Do Contact Lenses Make Your Vision Worse?

Whether you are a new user of eyeglasses or have worn glasses your entire life, you may be considering switching to corrective contact lenses. Contact lenses offer comfort in many different ways, and also have an advantage from an aesthetic point of view. No matter what your motivation is, you may be considering contact lenses as an option if you have been diagnosed with or suffer from any of the following conditions:

• Myopia (nearsightedness)
• Hyperopia (farsightedness)
• Astigmatism (distorted vision)
• Presbyopia (need for bifocals)

If you are considering using corrective contact lenses, you should only do so under the strict supervision of a qualified eye care professional - preferably an ophthalmologist or a contact lens specialist. You should be prepared before going in to your eye care appointment by being aware of the different types of contact lenses that are available in the marketplace. This will help give you a head start in choosing the type of prescription contact lenses that are right for you. The types of contacts that are widely available include the following:

• Rigid Gas-permeable Contact Lenses (RGP’s)
• Soft Contact Lenses
• Extended Wear Contact Lenses
• Disposable Contact Lenses

Will my sight worsen if I start wearing prescription contact lenses?

Many people who are considering wearing corrective contact lenses to correct their vision issues are concerned about the possibility of harming their vision further simply by using contact lenses. They may have heard stories or rumors, or may even just have apprehensions about inserting a foreign object into their eye. First of all, contact lenses should be worn only when prescribed by an ophthalmologist, eye care professional or contact lens specialist. Corrective lenses should only be prescribed after a proper eye exam and diagnosis of one of the following: myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism or presbyopia. Involving a professional from the very beginning will ensure that your eye care is appropriate, adequate and safe.

The Answer is NO!

According to the eye care experts, a corrective contact lens prescription will not make your vision problems worse. Many times when a person tries on contact lenses for the first time, there will be an adjustment period. At first the contact lenses may feel a bit uncomfortable and strange. If you are used to wearing regular eyeglasses, you may be taken aback by the fact that your peripheral vision is so much better with the contact lenses. In any case, whether you’re trying the contact lenses as your first option when diagnosed with vision problems or trying them after using glasses for any period of time, the visual improvement you will experience may be extraordinary. This amazing improvement may make vision without the contacts seem much worse than it actually is, especially the longer your eyes are allowed to grow accustomed to them.

This phenomenon can simply be attributed to the fact that the brain now has a reference point for comparing two images directly: the first one with corrective lenses and the latter one without. Prior to this it had nothing to which a real comparison could be made. Because of this, vision did not seem quite as unclear and blurred, when in fact it really was.

The bottom line is, with proper care and use; contact lenses should not affect your vision in a negative way. Using corrective contact lenses under the care of a contact lens specialist will ensure you are minimizing any chances of causing damage to your eyes.