Advantages and disadvantages of eyeglasses for nearsightedness

Content provided by Healthwise

Most adults, children, and infants can wear glasses.
Glasses provide accurate and predictable vision correction. Eyeglasses reliably correct your vision to within 0.50 diopter of the desired correction.
Glasses are less expensive than contact lenses or surgery. They are easier to take care of than contact lenses.
Glasses are unlikely to cause side effects, because they never touch the eyeball itself.
Glasses are available everywhere and can be changed easily as your vision changes.
Glasses can protect your eyes from injury (such as something getting in your eye).

In some types of work (such as firefighting) or in active sports, eyeglasses may be unacceptable (although some athletes may wear prescription goggles during sporting events).
Some people find glasses inconvenient, uncomfortable, annoying (they tend to fog up in humid or cold environments, for example), or unattractive.
Eyeglasses can be broken or lost.

Credits

Author	Robin Parks, MS
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor	Michele Cronen
Associate Editor	Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Carol L. Karp, MD - Ophthalmology
Last Updated	July 7, 2007

Last updated:	July 07, 2007
Author:	Robin Parks, MS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Carol L. Karp, MD - Ophthalmology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman

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