eye.
Convenience. Extended wear contact lenses, introduced in the late 1970s, made contact lenses far more convenient than they were previous to that. Extended wear contacts, however, did not quite live up to their claims; it became evident that they could not be worn continuously for the length of time that had been claimed (usually 30-days) without problems occurring. When “disposable” contact lenses were introduced it made wearing contact lenses much more convenient but they were still a daily concern. In the past few years, thanks to advances in contact lens research and manufacture, the “30 Day Lenses” have returned. Time will tell how successful these will be in providing the convenience that contact lens wearers desire. The Lasik procedure, for those who can take advantage of it is, of course, the ultimate in convenience with no lenses to worry about at all.
Comfort. Certainly Lasik wins the comfort ‘derby’ after, that is, the initial discomfort of post-op recovery which, in more extreme cases, may last up to six months. Contact lenses are more “comfortable” for some people than for others because of the varying degree of tolerance for discomfort between individuals and new advances in the materials used to manufacture contacts have made the lenses even more comfortable. The fact remains, however (as reported in the Contact Lens Spectrum at http://www.clspectrum.com/article.aspx?article=12787) that an estimated 2-3 million people of ‘drop out’ of contact lens wear each year due to comfort and inconvenience factors. That number equals approximately 10% of contact lens wearers.
Lifestyle issues. Again, as far as being able to go about your daily activities without the inconvenience and worry that may be caused by contact lenses, gives Lasik another win in the Lifestyle column.
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