Glasses for first time - reassure me.
Discussion
Just picked up my first ever pair of glasses. That's a lie actually, I wore glasses for a few years when I was much younger (perhaps 7 or 8 years old, I'm 19 now) then stopped as I didn't feel they made any difference. However, I am starting to notice I can't read things in the distance that other people can. For example, I can see a change in speed limit coming up, but can't read the number until I much closer, but my passengers see the number much sooner. I also get eye strain after extended periods of "eye-intensive" tasks such as being at work, which involves looking at a screen for 7 hours.
My prescription is +0.25 in the left eye and +1.75 in the right eye. Apparently it is this imbalance which is causing the strained feeling in the eyes.
Anyway, picked up the glasses today (one standard, anti-reflection pair and some prescription polarising sunglasses) and they immediately felt comfortable in terms of how they sit on my face, but very odd in terms of how they magnify. After a few minutes of wearing I adjust to the 'magnification' but sometimes feel like tears are welling in my eyes, and occasionally closing them feels odd. Hard to describe.
Most importantly I don't feel like they make any difference to my sight. I tested myself by reading number plates from a distance, and printing off a mock eye test - no difference in my ability to discern letters between wearing glasses and without.
Is this normal while my eyes acclimatise? Do I just need to get used to them?
Could my prescription be wrong? Should I get a second opinion at a different optician?
Any other thoughts?
My prescription is +0.25 in the left eye and +1.75 in the right eye. Apparently it is this imbalance which is causing the strained feeling in the eyes.
Anyway, picked up the glasses today (one standard, anti-reflection pair and some prescription polarising sunglasses) and they immediately felt comfortable in terms of how they sit on my face, but very odd in terms of how they magnify. After a few minutes of wearing I adjust to the 'magnification' but sometimes feel like tears are welling in my eyes, and occasionally closing them feels odd. Hard to describe.
Most importantly I don't feel like they make any difference to my sight. I tested myself by reading number plates from a distance, and printing off a mock eye test - no difference in my ability to discern letters between wearing glasses and without.
Is this normal while my eyes acclimatise? Do I just need to get used to them?
Could my prescription be wrong? Should I get a second opinion at a different optician?
Any other thoughts?
Interesting - the + sign on your prescription suggests longsightedness - in that you should be fine reading things at distance, but not so good at close up things.
Given that one eye is +.25 I would guess that you've favoured that one for close work up to now - with two eyes that good it'd be unlikely you'd need glasses.
It's the +1.75 that needs the magnification to bring it up to the standard of the other eye; give it about a week, your head should sort itself out.
The difficulty with distant objects is interesting - did your optician mention anything about astigmatism?
Given that one eye is +.25 I would guess that you've favoured that one for close work up to now - with two eyes that good it'd be unlikely you'd need glasses.
It's the +1.75 that needs the magnification to bring it up to the standard of the other eye; give it about a week, your head should sort itself out.
The difficulty with distant objects is interesting - did your optician mention anything about astigmatism?
davepoth said:
It's the +1.75 that needs the magnification to bring it up to the standard of the other eye; give it about a week, your head should sort itself out.
The difficulty with distant objects is interesting - did your optician mention anything about astigmatism?
Thanks. I'll use them on and off for a week, then report back.The difficulty with distant objects is interesting - did your optician mention anything about astigmatism?
My optician did plenty of tests but didn't mention anything to do with astigmatism.
Long Drax said:
Did your optician not test your vision with you wearing your new specs
before you left the shop?
No. The assistant set them up by adjusting the frames so they sat level, but did not actually test my vision.before you left the shop?
Du1point8 said:
seriously you were sold glasses without an eye test?
I don't think he was.Eyetest - glasses made - glasses picked up and adjusted (maybe on a different day)
Unless I have got the wrong end of the stick, but that is how I have ben doing it for years.
It can take a few days to get used to a new prescription. Give it a chance and see how you get on - don't imagine the optician will mind checking the strength of the glasses against your prescription if you are unsure, but I would leave it for a week and if it still feels weird, speak to the optician.
I've had glasses for around 3 or 4 years now (well I had them for a couple of years vefore that but rarely wore them.
Now I can't do without them, although my prescription has not altered in the last two years or so.
Persevere, and you will see the benefits. At some point you will start to realise when they are not there and will then look for them to put them on.
Now I can't do without them, although my prescription has not altered in the last two years or so.
Persevere, and you will see the benefits. At some point you will start to realise when they are not there and will then look for them to put them on.
I picked up my first glasses a couple of weeks ago, I can't wear them though they drive me mad. Maybe its because I'm not used to them but the magnification seems too strong. They are supposed to be for reading only and after wearing them for a couple of minutes and then taking them off everything is a complete blurry mess. It takes a good 5 minutes for things to get back to normal.
When I had the eye test she kept asking "Which one is clearer, one or two?" etc, but most of the time I couldn't tell any difference so ended up just picking at random.
165 quid and they seem to make things worse. I'll have to get back down there.
When I had the eye test she kept asking "Which one is clearer, one or two?" etc, but most of the time I couldn't tell any difference so ended up just picking at random.
165 quid and they seem to make things worse. I'll have to get back down there.
Odie said:
br d said:
When I had the eye test she kept asking "Which one is clearer, one or two?" etc, but most of the time I couldn't tell any difference so ended up just picking at random.
Next time perhaps you should say 'both the same'...And do not be afriad to tell them if you are unsure.
Odie said:
br d said:
she kept asking "Which one is clearer, one or two?"
Next time perhaps you should say 'both the same'...Its simply bracketing between 2 known places looking for a difference. The end point is when you can't tell a difference. For some people that is between quite large differences in prescription for others much less.
By making up the answers you will have been driving her quietly mad! Bear in mind she will know the likely answer before she asks so if you give a different one she'll do the same test a different way around to see who's wrong you or her.
If I have someone who is very inconsistent ultimately the end result won't be as accurate as it could be.
Just tell it as you see it. If you can't see a difference say so.
To the OP - you may not feel you see better with them (you may not in fact) but you will be able to see equally with both at the same time which without you won't. (You can't test this easily as if you cover your good eye you will focus until the other one is clear. Uncover it and you focus for the better eye - you can only focus the same amount in both eyes at the same time so one eye is always blurred)
Out of interest where did you go in Bristol?
This will make seeing more comfortable and less tiring. It may take a while to get used to as you have a image size difference (aniseikonia)caused by the glasses - the +1.75 magnifies more than the +0.25. You should get used to it.
By making up the answers you will have been driving her quietly mad! Bear in mind she will know the likely answer before she asks so if you give a different one she'll do the same test a different way around to see who's wrong you or her.
If I have someone who is very inconsistent ultimately the end result won't be as accurate as it could be.
Just tell it as you see it. If you can't see a difference say so.
To the OP - you may not feel you see better with them (you may not in fact) but you will be able to see equally with both at the same time which without you won't. (You can't test this easily as if you cover your good eye you will focus until the other one is clear. Uncover it and you focus for the better eye - you can only focus the same amount in both eyes at the same time so one eye is always blurred)
Out of interest where did you go in Bristol?
This will make seeing more comfortable and less tiring. It may take a while to get used to as you have a image size difference (aniseikonia)caused by the glasses - the +1.75 magnifies more than the +0.25. You should get used to it.
Edited by DKL on Tuesday 12th June 20:28
I am sure that there is truth in the folk wisdom that once you submit to wearing glasses you are stuck with them. But you would have suffered increasing difficulty without them. I agree that difficulty with distance suggests short sightedness which would require negative lenses. Time will tell, but when I first wore my glasses for long-sightedness/age related sight problems I was amazed by what I had been missing in clarity over the time that had elapsed between initial difficulties and submitting to the inevitable.
Thanks everyone for the help. I will stick with them for a bit.
Odd thing I've noticed is that when driving with the glasses on, I find it much harder to judge the width of my car. I think is due to imbalance in the magnification effecting my sense of perspective. I'll bear with them for a bit though.
Odd thing I've noticed is that when driving with the glasses on, I find it much harder to judge the width of my car. I think is due to imbalance in the magnification effecting my sense of perspective. I'll bear with them for a bit though.
DKL said:
Out of interest where did you go in Bristol?
Boots opticians in Clifton Down shopping centre.Synchromesh said:
Boots opticians in Clifton Down shopping centre.
I'd recommend going to independent opticians as a rule. Boots are probably much better than Specsavers but the way I figure I want an optician that specialises in eyes and don't have a sideline in sandwiches and lipstick. davepoth said:
I'd recommend going to independent opticians as a rule. Boots are probably much better than Specsavers but the way I figure I want an optician that specialises in eyes and don't have a sideline in sandwiches and lipstick.
The opticians is separate to the shop. I don't see why the optician should be any less qualified or experienced.Synchromesh said:
davepoth said:
I'd recommend going to independent opticians as a rule. Boots are probably much better than Specsavers but the way I figure I want an optician that specialises in eyes and don't have a sideline in sandwiches and lipstick.
The opticians is separate to the shop. I don't see why the optician should be any less qualified or experienced.Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff