1887. That’s the year people were finally given the opportunity to decide whether they wanted eye glasses or contact lenses. Of course, the logical choice at that time was eyeglasses since contact lenses were thick, brown slabs of glass that rested on the eye.  However, things have changed since then.

The structure of contacts has evolved from these thick, brown slabs of glass to custom-made silicone-hydrogel lenses, which conform to the shape of the eye. Similarly, glasses have also evolved. They have transformed from being literally nose-pinching spectacles to a sight-correcting fashion statement.

Aside from being a daily fashion statement, glasses bear many benefits and they are great for people with sensitive eyes. To start off, they’re easy to apply: they simply slide on and off the face. While wearing them, one has few reasons to actually be touching his eyes, and since there is little direct contact with the actual eye, one’s eyes may easily sustain moisture.

Glasses also act as a protective barrier from environmental factors such as wind or foreign objects like magical flying pencils projected towards the cornea. Plus for medical reasons, they’re preferable for people who are constantly stationed in front of the computer for long intervals of time.

However, glasses aren’t for everyone. For a more natural look (possibly with a fancy eye-color tint), people usually go for contacts. In today’s technologically advanced world, a strong prescription won’t have an unappealing thickness to them. Since contacts go directly on the eye they provide a wide view of vision and there’s no discomfort to any other area of the face.

Contacts are ideal for those in the teenage years to middle age years. This is a very healthy and able-aged group, so they are typically very active. Wearing contacts won’t distract or interfere while playing sports or exercising. Plus they usually aren’t affected by weather conditions.

Both glasses and contacts are great picks. They each look nice and have their pros and cons. Really, when it comes down to deciding which one is better, it simply depends on an individual’s preference.