Depending on your opinion, wearing glasses can either bring back memories of being called "four eyes" in grade school or being perceived as highly intelligent by your peers. Glasses have both negative and positive connotations in society. For some people someone who wears glasses is smart, sophisticated and always looking for knowledge.

For other people, someone who wears glasses might be perceived as being smart but socially inept like the classic nerd. There is no better example of this than the media portrayal of Steve Urkel on the sitcom Family Matters. As smart as Steve was he always seemed to get himself in undesirable social situations-of course with his large almost bazooka looking glasses gleaming in all its nerdy glory. In this case glasses seem to have gained a bad rap, but is this always the case?

Glasses now have become more trendy looking and are less bulky than their previous reproductions. The frames have evolved from being clumsy to being sophisticated and have become lighter weight. I prefer glasses because it's easier for me to wake up in the morning and put them on with minimal effort and walk out the door. This would be a good choice for people that are short on time and patience. It would also be good for people who have eye allergies that would cause them to rub or scratch their eyes.

Contacts give you the benefit of seeing well without letting others know that you have vision problems. If you are looking for something seamless then consider contacts. As desirable as this sounds contacts do have obstacles such as daily cleaning, disposal, dropping out and getting dust on it. Anything that comes in contact with the lens may cause irritation and for some people it may be severe. In one extreme case, a friend of mine slept with her lens still inside her eyes and somehow it migrated to the back of her eye and got stuck. She needed to have it surgically removed.

The best way to decide is to speak with your eye doctor about the risks and benefits using glasses or contacts.

Learn more about this author, Kenya Evans.
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