The answer to whether someone can wear glasses over contact lenses is generally yes, but the reason for doing so determines the specific type of glasses needed. Contact lenses serve as the primary vision correction, sitting directly on the eye’s surface to correct refractive errors like nearsightedness or astigmatism. Glasses then act as a secondary visual aid, fulfilling a range of functions from fashion to supplemental vision correction or physical protection.
Wearing Non-Prescription Lenses
Many individuals choose to wear glasses with non-corrective lenses over their contact lenses for aesthetic reasons. These glasses contain no prescription power. The primary function of these frames is to serve as a fashion accessory, allowing the wearer to change their look without compromising their sight.
Non-prescription sunglasses are another common example, where the tinted lens reduces light intensity and provides ultraviolet (UV) protection. Wearing these over contacts is perfectly safe and highly recommended for shielding the eyes from sun damage. Similarly, blue light filtering glasses contain a coating that blocks a portion of the blue light spectrum emitted by digital screens, and these can be worn over contacts to reduce digital eye strain. Since the lenses lack a dioptric power, they simply provide a filter or a physical barrier while the contacts handle the full prescription.
Combining Distance Contacts with Reading Glasses
Combining two forms of vision correction is most frequently done to manage presbyopia, a common age-related condition that typically begins around age 40. Presbyopia results from the natural hardening of the eye’s lens, which reduces its ability to change shape and focus on near objects. For contact lens wearers, this loss of near focus means their distance-correcting contacts are no longer sufficient for tasks like reading a book or viewing a phone screen.
The solution is to wear over-the-counter reading glasses, which act as simple magnifiers, over the distance-correcting contact lenses. The contacts provide clear distance vision, while the reading glasses add the necessary plus power for up-close focus. This allows for clear near vision without removing the contacts. This method is a practical and flexible alternative to using multifocal contact lenses, which some individuals find difficult to adapt to.
Situations Requiring Protective Eyewear
In many environments, contacts alone do not provide adequate physical protection. These glasses, which include safety goggles or wrap-around shields, are designed to serve as a robust physical barrier. They are essential in situations where the eyes are at risk of external harm.
Common scenarios include yard work, where debris or dust can be kicked up, or when handling chemicals for cleaning or laboratory work. The glasses prevent foreign objects, liquids, or particulate matter from contacting the eye’s surface or the contact lens. For high-impact activities or industrial settings, safety eyewear must meet regulatory standards, such as the ANSI Z87.1 rating, to ensure impact resistance and proper coverage. Wearing protective glasses helps minimize the risk of eye irritation or infection that can occur when particles get trapped beneath a contact lens.
Potential Issues and Warnings
While wearing glasses over contacts is often beneficial, combining two full-strength distance prescriptions can lead to significant visual disturbances. Wearing prescription glasses intended for distance correction over distance-correcting contact lenses results in an over-correction of refractive error. This stacking of power can cause the visual system to work incorrectly, leading to distortion and blurriness.
This excess power forces the eyes and brain to overcompensate, often resulting in symptoms like eye strain, headaches, and dizziness. Depth perception can be impaired, which poses a safety risk, particularly when driving or navigating stairs. It is important to avoid stacking two complete distance prescriptions and to consult an eye care professional if any discomfort or double vision occurs. Physical issues can also arise, such as the glasses frame sitting too close to the face, which can cause the lenses to fog or press against the eyes.