Glasses & Contact Lenses | HealthyEyesWa.org

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Correcting Your Vision Glasses & Contact Lenses


Vision Exams		Glasses & Contacts		Refractive Surgery

Eyeglasses and contact lenses work by refocusing light rays on the retina, compensating for the shape of your eye.

Glasses are an easy way to correct refractive errors, and they also can help protect your eyes from harmful light rays, such as ultraviolet (UV) light rays. For presbyopia (an aging eye) bifocals or reading glasses may be prescribed.

Contact lenses are thin plastic discs that float on the surface of the eye. They correct refractive errors in the same way as glasses do, and they are safe for people with otherwise healthy eyes and the commitment and ability to handle and care for the lenses properly. There are a wide variety of contact lenses available. The best type for you depends upon your eyes and your lifestyle. If you want to wear contact lenses, discuss the various options with your ophthalmologist. Read more about how contact lenses work, the risks and benefits.

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Eye Facts and Myths

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All ‘eye doctors’ are NOT the same. (…ophthalmologists are the only eye care providers medically trained to diagnose and treat all eye diseases. Optometrists and opticians provide some aspects of eye care and are not medical doctors.)

Reading in dim light is NOT harmful to your eyes (...though good lighting does make reading easier and can prevent eye fatigue.)

Using computers does NOT damage your eyes (...though you may blink less which makes your eyes dry. This could cause the feeling of eyestrain or fatigue.)

Wearing the wrong kind of eyeglasses does NOT damage your eyes. (...but children younger than 8 who need glasses should wear their own to prevent developing “lazy eye.”)

Children do NOT simply outgrow crossed or misaligned eyes (...Children with this condition should be examined by an ophthalmologist.)

Learning disabilities are NOT caused by eye problems. (...though children who are having difficulties with school work should be checked to make sure they can see well.)

Sitting close to the television does NOT damage children’s eyes. (...however, some children with nearsightedness may sit close to the TV to see more clearly.)

Eating carrots does NOT improve your vision. (...a well-balanced diet, with or without carrots, provides all the vitamin A necessary for good vision.)

People with weak eyes or who wear glasses do NOT need to avoid reading fine print. (...you can use your eyes without fear of wearing them out.)

Wearing eyeglasses will NOT cause you to become dependent on them. (...you will just get used to seeing clearly.)

A cataract does NOT need to be ‘ripe’ before it is removed. (...it can be removed whenever it begins to interfere with a person’s lifestyle.)

Contact lenses do NOT prevent nearsightedness from getting worse. (...like glasses, they just allow you to see clearly.)

Eyes can NOT be transplanted. (...corneas, the clear front part of the eye, can be transplanted, but not the whole eye)

Healthy Eyes for Every Stage of Life
What should you know about eye care and prevention for you and your children?