Between 20 and 25 million people in America wear contact lenses, while around a million have LASIK surgery to correct their vision.
So which is safer?
A new study yields results that might surprise you.
Most of us would agree going under the laser is more convenient than constantly caring for those contacts.
But we don't see eye to eye on which is safer.
George Moran, "I'd definitely say LASIK surgery."
Keith Daniels, "I'd definitely say contact lens."
Mattie Goodwin, "I'm just scared to do anything with my eyes."
A new study might help settle the matter.
Researchers found daily lens wearers had a greater chance of getting an infection and having significant vision loss than those who had LASIK surgery...one in 2,000 thousand for contact wearers versus one in 10,000 for LASIK patients.
But Doctor James Lusk says that doesn't necessarily mean LASIK is safer.
"I think most ophthalmologist will agree both are equally safe so it's really a matter of patient preference," he says.
Doctor Lusk also says fear and cost are the top two reasons people don't choose LASIK though the surgery is actually also more cost effective especially for younger people.
And for you contact wearers he warns, take proper care of them.
"People using saliva, people using tap water with their lenses, all no no's. They disrupt the surface cells and allow immediate access to bacterial into the eye," says Dr. Lusk.
And above all, he says never sleep in your lenses even if it's approved for overnight use.
Doctors say it's hard to make a direct comparison between the two treatments since complications with LASIK are immediate while risk with contacts accumulate over the years.
