How to Keep Your Vision – and Head – Clear
Maybe you’re familiar with the frustration of getting a new pair of glasses and discover that the new prescription, instead of improving your vision, is causing you to have blurry vision or gives you headaches or even making you dizzy or feel nauseated.
This distressing scenario may leave you wondering if you’re better off just going back to using your glasses with your old prescription. But before you do so, make sure you understand what might be causing these issues and what you can do.
Muscle Strain from Glasses
Each eye contains six muscles. As your eyes learn how to adjust to a new prescription, these muscles have to work harder. This can cause your eyes to stain and give you a headache. This risk is higher if you’re new to glasses or if your prescription has changed significantly.
Glasses with Multiple Lenses
Adjusting to multiple lens glasses (like bifocals, trifocals, or progressives), especially for the first time, can be difficult. In bifocals, the bottom is for reading and working close up, the top for driving and distance vision. Learning to look through your lenses in the right spot to get the vision correction you need could take some getting used to. It’s not unusual for headaches, dizziness, and nausea to accompany the adjustment period for bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses.
Frames
Having your glasses fitted by a professional is important. If your glasses fit too snugly across your nose, or too tightly behind your ears, the pressure may induce a headache. If your glasses feel uncomfortable or leave pinch marks on your nose, your eye doctor can usually make a minor adjustment them to fit your face better. This should make your headaches go away.
Tips for Preventing Headaches from Glasses
Headaches caused by a new eyeglass prescription are common. Give your eyes time to adjust to the new prescription. The best way to do this is by wearing your new glasses as often as you’re able, gradually letting your eyes become accustomed to the new lenses. Usually, your headaches should go away within a few days as your eyes adjust.
Also, like any muscle, your eye muscles need rest. Closing your eyes periodically (for instance, for one minute or so every hour) may help ease eye strain, tension, and headaches. A cool compress can also help alleviate an eyeglass headache.
If your headaches don’t dissipate within a week, call your doctor, especially if you’re also dizzy or nauseous. In some instances, minor adjustments to the frame or lenses will alleviate the problem. In others, a new prescription or adding tinting may be needed.
Your eye doctor can help you find the frames that will provide the best vision and the most comfort. Likewise, your association and AMBA have an excellent Vision Plan that gives you access to thousands of doctors nationwide and amazing savings on prescription eyewear, all at low group rates like when you were working. Learn more at www.AMBAdentalvision.com or call 866-979-0497.
Source: www.self.com/story/heres-why-you-might-get-a-headache-from-new-glasses
