Foresight for Sight: What to Prepare for When Switching to Contacts

If you have been wearing glasses for years, you may be thrilled to finally be making the switch to contacts. With contacts, you do not have to hassle with dirty, foggy or wet lenses at the most inconvenient times. You can enjoy seeing clearly throughout the day until you take your contacts off at night. You can even wear non-prescription sunglasses purchased straight from a retail store. However, as practical and convenient as contacts are, you should be prepared for a few changes as you make this switch.

Once you purchase glasses, you generally can enjoy using them without cost unless they break. While you should schedule an eye exam annually to update your glasses prescription, you may not have to follow this annual eye exam schedule strictly. Your eye doctor typically cannot renew a prescription for eye contacts if it has been more than a year since your last exam. Therefore, you will need to adjust to having annual eye exams if you do not already have them. In addition to replenishing your supply of contacts from time to time, you will need to pay for saline, eye drops, and other supplies regularly. Many people who wear contacts purchase vision insurance to offset these expenses.

When you wear contact lenses, you simply cannot run out of supplies. Your lenses need to be placed in fresh saline solution each night, and you need to rinse them with fresh solution daily. You may also need eye drops if your eyes get dry. While you need to ensure that you have these items at home, you also may need to bring relevant supplies with you throughout the day as a precaution. You may also tote your glasses around as a backup option. You must be responsible by maintaining a supply of essential items at all times.

Swimming with glasses is impractical, and you understandably may be used to having blurry vision while you are in the water. You may think that swimming with contacts is more convenient, but it actually comes with its own set of challenges. With contacts, you cannot dunk your head underwater with your eyes open. Wearing goggles may be essential if you swim laps. In addition, you will need to avoid being in situations where others may splash water in your eyes.

Wearing contacts is preferable for many people because of their convenience and overall functionality. However, they require special efforts in various ways that differ from contacts. Now that you know what to expect when wearing contacts, you can be better prepared for the transition.