When you go to pick up your new glasses, you expect to put them on and voilà! The world is clear again. However, that's not always the case.
Have you ever put them on and not felt comfortable? Maybe you feel dizzy, see strangely, or have a slight headache. It's more normal than you might think. In fact, this is one of the most explored topics on the web.
Why are new glasses uncomfortable?
Because when wearing new glasses, you must get used to the new lens parameters, which include:
- The new prescription
- The lens material
- The size of the hoop and how it fits
For example, if your previous lenses were small and your new ones are larger, it is normal to have to adjust to a new field of vision.
If your lenses are single vision (or simple), they should stop bothering you within 2 or 3 days. If you use progressive or bifocal lenses, it may take up to 2 weeks for them to feel comfortable.
What should you do?
If your symptoms are tolerable, i.e., "it feels different, but I can use them," then use them for a few days, as it may just be a matter of adjustment.
However, if you cannot see well, the discomfort is intolerable, or five days have passed and you still feel strange, here is what you should do:
- Go back to the optician.All opticians in Panama give you a minimum one-month warranty. Go back so they can check you and the lenses.
- Make sure the doctor checks EVERYTHING. At Ópticas OptiKal, we have a protocol to follow when a patient reports discomfort with their new glasses: from checking that the frame fits properly to verifying your prescription.
- Seek a second opinion, especially if you are not convinced.
It's true that these situations can be frustrating, but you should know that 90% of the time, what you need is a customization of your glasses. Not a change of lenses.
These are the most common discomforts with new glasses:
What symptoms are you experiencing? Here you can see the most common ones and a little advice on what to do.
- I can't see clearly with my glasses.
If you have single vision or bifocal lenses, your prescription may need to be adjusted. If you have progressive lenses, other lens measurements may also be needed.
Our advice: go back to the optician right away. - Dizziness and/or feeling that things are moving.
This symptom may be due to several causes, such as:- Adapting to glasses
- Changes in the astigmatism prescription
- Some of the lens measurements are not aligned with your eyes (such as the pupillary distance).
We recommend that if the discomfort is mild, you wait a few days. But if it is uncomfortable (you literally cannot wear the lenses), you should return to the optician.
- Feeling of pressure in the eyes.
"I can see clearly, but my eyes feel heavy" is the phrase we hear. Most of the time, it's because you're not tolerating the prescription. In other words, you probably see perfectly well, but it's better to adjust the prescription to make it more comfortable.
What you should do: go back to the optician and ask the doctor to check your tolerance to the prescription. Remember, the prescription may be what you need, but it should also be comfortable. - I have to move the text closer or further away to see it properly.
This symptom is common with single vision reading glasses. In this case, the prescription is not necessarily incorrect, but rather it was not made for the distance you wanted to read or to see the computer.
We suggest that you try to modify your working distance. If this is not possible, you will have to return to the optician. - I have to move my head to find the right focus.
This occurs when using progressive or bifocal lenses, and in most cases it is because the pupillary distance or height is not aligned with your eye.
If this happens to you, go back to the optician. The specialist will need to check whether your frames need to be customized or whether the lenses need to be remade.
