The essential differences in vision experience between contact lens and spectacles or eyeglasses is peripheral sight.

Spectacle frames obscure or block sideways, upward and downward sight whereas contact lens cause no obstruction to all round vision.

When you look outside the perimeter of the spectacle frame objects will appear blurred or distorted, as you are not looking through the corrective lens.

The distance between the eye and the spectacle lens can make objects seem bigger or smaller depending on whether the wearer is long or short sighted.

Contact lenses are located in contact with and covering the cornea. The ophthalmologist will take precise measurements of the eye surface in order for the contact lens to fit comfortably and provide the necessary vision correction.

Unlike spectacles, contact lenses do not get scratched, mist up or cause vision problems when out in the rain so are ideal for active outdoor types and sportspeople.

There are two basic types of contact lens, soft or rigid gas permeable (RGP) with variations in both types.

Both main types can be used to correct most kind of vision defects. Soft lens are the most popular with the majority of wearers as they are quicker and easier to get used to with RGP lens more suitable for continuous use over a long period.

It is hard to believe that the extraordinary artist, scientist and visionary, Leonardo da Vinci is credited with the concept of contact lens for sight correction five hundred years ago.

It is a matter of record that various scientists came up with ideas to advance the notion of a contact lens for sight correction until three hundred years later a renowned British astronomer, chemist and pioneer in photography, Sir John Hershel, advanced the idea of making a mold of the cornea and applying a “spherical capsule filled with animal jelly”

In 1887, FE Muller, a German glass blower, successfully produced the first contact that we would recognise today.

A transparent covering that rested on the eye surface that could be tolerated. In the following year another German, AE Fick, developed the first contact lens that was successful in improving vision.

Over the next one hundred and twenty years contact lens have been steadily improved to the point where only isolated cases of sufferers from visual impairment are unable to enjoy the benefits of contacts

But time moves on and now affordable laser treatment is widely available to improve vision to 20/20 levels to sufferers of short or long sight. The big bonus is no more reliance on either contacts or eyeglasses.

Also available, but at a cost, are lens transplants where the defective lens is replaced with a man made substitute to provide perfect vision. Even some US fighter pilots have had the lens replacement procedure to give them extraordinary eyesight.

Over two thousand five hundred years ago there are records of cataract surgery where the defective cloudy lens was removed. In the last fifty years this operation and the substitution of a corrective artificial lens has saved the sight of many millions.

Now the transplant procedure has been developed to such accuracy that the majority of sufferers from short, long or other lens defects can enjoy perfect vision by undertaking a day to day, virtually pain and risk free operation

The prospect of losing your vision is not a pleasant one. But the reality is that a great many people will lose at least a good deal of sight as they age.

While some will become significantly visually impaired, others with become legally blind. Three age-related eye diseases are the primary cause of this vision loss.

Macular Degeneration

This eye disease affects the central vision. There are two types of macular degeneration:

1. “dry” macular degeneration, which progresses slowly.
2. “wet” macular degeneration, which progresses very rapidly, resulting in severe loss of vision very quickly.

With either form of the disease, the part of the retina called the macula degenerates. The first symptom may be the need to have more light when reading or doing close work. Though it is most commonly diagnosed in people who are in their sixties, it can be diagnosed earlier.

Treatment varies, depending on the form of macular degeneration. Laser treatments can help some who have the ‘wet’ form of the disease.

It won’t restore lost vision but, by sealing the blood vessels that are leaking, it will slow down the disease since new abnormal blood vessel growth will be discouraged.

There is currently no treatment for ‘dry’ macular degeneration but certain vitamins seem to help people who have intermediate macular degeneration. The vitamins that can be taken are:

• 400 IU Vitamin E

• 500 mg Vitamin C

• 80 mg Zinc

• 15 mg Beta Carotene or 20 mg Lutein

• 2 mg Copper

Many stores now carry supplements made specific for eye health that contain these vitamins.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma, often referred to as ‘tunnel vision’, causes the optic nerve to become damaged by rising fluid pressure in the eye.

There are frequently no early symptoms but can be detected through a comprehensive eye exam. When symptoms do appear, it is the peripheral vision that is affected, giving the feeling of looking through a tunnel.

Though it is usually considered an age-related disease, other groups of people are at risk for glaucoma. These include Mexican Americans over 60, those with a family history of glaucoma and African Americans over 40. People in these groups should be tested every couple of years or more often.

There are two possible treatments for glaucoma. The first is prescription eye drops and the second is Glaucoma Filtration Surgery.  An ophthalmologist can determine which treatment is appropriate for a patient.

Cataracts

Cataracts are the most common of the age-related eye diseases. It is estimated that half of all Americans who are 80 years old either have cataracts or have had cataract surgery.

With cataracts, the lenses of the eyes become cloudy. Symptoms that commonly occur with cataracts are seemingly faded colors, double vision, the need to change eyeglass prescriptions often, glare, loss of night vision, and generally blurry vision.

Cataracts develop quite slowly most of the time.

Some non-surgical methods of coping with cataracts are brighter lights, sunglasses with anti-glare coating , magnifying lenses and, of course, new prescription eyeglasses.

Surgery is an option that many people choose. Here, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens.

If you suspect you may have one of these three eye diseases, visit your doctor to discuss you concerns. New methods of treatment are being studied for them and your doctor will know of any that might be tried if you are a candidate for them.

The best case expectations for patients successfully undergoing Lasik Eye Surgery is that there are no longer any vision problems or, at the very least, a significant reduction in dependency upon contact lenses or eyeglasses is likely to be experienced.

What to Expect

The first stage is for the eye surgeon to take very accurate measurements to establish just how much reshaping of the cornea is necessary.

This procedure is painless and is undertaken often several days before surgery.

The equipment used is highly sophisticated and relies on a computer to process the information that will provide the surgeon with the information needed.

Often only one eye will be treated initially followed by the other up to two weeks later. This is purely as a safety precaution despite this procedure having an excellent safety record.

The Surgery

An anaesthetic eye drop that numbs the upper layer of the eye surface is the first stage of the procedure. No general anaesthetic is necessary and the patient remains conscious and aware throughout.

Using a laser the surgeon makes an incision in the delicate corneal surface tissue enabling it to be moved out of the way to allow the laser to reshape the underlying cornea.

The incision is then replaced and sealed by the laser and a protective dressing is placed over the eye. As a rule the surgical procedure takes no more than ten to fifteen minutes an eye.

After Effects

Discomfort or even pain may be experienced when the anaesthetic eye drops wear off, although very often this of very short duration.

There may be some initial vision loss or blurriness and a sensitivity to light and dryness of the eye surface can be a problem.

If experienced these side effects will normally disappear in time often quite quickly. The possible exception is dryness of the eyes, which can be embarrassing, as tears will form.

Your surgeon can prescribe drops to alleviate this problem if it occurs. It is rare for any of these side effects to persist and become permanent.

Advice

As anybody knows who is dependent on eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct impaired vision it can seem worth any risk to have normal unaided sight.

As they say ‘the eyes are the mirror of the soul’ and women in particular are conscious that their eyes and surrounding area should be the most attractive of their facial features and should never be obscured by eyeglasses.

It is therefore of the utmost importance to seek the advice of a fully qualified and experienced ophthalmic surgeon before contemplating Lasik surgery.

As your sight is so valuable to be on the safe side if you have any doubts get a second qualified opinion. If the surgery goes wrong it is permanent and normally cannot be reversed.

Think hard about the risks and benefits before going ahead.