Getting a new pair of glasses can be an exciting experience. Choosing the perfect pair, picking out the lens features, and seeing it all come together can make you feel like a brand-new person. But adjusting to your new prescription can be a lot to handle.
Everyone’s adjustment period can vary, but on average, it can take a few days if you’re wearing your glasses regularly.
It also depends on how great your prescription change is or if you’re particularly sensitive. Regular eye exams can help monitor your eyes and detect vision changes in small increments, meaning when your prescription changes, it minimizes the adjustment effects on your eyes.
Symptoms of Adjusting to New Glasses
When adjusting to new glasses, it is common to experience a range of symptoms as your eyes adapt to the new prescription. These symptoms may include:
- Difficulty focusing
- Blurry vision
- Eye strain
- Poor depth perception
- Dizziness and nausea
- Headaches
- Visual distortions
These symptoms are expected during the adjustment period and should improve as your eyes become accustomed to the new glasses. If you experience discomfort or persistent issues, schedule an appointment with your eye care team.
Why Do You Need to Adjust to New Glasses?
Several elements can influence your adjustment period.
Prescription Change
One of the main factors that can impact your adjustment period is the diagnosis and correction of your prescription. If your new prescription is significantly stronger or weaker than your old corrective lenses, or you’ve developed another refractive error, you may notice some discomfort or strain.
The most common changes to your vision include:
- Nearsightedness (myopia)
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Astigmatism
- Presbyopia
More frequent eye exams can help you avoid extreme prescription changes at one time. Instead, your prescription changes may be more mild unless you have additional eye conditions.
Lens Material
The type of lens material that you choose can also impact your adjustment period. For instance, if you switch from plastic lenses to glass, you may experience a different feel or weight with your new glasses.
The latest and most popular eyeglass lens types include:
- Polycarbonate lenses
- Hi-index lenses
- Trivex lenses
- Aspheric lenses
If you opt for new technology lenses, such as progressive lenses, it may take some time to get used to the adjustments needed for reading and distance vision.
Using unfamiliar lens coatings can also change the way you adapt to your glasses, including:
- Scratch-resistant coatings
- Anti-glare coatings
- UV protection
- Polarized lenses
- Blue-light coating
Frame Style
If you’ve chosen a different frame style, you may notice that your new glasses feel different on your face or sit differently on your nose. It’s common for your new glasses to feel foreign on your face, but most of the time, it’s just a matter of getting used to a new style.
If you experience discomfort beyond 2 weeks, return to your eye care team for an adjustment.
Frequency of Wear
How often you wear your glasses can significantly impact your adjustment period. If you only wear your glasses for a few hours a day, it may take longer to adjust than if you wear them all day.
It’s essential to be patient with the adjustment process and wear your glasses frequently. Consistent wear will help you adapt to your new glasses and enjoy the benefits of clear vision.
Tips for Easing the Adjustment Period
You can do several things to ease the adjustment period and make the process more comfortable.
- Have your glasses appropriately fitted for comfort and to reduce eye strain
- Try wearing your glasses for short periods at first and gradually increase the frequency of wear
- Give yourself time to adjust
Feeling a bit off or disoriented during the adjustment period is normal, but most people find that their symptoms subside within a few days.
Update Your Glasses
The longer you go between eye exams, the more dramatic your prescription change can be, resulting in a more noticeable adjustment period. By scheduling regular eye exams, your eye care team can detect eye conditions affecting your visual acuity and track your prescription changes.
The adjustment process is normal. Give your eyes time to adapt to your new prescription, frame, and lenses. Book an appointment for an eye exam at Bluebird Vision + Wellness and browse our wide range of frame styles to find your next pair of eyeglasses.
