My New Glasses Aren\'t Right!

[buffymad]

Got some new glasses about a week ago but only started wearing them Sunday. All seemed okay until I tried to look out of the side of my eye on the right side and I got double vision, ie whatever I was looking at I could see 2 of! Now I\'m sure this isn\'t right and my old specs didn\'t have this problem. I know they also need tightening up. I did go to get them sorted (the tightening up part) this lunchtime and they felt more secure but by the end of the day they\'re loose again! How can that happen?

Must admit, this has happened to me before. I\'ve had an eye exam, prescription usually changes ever so slightly and then the glasses aren\'t right. Its happened at Vision Express before where I kept telling them it was blurry unless I pulled my specs up and looked out the bottom half - resulting in them being fitted properly and hey presto I could see. But also had a problem at Specsavers - glasses were totally wrong and I could see better out my other ones. I had another eye exam and they change them but they were still! I went back about 6 times and no one was really interested, it was like I was making it up!

So now I hate going for eye exams and think maybe its something I\'m doing wrong? I can only tell them what I can see and answer their questions - but obviously something is going wrong somewhere if I\'m having problems when I get new glasses (although last time was fine, glasses were perfect!). I feel stupid for having to go back and say errm, they\'re not right and then to try and explain the problem. I always feels like I\'m in the wrong and I\'m being a nuisance!

Has anyone had the same kind of problem before and know what might cause this - or is it really just me?! If it had only happened the once I would be fine - but because its happened a few times I feel its me doing something wrong!!

[Prudentia]

you need to look up into the sky and look for a bright yellow ball on a clear day, if you can see it you new glasses are OK, its called the sun and it's 93 million miles away. How far do you want to see???????????

[york310]

There are many individuals that have the same problem as you. That is, that you may be intolerant to small changes in your prescription and that when you go for your eye examinations the first thing you should tell your optician is that you have had many circumstances when you have had problems adapting to new spectacles. If you do this they will endeavor to leave your prescription unchanged if you are having no problems with your current spectacles.
You have to remember that although you are answering all these questions during an eye examination (eg. better with this lens or that lens) ultimately it is the decision of the optometrist to what power lenses would benefit you most and prescribe these. Do not worry that you are answering questions incorrectly as there is no such thing as a wrong answer. During the test some of the options are difficult to chooses between because they are fine tuning and sometimes there won't be any differnces between the options they give you as they are closing in on your ideal correction.
Unfortunately there are many instances in which people return with their new spectacles with problems and the practice that you attend should be able to deal with your issues. They may suggest that wait to see if you can adapt to your new spectacle prescription and try them for a few weeks first. If you do this and are still having problems than they will recommend that the optician has a check of the prescription again.

If you were not having any problems with your previous spectcles then ask to have the same prescription aagin

[buffymad]

I think they're called Nikon lenses? Got quite a high prescription so get them made thinner and lighter so they're not like milk bottles.

I know I'm not going to see for miles but I definitely don't want double vision either!

Nice to know it happens to others! Last glasses were pretty much fine although lenses were so scratched I was never sure if it was my eyes getting worse or just the state of the lens! Would they be happy to use my previous prescription do you think (been to same store last couple of times)? He'd said I was seeing the same amount of distance, just needed a bit of fine tuning - but doesn't seem to have tuned very fine in my opinion!

[lilacben]

buffymad, I am also having trouble with my glasses. I have had them for quite a few months now and they have never been right. Have gone back to Specsavers and they have adjusted them. Like yourself the arms keep going loose and I take them back and they tighten them again. My glasses are varifocals. When I am walking with them on they make me feel strange. And when on in the car things look blurry so much I have to take them off. I do not drive I must add. I begruge to pay out for a new eye test but am thinking it may be better if I do.

[buffymad]

Lucy - oops! First post I typed on my laptop. So either I typed it out a bit quick and my fingers slipped or my keyboard has gone mad!

Lilacben - I had the most trouble with Specsavers! Think I went back about 6 times and although I kept stressing it was blurred and I could see better with my old specs, they just kept trying to bend them
a bit more which made no difference! Asked for my money back in the end and they just didn't care!

I know they say it takes a while to adjust to new glasses and I'd agree with that. On the other hand I think you know yourself instantly if somethings a bit "off".

[Fanriffic]

I had similar problems with my new glasses. I couldn't focus correctly with my right eye (blurry).
I started off with new thin lens but could not adjust to these no matter what I did. Got these changed to standard single vision lens with anti-glare coating which helped ever so slightly - just. Again got the lens changed at my expense but the same problem was still there. I was beginning to think it was just me and that I was imagining it.
I left it for a month and then went to another opticians on the high street. Paid for another eye test just to put my mind at rest (second opinion). The change in my prescription was ever so slightly different. I then picked another frame as the optician said the new frames I had were too big for my face shape. So frame choice is crucial.
I was sick of the sight (no pun intended) of my other frames anyway because of the previous lens problems.
At last, I could now focus and see. The optician explained that it could have just been the lens make and manufacturer that solved the problems. She also mentioned that in some rare cases, it can take people about a month to adjust to new prescriptions. So it's not just you buffymad. Stick with it.
From this experience, I now know I can't wear thin lens or Pentax lens.
PS. When taking your eye test, ensure the mirror is directly in front of you and not offset to the left or right.

[york310]

I don't think Buffymad will be happy wih the answer 'look through the centre of your glasses only'. Don't move your eyes just turn your head!!

Buffymad had no problems with their previous specs. Return and ask if the change in prescription is really necessary and ensure you had the same lens type as you have had before.

When you have a high prescription and use these thinner lenses more factors come in to play. The 'prismatic effect' as mentioned is that when you look away from the optical centre of the lens (straight ahead of you) you are ultimately looking through part of the lens which has a slightly different prescription to that of the centre. This can be exaggerated if the new frame is slightly larger than before and also some lenses are better at reducing this than others. Also the frame fit becomes more relevant such as the distance of the lenses from your eyes and the mild tilt of the lenses.

If you are dissatisfied with your specatcles then return and ask for some help

Unfortunately there are many people that have these issues and often have a 'recheck' after every eye exam. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT but neither is it the fault of the optician. You need to work together to get the optimum prescription for yourself - if this means not changing anything even if in the examination room it feels slightly better then no change needs to be made - especially if you attend with no concerns about your vision.

[buffymad]

Well, I went back to the opticians and it turns out the young girl who'd served me had forgotten to include some measurement to go with the glasses - the one that tells them where the centre of my pupil is in relation to the lenses - and apparently that's even more important to get right when you've got a high prescription! So they went away, came back and hey presto, I can see properly again! Oh, and the (nicer) lady fitted them properly to me so now they aren't loose! Result - phew !!