What Vision Correction Option is Right for You?
Posted on November 17, 2020 in Vision Health
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Did you know that 75 percent of adults in the United States use some form of vision correction? These days, when it comes to fixing your eyesight, there are many options available. There’s no need to let poor vision go unchecked.
The most common vision correction options include contact lenses, glasses, and refractive and laser surgeries. Before you select one over another, it’s important to speak with your eye doctor and be informed about each.
Vision correction options
As we mentioned above, there are plenty of vision correction options available. Because of this, most people are able to find at least one corrector that is perfect for their lifestyle.
Eyeglasses — The traditional way to correct poor eyesight is with eyeglasses. Glasses are an effective and fashionable way to see better. When buying glasses, both frames and prescription lenses must be purchased—unless you’re replacing older lenses with newer ones in a sturdy frame. Glasses can come in many shapes and forms, and the lenses can help with a number of vision problems.
Benefits of glasses:
- Generally require less maintenance than other types of vision correctors.
- Convenient to put on and take off.
- Many styles available to match your individual preference.
Drawback of glasses:
- Can be easy to break.
- May become foggy depending on the environment.
- May limit certain physical activities.
Contact lenses — When people think of contacts, they usually think of the soft lens that slips over the eye. That’s just one type. There are also hard lenses, known as rigid gas-permeable lenses. Both options help with vision correction, and just like glasses, there’s a variety of contacts to choose from.
Benefits of contacts:
- Natural appearance and feel while wearing them.
- May allow for participation in more activities.
- Comfortable to wear.
Drawbacks of contacts:
- Inserting and removing contacts may have a learning curve for wearers.
- Contacts carry a higher risk of eye infections compared to other vision correctors.
- Must be replaced at a higher interval than other correctors.
Refractive and laser surgery — Just like the name implies, refractive surgery is for correcting refractive vision issues—although in a more permanent way than using regular contacts or glasses. This means using lasers to reshape the cornea to allow for more light to enter the eye. When you hear people talk about LASIK surgery, this is what they’re referencing. There are different types of refractive surgeries, like LASIK (short for laser in-situ keratomileusis) and PRK (photorefractive keratectomy).
Benefits of refractive and laser surgery:
Drawbacks of refractive and laser surgery:
- Small risk of surgery complications.
- Regression may occur as you age.
- Cost considerations as surgery may not be covered by vision insurance.
Talk with your eye doctor about vision correction options
Before considering which vision correction option is best for you, consult your eye doctor to identify what problem or problems you may be experiencing.
Just like how you visit the dentist for preventive care, it’s equally important that you take regular trips to the eye doctor to ensure the health of your eyes. This means getting an annual comprehensive vision exam.
Vision insurance helps maintain eye health
If you’re looking for vision coverage, Delta Dental of Iowa can help. DeltaVision makes it easy to care for your vision, find an eye doctor, and make an appointment. Our network has more than 88,000 providers at over 27,000 locations nationwide!
We partner with popular providers like LensCrafters® and Target Optical℠, in addition to many smaller, independent doctors. These retailers offer conveniences such as multiple locations and extended hours to help members get the service they need, when they need it.
Click here to learn more about our vision coverage.
*Updated February 2024