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Original poster

Have Specsavers advised glasses I don't need? Does anyone know, please?

28 replies

painbrain · 30/01/2021 15:17

I had my eyes tested this morning as I've been having headaches from using the screen all day.
I'm pretty sure the headaches are related to poor posture at the screen and also teeth clenching with stress, but wanted an eye test just in case.

At first the optician said I had one long sighted eye and one short sighted eye l, then after all the tests, he said the main problem was with astigmatism and sent me with an assistant to choose glasses to wear for close work.

The assistant said a couple of times that it was a really small prescription, and I probably wouldn't notice the difference. I asked if people actually usually bought glasses for this prescription, and she said some do. I bought them anyway, then came home and googled and am doubting it even more. I'll put the prescription here in case anyone can make sense of advise! Thank you if you can!

Right eye: SPH +0.25 CYL -0.5 AXIS 35.0
Left eye: SPH 0.00 CYL -0.25 AXIS 180.

OP posts:
MaxRushden · 30/01/2021 15:36

I've got a low prescription an find my glasses vital, my sister is similar and finds glasses a pita so I think it's possibly quite personal?

LyraSilvertongueBelacqua · 30/01/2021 15:39

I have a very weak prescription and they said they same to me (Boots) but I went for it and it finitely helps with my headaches.

LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow · 30/01/2021 15:44

it is a small prescription, but given that you are reporting headaches from using the screen, it could be worth a go.

straight forward lenses with an antireflection coating would be my recommendation for any prolonged screen use

tbh if you haven't addressed the poor posture and stress, and are not keen to try the specs I am not sure what you do think is going to help?

dh has a similar prescription and finds his specs very helpful for driving, and as a pp said there's a wide range of how people fare with their specs and how they view the benefits.

Interested in this thread?

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General health
anniegun · 30/01/2021 15:47

If you use that prescription at Glasses Direct you can buy 2 pairs of glasses for £16 as a new customer That is a really cheap way of finding out if you benefit from them.

Original poster
painbrain · 30/01/2021 15:54

Thank you. It's especially useful to hear from people that have a low prescription and find it beneficial. I think I will go ahead.

@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow I have addressed
both issue this week - a new desk set-up for the posture and amitriptyline for the teeth clenching, although it might be too early to see a big difference yet. I was just trying to say that I am aware there could be other factors behind the headaches.

OP posts:
allmycats · 30/01/2021 16:41

So, you go and see an ophthalmologist (correct name for person who actually tests your eyes), who has been to university and then had 2 years supervision, and they give their professionally qualified advice re your eyesight and you then prefer to take advice from random mumsnetters.

Original poster
painbrain · 30/01/2021 17:29

I have been to university for four years and now work as a teacher - trust me, random people question the judgement of teachers all the time.

Also I am aware that Specsavers are a business and as such, want to sell products, so I just asked a fairly inoffensive question. Not everyone has people to mull things over with in real life. I hope your unkind response made you feel good briefly.

OP posts:
Original poster
painbrain · 30/01/2021 17:30

Sorry, that was to @allmycats. Everyone else has been very helpful, but I will leave the thread now. I didn't think a question so innocuous could cause problems.

OP posts:
MaxRushden · 30/01/2021 17:35

@painbrain

Sorry, that was to *@allmycats*. Everyone else has been very helpful, but I will leave the thread now. I didn't think a question so innocuous could cause problems.
Please don't leave because one person was so rude!

Hopefully you'll get others with good advice.

It's a perfectly valid question to ask 😊

Submariner · 30/01/2021 17:48

I had a very small prescription when I first had glasses 4 years ago but was shocked by how much of a difference it made when I put them on. I hadn't realised how 'HD' everything could look. My prescription has got worse (was stronger on my 2 year checkup). I'm due for another one and I can tell my current glasses aren't cutting it anymore. Was 30 when I was first diagnosed and I have an astigmatism too (which I think is getting worse - don't quote me on that though!)

Frouby · 30/01/2021 17:52

I got an almost identical prescription a few months ago OP and find the glasses make a real difference, not only with headaches but also eye tiredness and even physical tiredness. I was the same, a bit sceptical, but wouldn't be without them now. It's not that I can see better, I could see before but it's much less effort.

LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow · 30/01/2021 19:12

@allmycats

So, you go and see an ophthalmologist (correct name for person who actually tests your eyes), who has been to university and then had 2 years supervision, and they give their professionally qualified advice re your eyesight and you then prefer to take advice from random mumsnetters.
The correct name for a person who examines your eyes would be Optometrist or Ophthalmic Optician, your Ophthalmologist is more specialised in diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions and diseases. It'd be highly unusual to encounter an ophthalmologist in any high street optician's
Original poster
painbrain · 30/01/2021 20:56

Thank you again! I actually feel quite optimistic after reading how some of you have noticed improvements with even small prescriptions! Hopefully, the glasses along with the other changes I've made will help a lot with the headaches.

OP posts:
TheCanyon · 30/01/2021 21:14

Get the anti glare coating on them or more expensive the blue light coating. Will make a world of difference. I forgot to get anti glare on my new glasses and wearing them in my fish bowl living room is intolerable.

Original poster
painbrain · 30/01/2021 21:28

@TheCanyon Oh, I did get that too - well, the anti-glare! I don't think they offered blue light coating.

OP posts:
TheCanyon · 30/01/2021 21:38

That's good, honestly think you'll notice a massive difference from that. not sure a lot of places do usually offer the anti blue screen but I guess with the wfh era it's becoming more popular. Turn your screen brightness down too on all devices if you can tolerate it. Or I think you can buy a sorta old school cellophane projector screen (mind those) that you can fit over laptop/pc that blocks out the blue screen.

samanthawashington · 31/01/2021 10:22

I have a similar prescription and they told me to get a pair of £5 glasses just to make reading easier. Not needed for everyday wear. Maybe they wanted you to have a filter put on against the screen glare?

allmycats · 31/01/2021 13:11

I work jn a private practice and both our guys are ophthalmologists. They both also work as hospital consultants. It is our practice ppolicy.As we cannot compete with the likes of Specsavers we aim to offer a different experience.

Cherryberrypies · 31/01/2021 13:15

OP I had this issue. One of my eyes is fine and the other eye is slightly short sighted. I was told the issue with getting headaches at the screen is that your eyes fight each other to be the most dominate eye which causes headaches. Honestly I was doubtful like you are but 4 years on now with my glasses, which I only wear for screen work, and I’ve only ever got a headache if I forget to put my glasses on.
My prescription is almost identical to yours too

allmycats · 01/02/2021 14:55

Painbrain. SORRY that I was harsh on my posting. I had a bad day and took it out on you, this is not acceptable and I apologise.

Original poster
painbrain · 03/02/2021 20:31

@allmycats I've only just seen this - thank you so much for apologising. People don't usually do that.
I'm sorry you had a bad day - I hope this week has been much better Smile.

OP posts:
princesspenny · 03/02/2021 20:39

Hi OP I'm an optometrist and although this is a very small prescription I would prescribe glasses to someone with your symptoms. If my patient had no symptoms and was not a VDU user, I would not prescribe glasses to them. It all depends on circumstances.

I'd be quite annoyed at my optical assistant for commenting on whether my patient needs glasses or not, it's not their place to comment on this

Camomila · 03/02/2021 21:34

I suffer from migraines. My prescription is +0.50 in my left eye, nothing in my right eye, and anti reflection lenses. My optician said he wouldn't normally recommend glasses with such a small prescription, but he does for people who get headaches.

I think you'll probably get less headaches from wearing the glasses and not having one eye strain more than the other.

Camomila · 03/02/2021 21:40

×-post! I look at a screen all day too

TrickyD · 03/02/2021 22:02

I was impressed with Specsavers when the optometrist refused to renew my contact lenses prescription until I had followed his advice on treating my blepharitis. The recommended treatment worked.

They also followed what appears to be a protocol whereby they referred DH to our GP when they spotted something untoward in his eye. GP referred him to Moorfields who are treating him and examining him every six months.

We are pleased with the professionalism of Specsavers.

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