New glasses

[Thatlldopiggy]

I went for an eye test today, the first in 3.5 years (have been putting it off).

Does anyone else find eye tests so difficult? He showed me two pictures and was asking which was sharper but often they just looked the same.

My new glasses are making me feel dizzy and don’t seem much clearer than before.

It was discovered that I have heterophonia but tester decided it isn’t bad enough for prism glasses.

So now I am paranoid that I answered ‘incorrectly‘ and now have the wrong prescription. One eye changed by 0.25, the other 0.5.

Do I just need to persevere?

And does anyone have experience of heterophonia? Is it going to get worse?

I don’t have specific experience of that, but if you are feeling like your glasses are not
correct do go back. I went back twice because I really wasn’t adjusting to my new glasses. It was Specsavers and they were really good with it and it turned out for whatever reason something was wrong in my
prescription and they rectified it for me. I imagine most opticians will be the same and will try to help.

Same advice, I went to a local optometrist chain and they adjusted my glasses three times because they weren't right (I ended up going to Specsavers instead, the type of lenses they use suit me better).

It can be difficult to do the tests. They say "clearer" but it's more like "these dots are darker and rounder than but have more shadow" vs " these dots are paler and more square but have less shadow". I wouldn't call either clear!

You can just tell the optician what you're seeing, so if it's smaller and darker but no clearer just say that and they will interpret it. And there's no problem with not being able to tell the difference — when you hit that point it's useful information. When you hesitate, that's also useful information. It's not easy to mess up because they're used to doing eye tests on people who aren't trained in eye tests, and they often check things in different ways to make sure the results are right; for example if they do all the lenses and questions, then get you to look at the red and green circles through the lenses they've swapped in, that's double-checking to see if they're right. I don't know anything about prism tho.

Glasses wearer of 30 years here.

If both pictures look the same then you need to say that - similarly if neither picture is clear then you need to say that too, so they can change the prescription thing they put in the glasses.

It's normal to feel a bit disoriented with a new prescription especially if it's been several years since you had a check up, but it shouldn't last longer than a few hours, so I'd go back and speak to them if you're worried.

I've also had glasses that just felt wrong for my eyes but for reasons unrelated to the prescription, like the pantoscopic tilt or the positioning of the optical centres. So I'd agree you need to go back and explain you haven't been able to adjust to the new glasses.

I echo PP, go back. I bought glasses recently and it turns out the lab made them incorrectly. One of the readings was off.

Also as PP said, if the images look the same, just say that. Or say no difference.

It takes me about 3 days to adjust to new glasses, which is pretty miserable 😬

Keep going back till they are sorted. It took me three times with Spec Savers.

Definitely go back. It might be you have mild astigmatism that hasn’t been corrected properly - often when they ask if the dots / colours are brighter or darker / clearer it’s actually to do with this and they may not have got your prescription quite right. (Been wearing glasses since I was 4, now 42 with -9.50 both eyes and astigmatism, retinal issues, varifocals etc)!

Hi OP
The condition the optician told you about is heterophoria, which means your eyes have a tendency to turn either in a bit, or out a bit, but you are able to control this. Most people have a bit of heterophoria, so nothing to be worried about, it must be slight if prisms aren’t needed to help control.
Tell the optician exactly what you see, I know when you are being bombarded with questions, you want to be helpful but to get the most accurate prescription you need to say if it’s no different. The increase in prescription sounds about right if you haven’t been for a while- give it a couple of weeks and if not right go back. I’m sure the optician will make adjustments if needed and would rather have a satisfied customer than an unhappy one. Hope you get it sorted

Thanks so much for the replies! I have to go back next weekend to pick up my sunglasses. I will make sure to mention if it hasn’t improved by then.

I was out in the sunshine most of today so was mainly wearing my old sunglasses, which isn’t ideal! I noticed that when sitting still, my new glasses are fine. But when I walk around (and especially when I look down), it makes me feel dizzy or a bit like I would be drunk.

I also got new frames which are larger and a different shape to my old glasses, can that make a difference?

Yes, it's very normal as your eyes are so used to your old glasses style and prescription ☺️

I always forget how it makes me feel and end up feeling sick and dizzy for a while whenever I update mine!