Contact Lenses vs. Laser Eye Surgery

Aside from glasses, people have two main options for achieving clear vision — contacts and surgery. Contact lenses can eliminate refractive error with minimal risk, while laser eye surgery provides long-term results. 

Both options offer unique advantages and disadvantages. The choice between contacts and laser eye surgery depends on your preferences, lifestyle and health status. 

Contact Lenses

These thin, round disks sit on the surface of your eyes and help you see clearly. They can correct a range of eye conditions, such as astigmatism. Contact lenses and glasses are conventional vision technologies that eliminate refractive errors and improve eyesight. 

Pros of Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are a popular solution for correcting eyesight issues. Depending on your lifestyle and preferences, they come in daily, biweekly or monthly options. Here are the top benefits associated with contacts: 

• Improves self-esteem: Contact lenses can improve the self-esteem of people who may feel insecure wearing glasses. Some people also choose color contact lenses to boost confidence. 
• Offers unmatched convenience: You can go glasses-free without taking time off work or booking surgery appointments. You can even renew your contacts prescription online and order them in just a few minutes. Busy individuals may prefer the convenience of contact lenses. 
• Provides results without invasive procedures: Unlike laser surgery, contacts don't require an invasive procedure. People prone to surgery complications might find contacts a safer option. 
• Delivers features for comfort: Some individuals may experience dry eyes after laser eye surgery. With contacts, you can choose options with blink-activated moisture technology to keep your eyes moisturized with every blink.

Cons of Contact Lenses

Most disadvantages associated with contact lenses are due to improper care and hygiene. Here are some of the potential downsides of contact lenses:

• Damaged or torn contacts: Being too rough when handling the contacts can result in rips or tears. People with long-length manicures can use applicator tools when inserting contacts. 
• Eye infections: Failing to clean your contacts using contact solution before and after use and not storing them in a cleaned contact container with the solution could invite harmful bacteria. Eye infections can result from unhygienic and improper care. People who feel nervous about contact care can try one-day contact lenses.

Who Is a Candidate for Contact Lenses?

Contacts are suitable for most people, including kids aged 8-12, as long as they follow proper care instructions. People who are not candidates for laser surgery may be candidates for contacts. 

While most people can wear contacts comfortably, some may have difficulty adjusting. Here are examples of people who might not be ideal candidates for contact lenses: 

• Allergies: People with severe allergies may experience intense eye irritation. 
• Poor conditions: People who live or work in a very dusty environment or are exposed to harmful chemicals aren't ideal contact candidates. The dust and chemicals are likely to cause eye irritation. 
• Immune conditions: People with a medical condition that affects the immune system may not be good candidates for contact lenses because they could be more susceptible to infections. 

Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a laser to reshape the eye's surface and improve nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. 

Pros of Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery has many advantages for the right candidate. Like contact lenses, surgery is typically used to treat nearsightedness and farsightedness. While surgery can correct astigmatism, this process is slightly more complex. Here are the top advantages of laser eye surgery: 

• Improved vision: The main advantage of laser eye surgery is that most individuals do not need to wear glasses or contacts after the procedure. However, some individuals may need to continue wearing glasses for reading, navigating low-light conditions or for other reasons. 
• Long-term savings and convenience: If the laser eye surgery is successful, the individual can save on ongoing expenses like purchasing glasses or contacts.
• Quick results: Laser eye surgery gives many people fast results. They often notice improved vision within a few days. However, it can take a few months for vision to stabilize. 

Cons of Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery offers an effective way to correct some vision problems, but it's not risk-free. Here are some of the potential negative consequences of laser eye surgery​: 

• Complications: Laser eye surgery is a surgical procedure, so it comes with a complication risk. These include temporary side effects like halos around the eyes and poor night vision. Other side effects may be more serious, including flap-related issues like dislodgement, which could spiral into severe conditions without prompt medical attention.
• Chronic dry eyes: While dry eyes are a temporary side effect for most laser eye surgery patients, it can become a chronic condition for others. People who are especially prone to chronic dry eyes are those on certain medications like antihistamines and people who live in dry climates.

Who Is a Candidate for Laser Eye Surgery?

You could be a good candidate if you are over 21 years old and have nearsightedness or farsightedness with or without astigmatism. However, laser eye surgery is not suitable for everyone. So, who should not have laser eye surgery? The following individuals do not make the best candidates: 

• Individuals with medical conditions like diabetes may be at risk of complications like diabetic retinopathy.
• People with immune system disorders may be more prone to infections.
• Younger people or those with unstable prescriptions should not undergo laser eye surgery.
• Individuals on certain medications like steroids and immunosuppressive do not make suitable candidates for surgery.
• People with thin corneas do not make good candidates for surgery. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions about contact lenses and laser eye surgery:

• Do you have to stop wearing your contacts before surgery? Yes. You should stop wearing contacts before surgery to allow the cornea to return to its natural shape. 
• Will your prescription change after laser eye surgery? If you undergo the surgery when your vision is stable, prescription shifts should be minimal. However, eyesight naturally changes over time, so your prescription may change as you age. In rare cases, your vision may regress to its original prescription after surgery. 
• What are the risks of wearing contacts after laser eye surgery? Because of the changes to the cornea after laser eye surgery, fitting contact lenses to the eye surface can be complicated. You should always allow your eyes to fully heal and consult your optometrist for advice. 

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