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Original poster

If you have bad eyesight do you take your glasses with you when wearing contacts?

110 replies

PineConeWar · 06/01/2022 10:46

I have very bad eyesight (-11) both eyes and always wear contacts when I leave the house. I also always carry my glasses with me whenever I go out in case I need to take a lens out for some reason. I usually wear hard lenses, which are more susceptible to grit etc if it's windy.
DH gets really annoyed because it means I always need to take a bag for activities where he would just take stuff in his pockets. I'm terrified of being stranded somewhere because I can't see. Wouldn't be able to drive home or even cross a road safely. Am I the only person who does this? Or is it something everyone with bad eyesight does?

OP posts:
poopyface · 06/01/2022 10:48

I do this - or take some spare lenses (disposables)

Unihorn · 06/01/2022 10:49

Mine aren't as bad (-3) but I recently started thinking about keeping glasses in the car just in case. If something happened to my lenses and I had no glasses, I wouldn't be able to safely drive even with my prescription so I can see why you do it.

I don't understand why you carrying a bag bothers him though? Glasses aren't exactly bulky.

Goldi321 · 06/01/2022 10:49

Yes, always. I wouldn’t be able to get home (or even navigate my way to my car!) if something happened with a contact lens (soft lens wearer).
Sounds like a lovely privileged position for your DH to be in to not worry about these things!

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Hollyhead · 06/01/2022 10:49

Very sensible. My eyesight is -4.5 and I don’t but I’m aware I should, I don’t think I’d be safe to be ‘out and about’ at my prescription, let alone yours!

Covidclaire · 06/01/2022 10:50

I don’t always take glasses but it’s very rare I go out without a bag. Trouser pockets for women aren’t generally big enough to fit in anything more than the smallest set of keys. Most phones are too big for a pocket nowadays. And jackets and coats look ridiculous stuffed full of items.

I don’t see why it’s a problem for him if you’re carrying your own stuff?

BernardsBum · 06/01/2022 10:52

I have similar eyesight to you OP.
I have a spare pair in my car, and if I'm not using my car, I take a pair in a bag with me.
Unless you're expecting him to carry your specs, your DH needs to button it!

TakeYourFinalPosition · 06/01/2022 10:52

No, but I’ve never lost a contact and can easily reseat them if they come out; which rarely happens. And my vision is only -2.

I don’t carry a bag at any point; I might be tempted to throw my glasses into one if I did, but I can’t get used to having one. I’d just end up leaving it behind somewhere Blush

Twospaniels · 06/01/2022 10:52

I am -4.5 and wear disposable lenses so always have a pair of those with me just in case.
I don’t go anywhere without my handbag anyway.

Perhaps you could make your husband wear your glasses for a day and see how he likes not being able to see!

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 06/01/2022 10:54

No, but it's a good idea! I'm -12.5 so would be helpless without glasses/lenses - though tbh these days I wear my glasses much more than my lenses anyway.

minipie · 06/01/2022 10:54

I’m about the same prescription. No I don’t take glasses with me.

However I wear soft lenses and the chances of something happening to one is small, and very little chance of something happening to both. I could get home with one lens (would not drive obvs, but I live in a city so public transport or cab is generally an option).

I used to wear hard lenses as a teenager and they were a PITA for coming out or getting grit in them. May I ask why you don’t switch to soft, is it a prescription issue?

As above I don’t understand what your DH’s problem is. Nothing wrong with taking a bag if you want to - for any reason.

Alieninmybody · 06/01/2022 10:54

What difference does it make to your husband if you bring a bag or not? My dh never questions if I'm bringing a bag or not.
I always have spare daily disposable lenses to hand. I am -7.5 and would struggle with the basics, it must be so much worse for you.
Tell him to mind his own business.

MsRinky · 06/01/2022 10:57

My prescription isn't as strong as yours, and I wear disposable lenses, but I always have a spare pair of glasses and a pair of lenses stored in the car, and a spare pair of lenses in my pocket/bag - and I usually have a small bag with me when leaving the house for my other minimum requirements of phone/mask/keys/tissues.

Don't see how your own bag for what you consider to be essentials is in any way anyone else's concern.

ExtremelyDetermined · 06/01/2022 10:58

-10 here.

I keep old pairs of glasses in both our cars but in 35 years of lens wear (20 in rigid gas permeables, 15 in soft) I have never needed them.

I never carry glasses if I'm out on foot or public transport it just wouldn't even occur to me. I can see well enough with one in to walk or use public transport if necessary but again, it's never happened. If I really had to to take one out and clean it to get rid of dust I'd use tap water (preferably cooled boiled) then clean them properly or dispose of them when I get home. That has happened very occasionally.

ExtremelyDetermined · 06/01/2022 10:59

He is being unreasonable though, it's entirely up to you what you carry and where.

AnyFucker · 06/01/2022 11:00

Very poor eyesight is a disability. I have -5.25 so would not be able to get myself home safely if something happened to my lenses. I keep a pair of glasses in the car and always have extra (disposable) lenses with me.

teacreature · 06/01/2022 11:06

I always take mine. Leave it in the glove box or if I have big handbag leave it in my bag. I wouldn't be able to drive if something happened to it. If I've gone out for the whole day, I normally take my lenses off anyway at the end of the evening and wear my glasses as my lens get uncomfortable after about 8 hours of wearing.

Redcrayons · 06/01/2022 11:07

-5, so not as bad as you. I couldn’t drive home but would be able to walk/train/cab if I knocked one out. I’d struggle if I lost both and it wasn’t a place I’m familiar with.

I usually have a spare pair in my bag, although I should probably keep them in my car glove box as I don’t take my bag out with me every time.

Most women carry bags with them, not sure why he’s objecting to it.

actiongirl1978 · 06/01/2022 11:08

I wear disposable lenses every day and never wear glasses. I have a spare pair of contacts at work, in my handbag and in the car in case one goes wrong.
I don't actually have any glasses that are my current prescription.
But I can see why you feel the need for a safety net if you wear hard lenses.

burnoutbabe · 06/01/2022 11:10

I am -6 or so

I only take glasses with me if i have had issues settling my contacts when putting them in in the morning (and I'd also take spare contacts to replace those first)

I have managed fine with just one contact at times at work. And I can get myself home on tubes etc if i don't have either. i mean its a bit blurry but i know where i am going.

If i drove, then i'd probably stick old glasses (assuming prescripion still same) in the car for emergencies as obviously one can't drive without good site. But as long as not driving, one can function without great vision if you had to (not that I'd go see a movie like that but i'd eat lunch with a mate okay)

SilverHairedCat · 06/01/2022 11:10

Would you take a spare set of contacts instead of glasses if you didn't want to carry things?
I have to carry medication, but I literally cut out a few pills these days so I can have a small packet in a pocket, no longer requiring a bag.

SickAndTiredAgain · 06/01/2022 11:10

I don’t take them in my bag everywhere, but I have a pair in the car so I don’t get stuck anywhere if something happened to my contacts.

Afflecksbungalow · 06/01/2022 11:16

I take mine everywhere, have had to swap contacts for glasses many times.
You have a DH problem Grin

NobbyButtons · 06/01/2022 11:18

I don't but it would probably be sensible in case something happened with my lenses. Occasionally I get a bit of grit in my eye which can be extremely painful. I often carry a small rucksack however and don't see that as much of an inconvenience.

ExtremelyDetermined · 06/01/2022 11:26

It's not so much the bag carrying (although I do quite frequently go out without one and just carry phone etc in my coat pockets).

But I keep my glasses in the bathroom as that's where I take my lenses out and I'd find it irritating to have to remember to go and fetch them every time I wanted to leave the house or get to bedtime and realise they're still in my bag. I suppose if you took them to your bag as soon as you put your lenses in it would solve the first situation but not the latter. I don't always have spare lenses to carry either as mine are monthlies. I have done so sometimes when I've had spares from trialling a new prescription but have ended up chucking them when they expire.

BHX3000 · 06/01/2022 11:29

I’m -8 and don’t usually take glasses with me when I go out. I’ve never lost a lens or had any issues, thankfully. I don’t drive though, and live in a city so I could ‘easily’ get home on the bus or in an Uber if something happened.

I do take them with me (as well as solution) once a month or so, when I have a very long day at work - eg 7am-11pm. I know my eyes might get dry and I’ll need to give them a rest during a break. I can’t work with glasses on... Same for when I travel to another city for the day. I don’t like feeling being physically far away from my glasses, it’s a bit weird I know.