If you wear eyeglasses full-time (as
opposed to contact lenses) like me, chances are you carefully place your
eyeglasses down at night before going to bed.
They may be the first thing you reach for in the morning. You’ve become
dependent on your “sight friend” to drive, read, or view all those individuals
that are important
In addition to your regular glasses,
you may have store- bought or prescription readers that make reading your smart
phone or your computer time so much easier.
Lately, your new prescription eyeglasses don’t seem to be living up to
the cost you got them for with your eye insurance. Maybe there are some
symptoms you are noticing that don’t seem right. If you are noticing any of the side effects
mentioned below, it’s time to back to your eye doctor. Please have your glasses
(or even your eyes) reexamined.
2.
Blurry Vision:
When lenses are off by even a few degrees, it can cause blurry vision. However,
blurry vision can also occur as you adjust to a new pair of prescription lenses
of the correct strength. According to the authors of the Optical Training Manual (published in 2003), blurriness during
adjustment to a new prescription should last a maximum of 2 weeks.
If blurriness
continues beyond 2 weeks, there is a good chance that either you have the wrong
prescription or perhaps the lenses do not match what was prescribed. If there
is doubt about the prescription, contact your eye doctor regarding an
appropriate adjustment period.
3.
Headaches:
Wearing the wrong prescription for a prolonged period of time can cause eye
strain, resulting in pain around and behind the eye. People often describe the
pain as a headache since it is similar to the dull, aching pain of a frontal
headache.
According to the American Headache Society, you can
experiment by not wearing your glasses during certain parts of the day to see
if the frequency or severity of your headaches is affected. If your headaches
seem to be more of a problem when wearing your glasses, there could be an error
in the prescription. Headaches and blurred vision may also indicate a number of
serious illnesses, however, and these symptoms should not be ignored.
4.
Vertigo:
Vertigo is the sensation of dizziness and being off balance when sitting or
standing. According to Massachusetts Eye and Ear, vertigo can arise from many
different causes ranging from blurry vision to inner ear problems. Vertigo
associated with a prescription lens error may relate to changes in your depth
perception from reading glasses or bifocal lenses.
If you already have a type of vertigo, the wrong glasses can
exacerbate the problem. While headaches, blurred vision and vertigo may
accompany the wrong prescription, these symptoms can also signal serious
illnesses and should be looked into without delay.[i]
“12% of people
with glasses wear them as an attempt to see [well]. 88% of people with glasses wear them as an
attempt to appear smarter.” (Mokokoma Mokhonoana)
[i] A sudden onset of blurry vision,
headaches and vertigo can indicate many different health problems, some of them
serious or even life-threatening. Though a new pair of glasses can be
suggestive of the source of the problem, it is important to give your doctor a
detailed history of your health and chronic conditions so that other serious
causes for these symptoms can be considered and ruled out. Adapted from: “Symptoms of a Wrong
Glasses Prescription” by Wasi
Saleem, MD, MBA
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