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Advantages and disadvantages of eyeglasses for nearsightedness

Healthwise
By Robin Parks, MS

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Advantages of eyeglasses

  • Most adults, children, and infants can wear glasses.
  • Glasses provide accurate and predictable vision correction. Eyeglasses reliably correct your vision to within 0.50 diopter of the desired correction.
  • Glasses are less expensive than contact lenses or surgery. They are easier to take care of than contact lenses.
  • Glasses are unlikely to cause side effects, because they never touch the eyeball itself.
  • Glasses are available everywhere and can be changed easily as your vision changes.
  • Glasses can protect your eyes from injury (such as something getting in your eye).

Disadvantages of eyeglasses

  • In some types of work (such as firefighting) or in active sports, eyeglasses may be unacceptable (although some athletes may wear prescription goggles during sporting events).
  • Some people find glasses inconvenient, uncomfortable, annoying (they tend to fog up in humid or cold environments, for example), or unattractive.
  • Eyeglasses can be broken or lost.

Credits

Author Robin Parks, MS
Editor Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor Michele Cronen
Associate Editor Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Carol L. Karp, MD - Ophthalmology
Last Updated July 7, 2007
Last Updated: 07/07/2007