Glasses or contacts? That is the question.

According to Whylie Eye Care Centers in Ames, there are many people in today’s society who need assistance in making their eye sight a little better.

Some people who need extra help in bettering their vision choose to wear glasses, while others prefer to wear contact lenses. The reasons for this decision vary with each individual.

“About 90 percent of the patients that come into our office get glasses or contacts because they need them,” said Terri Friedrich, manager of Whylie Eye Care. “That’s why they come here.”

When it comes to making the big decision, “It’s totally customer preference,” Friedrich said.

“Glasses are a lot bigger today than 10 years ago” when she started working at Whylie Eye Care Center in Ames, she said.

Many people want glasses as a back-up, Friedrich said, and “they want it in their wardrobe, especially girls. If they don’t get them here, they’ll go to Wal-Mart and get them just so they can have them,” she said.

Katie Kostka, a freshman in journalism, chose glasses over contacts.

“I tried to wear contacts, but I can’t because it takes me 20 minutes to put one in,” Kostka said. “Plus, glasses make me look smarter.”

Bonnie Lohf, a sophomore in agricultural studies, grew up on a farm and said she prefers glasses to contacts because she was told by another “farm kid” that being around the dust on the farm would cause problems with contacts.

“I’m also too cheap for contacts,” Lohf said.

For electrical engineering freshman Josh Prins, glasses have been a part of his image since the third grade. “I look different with glasses, and I like them better,” he explained.

Although glasses have become a growing trend, contacts are still widely used, Friedrich said.

People most frequently choose to wear contacts because of the way they look and participation in sports, Friedrich said.

“Disposable contacts are a growing request because of convenience,” she said. Contacts that are worn for a week are also becoming popular among very active people because they require little to no care, Friedrich explained.

“I didn’t like the way glasses looked, so I chose to wear contacts,” said Phillip Marsh, a junior in computer engineering and computer science. He also made his decision because “contacts stop your vision from receding,” he said.

Lyle Petik, a sophomore in engineering, wears glasses most of the time but also has contacts for when he plays sports.

“Contacts are a lot of work, and I prefer glasses for the convenience,” he said.

Another owner of both glasses and contacts is Julie Antone, a sophomore in communication disorders. “I can see better with contacts, and glasses are annoying because they get dirty so easily,” she said.

Friedrich recommends that new contact owners be at least in their early teens so they can properly care for them.

“Beginners have the toughest time with contacts because of the care they take, and they can rip easily when you’re not used to handling them,” she said.

Regardless of the positive and negative aspects of both contacts and glasses, “It all comes down to what the individual wants,” Friedrich said.