Many patients that visit our optometry clinic ask us if they still need to buy glasses if they wear contact lenses. Our optometrists do recommend to our patients that they should have up-to-date prescription glasses as well if you are a contact lens wearer for many different reasons.

Have a backup pair of glasses for traveling

If for some reason you are unable to wear your contact lenses, such as you lost them, or if you are traveling, and you realize you don't have your contact lenses with you, then you need to have your glasses to be able to see clearly.

A backup pair of glasses is important if your eyes are Irritated from contact lens overuse

You may develop a very serious infection or irritation if you use contact lenses for too long. In addition, if you suffer from seasonal allergies and are in a new location, that becomes an issue, which causes discomfort and itching. It's best not to rub your eyes when that happens, particularly if you wear contact lenses. That’s where you want to have the option of wearing glasses.

In the event of an emergency, glasses are much faster and easier to wear

There are several states in the United States where earthquakes occur very frequently and can occur at any time. You cannot prepare for emergency situations like this. If you are sleeping and it occurs in the middle of the night, you will not have time to put on your contact lenses to be able to see clearly, so having your prescription glasses on hand in such unfortunate emergency situations is mandatory.

Patients with dry eye should always have a backup pair of glasses

Patients who have the diagnosis of dry eyes may not be comfortable wearing contact lenses at all times. This is due to the fact that the cornea, which is the front part of your eye, receives its oxygen directly from the air. Since contact lenses can partially block oxygen from reaching the eye, your eyes can get a dry, itchy feeling. Most modern contact lenses are designed to let as much oxygen through as possible, but this can still be an issue, especially after wearing the lenses for prolonged periods. Contact lenses can also cause eye dryness by absorbing tears meant to keep the eye moist. Glasses may be more comfortable for such patients and are definitely recommended to give your eyes time to breath. If you are experiencing irritation or dry eye symptoms that are not related to contact lens use, schedule a dry eye evaluation at our Bellflower optometry clinic to get to the root cause of your symptoms.

Can anyone get contact lenses?

Can babies or Infants wear contact lenses?

The majority of people can get contact lenses. Contact lenses can be given to someone who is very young, such as an infant, but only if they are a necessity. It would be their parents who would fit them and remove them. Even though it is not very common, they can be prescribed if the eye doctor determines that the infant or child absolutely needs it.

Can kids wear contact lenses?

Children can benefit greatly from contact lenses whether for cosmetic reasons, myopia management, or sports. Our optometrists typically ask the parents how mature and responsible the child is, rather than using age as the main factor when determining the right age for contact lenses. Multiple studies have shown that children as young as 8 years old enjoy wearing contact lenses and are able to follow the instructions of their eye doctor when wearing them.

Can you wear contact lenses when playing sports?

Many athletes prefer wearing contact lenses during athletic events. In addition to the comfort of contacts, they have the added benefit of being less prone to break and cause an eye injury.

Can senior citizens wear contact lenses?

Some patients have worn contact lenses for as long as they can remember, but the makeup of their tears, the makeup of their eyelids, all of that changes over time. As a result, sometimes people find that contact lenses are no longer comfortable as they age. Luckily there are various types of contact lens designs and modalities and in the vast majority of cases patients  there are contact lenses that will provide them with the vision and comfort that they were used to.