Why Should Contact Lens Wearers Have Backup Glasses?

Almost all contact lens wearers feel like “I wear contacts because I don’t like glasses”. That begs the question why is it important for everyone to have backup glasses? The simple answer is that your eyes need a break. The incidence of eye infections in contact lens wearers is much lower for patients that have an adequate backup pair of glasses.

A contact lens wearer that lacks a pair of backup glasses will have to wear their contacts when their eyes are irritated. By continuing to wear the contacts the eyes never have a chance to recover. Most contact lens related eye irritations will resolve in less than a day if the contacts are not worn. If your eye is not back to 100% within one day you should be seen by our office.

So what criterion qualifies for making an adequate pair of backup glasses? Here is what I think is important.

• The frame and lens styles are not so out of date that you don’t mind being
  seen in public wearing them
• You can see well enough to pass your driver’s test (20/30 or better), and last but
  not least, the most important one……….
• You can find them

At Total Eye Care we feel it is important to have a backup pair of glasses, therefore, when purchased at time of a contact lens evaluation, a complete pair of glasses starts at $99.

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