When you think about the benefits of wearing contact lenses, the most obvious things that come to mind are vision and personal appearance. Indeed, more than 80% of people say they feel attractive when wearing contact lenses. That’s great news—but it’s not the whole story. Contact lens wearers report far more benefits than good looks. For example, people of all ages and genders agree that contact lenses empower them in a number of unique ways, while also improving their quality of life.
Benefits You Never Imagined
A recent international online survey of more than 35,000 people, including a total of 5,347 contact lens wearers, took a close look at some of the deeper emotional benefits that people gain when wearing contact lenses, and learned all sorts of interesting things.1
When you look better, you might also feel more self-assured, so it’s not surprising that more than 80% of people surveyed agree that wearing contact lenses makes them feel confident. Keep in mind: feeling confident doesn’t have to involve getting all dressed up or wearing lots of makeup. In fact, more than 90% of those surveyed agree that they think they look natural when wearing contact lenses.
The benefits of contact lens wear are so far reaching that nearly 90% agree contact lenses have improved their quality of life, allowing them to live life on their own terms. What’s more, the impact of contact lens wear is even higher among people who wear them more frequently. Those who wear their lenses more frequently (4-7 days per week) agreed with the benefits of lens wear at a higher than the average rate. For almost every category, ranging from improved quality of life to feeling confident, including a sense of seeing better in contact lenses than spectacles, around 8 out of 10 wearers agree with these deep, emotional benefits.
To clarify, this survey didn’t look at a small slice of the population. Rather, participants were highly diverse. For example, there was a high-level of agreement between men and women when they were asked about the benefits of wearing contact lenses (such as feeling attractive, confident, younger and more like themselves).
There also was a high-level of agreement across age groups. The strong similarities to the benefits reported in this new survey have previously been found in young contact lens wearers too. Children and adolescents also experience improved quality of life,2 and improved self-perception in physical appearance, athletic competence and social acceptance.3
Some People Are Still Missing Out
Unfortunately, the majority of people who require vision correction still wear spectacles only. If you don’t want to be one of them, ask your eye care professional for a contact lens fitting.
You know the saying, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” Even eye care professionals sometimes take this approach. If you seem happy and don’t express a desire to wear contact lenses, it’s possible that no one in the practice will approach you about giving it a try. Be sure to call the office before your appointment so they know in advance that you would be interested in being considered for a contact lens fitting examination. In some practices, these need to be arranged in advance.
What can you expect as a contact lens wearer? Around 8 in 10 people agree they see better in contact lenses than spectacles. A majority of contact lens wearers also agree they feel more like themselves with contact lenses compared to spectacles.
The benefits of wearing contact lenses are broad and affect men and women of all ages. If you’re not already reaping the rewards, give your eye care professional a call today.
References
1. CVI data on file 2020. Contact lens consumer confidence online survey, conducted Nov-Dec 2019 by YouGovPlc. Total of 5,347 contact lens wearers in 5 countries (Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Spain and the US).
2. WallineJJ, GaumeA, Jones LA, et al. Benefits of contact lens wear for children and teens. Eye & CL 2007;33:317-21.
3. WallineJJ, Jones LA, SinnottL, et al. Randomized trial of the effect of contact lens wear on self-perception in children. OVS. 2009;86:222-32.