A viewer asks: “Are contact lenses generally safe, or are there inherent risks to be aware of? If there are risks, how can they be mitigated?”

The risks of contact lenses are well known to ophthalmologists. Because of the physical contact and proximity to the tissues of the eye, there are additional and unique potential complications and downside compared to just relying on corrective lenses to enhance vision, and thus provide a kind of crutch. The same sort of enabling will happen with contact lenses in providing a kind of instant solution so the eyes do not have to work harder on their own to focus more effectively. So, contact lenses are not a magic answer that is automatically superior to wearing glasses, but have some additional risks as well. And that is something individuals will need to sort out with their caregiver to factor in all the variables involved concerning their age, extent of vision correction truly needed, and other factors involved in considering the goals desired for improvement.