I Wear/Hate Contact Lenses

I’m not here asking for sorrow or waiting you to tell me not to wear them. This is a free will choice. It’s all about vanity.

For the last 15 years I’ve been a glasses wearer. It started with reading glasses. Later I transitioned to bifocals.

I still remember the day the optometrist convinced me I needed correction for my distance vision. I was skeptical until he sent me walking outside with lenses in a big ugly fitting frame.

Holy crap! You don’t know what you don’t know.

A few years ago I attempted to wear contacts. Fail! They were uncomfortable and nowhere near as good as eyeglasses.

This spring Helaine convinced me to try again.

This is all about vanity–my vanity. I have seen a/b comparisons of me on-the-air with glasses and contacts. Contacts win big time. I look a lot younger. In my business younger is a plus.

Unfortunately, there are two problems. The contacts are not comfortable and I don’t see as well.

As I type this they’re OK, but I’m often blinking and always conscious they’re in my eyes.

These multifocal contact lenses don’t perform anywhere near as well as eyeglasses for sight. I can see close, though the depth-of-field is much more shallow than ‘normal’ glasses. That means the range of distance in focus is much less

For distance things are never in the sharp focus I want!

I have been told, more than once, multifocal contacts will never perform as well as glasses. I can verify: true. I’ve tried a bunch of different types and prescriptions. Glasses are better… just not as flattering.

I’m not here asking for sorrow or waiting for you to tell me not to wear them. This is a free will choice. It’s all about vanity. I am convinced contacts just look better.

Until now I’d always heard about people succumbing to vanity but never understood why. Now I get it.

5 thoughts on “I Wear/Hate Contact Lenses”

  1. There was a bit of controversy over laser surgery not long ago, but I forgot what it was.

    I’ve worn glasses steadily for the last 40+ years, starting at age 8 when I couldn’t see the blackboard at school. Around age 45 my close vision needed more help, and I was given the choice of conventional bifocals or graduated lenses. I tried the graduated and I LOVE them. Yeah, your neck gets tired on long car drives because you have to hold it in one place (at night at least) to see the road and cars and signs properly. Other than that I have no complaints and was used to them in a day.

    I agree though…I’ve tried jazzing up my frames as best I can, but I don’t like glasses in general and would love contacs, except I did get some in my 20’s and was unable to wear one in my left eye. Just the left. Felt like someone had poked me in the eye and never took their finger back. It was maddening, since my right eye was fine. Consequently I don’t know what the heck I look like without eyeglasses.

    I like you with glasses, Geoff. It just happens to be what we’re used to, I think.

  2. I hate contacts for the same reasons as you do. I stopped wearing them about 5 years ago and returned to wearing glasses.

    During those vain moments when I want to look my best, I just go without glasses. As long as I am not driving a motor vehicle, I can get by without the goggles.

    Depending on how bad your eyesight is, I wonder if you can go without glasses and contacts while you are on the air? Try it… maybe you’ll like it.

    (I also found that when I do go without glasses, my eyesight improves a little.)

    73,

    Stan, WA1LOU

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