Question
Hi. I had been getting excruciating headaches so I went to the optometrist. I needed a new prescription. I am a vet student and spend all my time on my lap top/computer and he also gave me a Rx for reading glasses too that I should wear for long study periods reading/on the computer. I cannot wear them in class because I have to keep looking at the front of the classroom. They are not strong and help/feel comfortable but I find after I take them off and put my distance glasses back on, they feel "off".
My distance Rx also changed and my first Rx was clearly wrong - they re-checked me and the changed the Rx claiming my eyes changed dramatically in 1 1/2 weeks (don't but it but they changed them free of charge). When the new pair came in, they seemed perfect with the exception of slight dizziness that I think was a depth perception problem. I wore them over the weekend and my headaches seemed better but after classes on Monday - the headaches returned and the glasses did not seem to work as well as when I was at home.. All of our classes are taught on powerpoint presentations that are not well lit in the front of a large stadium - style room with the lights dimmed. All notes are taken on a tablet computer. I don't know what to do. When I put the glasses on initially in the morning, I feel a sort of pressure behind my eyes. I have only had them for 4 days and I am not sure if I need more time to adjust, if I should get my eyes re-checked somewhere else or if it is due the conditions I am in at school.
My left eye is pretty normal and my right eye has the astigmatism. The doctor explained due to the right eye being so much worse, my brain will need time to adjust with the new glasses to using both eyes again as opposed to relying on the good eye and this can cause headaches/depth perception problems, etc initially. After other Rx in the past I never had these problems.
I would like your opinion on this, how long it should take to adjust to new glasses and what you think my next step should be. I have never worn glasses before vet school (3rd year student now)and I am needing a new Rx every 7-8 months or so (only a slight change in Rx but apparently my eyes are very sensitive to change in vision). The headaches are most severe behind my eyes and there is also pressure in my temples (I do see clearly most of the time with them but the headaches persist). I have also tried to keep lubricating them and try and take regular breaks to look at far objects when at home on the computer for long periods. Nothing is helping. I couldn't even go to school today and I can't function like this much longer. Please help!
Thanks you,
Jennifer Q
Answer
Hi Jennifer,
I could make up a lot of possibilities for why your visual system is troubled. But the real reason can't be known without more info. You would need a few things: as far as refractive info:
1 the autorefractor's reading before and after cycloplegia,
2 your subjective refraction info before and after cycloplegia, and
3 the previous and current glasses prescriptions.
Also the glasses (new and old) themselves need to be assessed as far as prescription, material, center thickness, and base curve.
Of course an assessment of your accommodative/vergence system needs to be done too.
Then some good analysis can begin. Without that info, it's all guesswork. It's a lot of things to consider but attending only the glasses is short sighted. At least if previous glasses helped, the differences between the old and new glasses needs to be considered.
Best of luck, let me know how it goes.
Mitch Axelrod,OD
