Extended Wear Contacts or LASIK

When it comes to vision problems, it can sometimes be difficult for patients to “see” the correct answer. Although the technology has evolved to the point where most people no longer need to wear glasses or daily contacts, there are many choices available, and it can be difficult to determine what is best for you.

There are two main types of procedures that can be used to replace glasses and daily-wear contacts - they are continuous wear contacts and corrective surgical procedures like LASIK.

Continuous, or extended, wear contacts are made of silicone hydrogel - a material which allows oxygen to pass through the lens, thus keeping the eye healthy. They can be worn, day and night, for 30 days, after which they need to be replaced.

LASIK is a procedure where a laser light reshapes the cornea. The cornea is the clear front part of the eye which covers the pupil. LASIK a very precise procedure, approved by the FDA, and has been successfully performed on over three million people. Now, wikth custom LASIK, most patients end up with at least 20/20 vision or better.

Both procedures work in a similar fashion. When a person is nearsighted or farsighted, it’s the result of an improperly shaped cornea. Normally, light enters the cornea, which reflects the light onto the back of the eye, creating a clear image. If a person’s cornea is too flat, images close up become blurred (this is called hyperopia.) If the cornea is too steep, it’s the far away images which become blurred (which is called myopia.)

To improve poor vision, one or both corneas must be corrected. Contacts - continuous wear contacts included - change the angle with which light enters the cornea. So even though the cornea itself is still misshaped, the eye receives light in such a way that the blurriness is eliminated.

LASIK, however, actually corrects the problem on a deeper level. An excimer laser, using a three-dimensional map of the eye as a guide, reshapes the actual cornea. After undergoing LASIK, most patients no longer require glasses or contacts of any type.

So, which is better - LASIK or extended wear contacts? There are pros and cons to each.

Both are effective at correcting all sorts of vision problems: myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, and more. Neither procedure is painful. However, there are two key differences: price and maintenance.

LASIK averages about $1,900 per eye. However, in the long run, LASIK is actually cheaper than extended wear contacts, which cost, on average, about one dollar a day. While patients must continually purchase extended wear contacts, the LASIK procedure is a one-time cost, and the results typically last a lifetime.

Extended wear contacts have some advantages - the prescription can be changed over time, and there is no surgery. However, for patient’s whose vision problems have stabilized, LASIK treatment is actually cheaper and more effective - especially now that the LASIK procedure is faster, safer and less invasive than ever before.

If you wear glasses or daily-wear contacts, and are interested in a more permanent solution to your vision problems, please see your eye doctor today. While there are many options available, only a personal consultation with a professional can give you the specific information you’ll need to make a “clear” decision.

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