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Home > Eye Care > Deciding between Spectacles or Contact Lenses
If you are shortsighted, you’ll need to decide whether to wear spectacles or contact lenses. Here are some points to consider:
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Spectacles
Today’s spectacles have moved beyond being functional aids for correcting vision. They are also increasingly being regarded as fashion accessories to be mixed and matched with your wardrobe.
Spectacles are convenient as they are easy to put on or remove. They are relatively fuss-free as they can be quite robust and easy to clean. However, spectacles can be quite cumbersome when taking part in sporting activities. An accident while playing contact sport, can cause spectacles to shatter, resulting in serious eye injury. |
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Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are useful in the correction of Anisometropia where the power of each eye is very different. Contact lenses also suit those who cannot tolerate the weight of spectacles, or the marks that spectacles sometimes leave on the face.
Contact lenses have the advantage of giving the wearer good peripheral vision, making them a convenient alternative for those active in sports and games. Many people also feel more attractive when they wear contact lenses instead of spectacles. However, contact lenses need regular and thorough cleaning. They should not be worn for long periods or overnight. Wearers are also at an increased risk of eye infections if they do not care for their lenses properly.
It is not advisable for children to wear contact lenses as they are less likely to be able to take care of them properly. |
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Other alternatives to improve vision
For many, alternating between spectacles and contact lenses works best. Another option, LASIK surgery, is available for correcting short sightedness, but this is not recommended for children as their eyeballs are still growing and their myopia has not stabilised. You should discuss your options carefully with your doctor or eye care practitioner. These could include new technologies such as Neurovision, a programme that uses special images on the computer screen to train the visual part of the brain to see better by improving the processing of visual information. However, more robust tests need to be done before it is proven to be safe and effective. For more information on surgical procedures and other eye related treatment, you can visit www.snec.com.sg. |
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