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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why are my new glasses making me want to vomit??

30 replies

TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 20:53

I have no AIBU, but I need optician help.
salient points: I have a really high prescription -10 in both eyes.
last eye test she said my eyes were slightly better than before which surprised me
old glasses were probably 4 years old (they cost a lot and I can’t afford to replace as often as I probably should).
I picked them up yesterday, so today is first day of wearing them.

i feel sea sick and dizzy. My head is thumping. I don’t remember this happening any other time I’ve had new ones. Should I persevere or go back?

OP posts:
ZarquonsSandals · 04/05/2022 20:56

I have just got a new prescription, which is quite strong. The optician told me I may take a week or so to adjust, and may feel dizzy/headache.
As I don't yet have the glasses I can't confirm this. Apparently, if you move to varifocals from single vision lenses this can also result in 'teething problems'

Original poster
TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 20:59

ZarquonsSandals · 04/05/2022 20:56

I have just got a new prescription, which is quite strong. The optician told me I may take a week or so to adjust, and may feel dizzy/headache.
As I don't yet have the glasses I can't confirm this. Apparently, if you move to varifocals from single vision lenses this can also result in 'teething problems'

Ah thanks, maybe it is just something I need to persevere with. I hope yours aren’t too bad!

OP posts:
cushioncovers · 04/05/2022 21:02

Go back. I had this and they hadn't centred the prescription correctly. It made me feel exactly the same as you. They had to do them again and they were fine after that.

SoManyTshirts · 04/05/2022 21:03

Get a different optician to check your specs against your prescription.
My daughter had glasses as a child that gave her headaches, turned out Specsavers had made them up wrong.
Unfortunately as she was a headachy child we didn’t find out until the next eye test.

I also have a very strong prescription and my eyes sometimes improved slightly depending on how much screen time I’d been having at work.

Original poster
TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 21:04

cushioncovers · 04/05/2022 21:02

Go back. I had this and they hadn't centred the prescription correctly. It made me feel exactly the same as you. They had to do them again and they were fine after that.

thanks. how long did you wait before you went back? I can’t get back there until Friday anyway.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 21:06

SoManyTshirts · 04/05/2022 21:03

Get a different optician to check your specs against your prescription.
My daughter had glasses as a child that gave her headaches, turned out Specsavers had made them up wrong.
Unfortunately as she was a headachy child we didn’t find out until the next eye test.

I also have a very strong prescription and my eyes sometimes improved slightly depending on how much screen time I’d been having at work.

Oh I might be able to do that tomorrow as there is a different optician near my work.
my eyes have always just got worse in the past, so an improvement was surprising! I had no idea that could happen. Learn a new thing every day.
thank you.

OP posts:
JustSumo · 04/05/2022 21:07

Give it a few days as sometimes it takes a short while to adjust to a new prescription, you do have a high prescription, but as they said it was slightly better than before, you shouldn't really get that 'dizzy' feeling.
If it doesn't get better go back to where you got the glasses from as if the lenses are not centered in front of your eyes properly, more important and has to be precise if you have a high prescription, (both horizontal and vertical) that dizzy feeling will not go away. Get them to check they have centered the lenses correctly. If the lenses are not sitting in the correct place you will feel as though your eyes are 'pulling' and not able to focus properly.
(I'm an optician) 👍🏼

honeybushbunch · 04/05/2022 21:08

Yes definitely go back, it may not be properly aligned or fitted and you definitely should ask them to check.

Summerholidayorcovidagain · 04/05/2022 21:09

Strong prescription here also.

When you put them on look down and put them on before looking up and through them. Feels like motion sickness when I first get new ones.. Seems to help.

DecentPleasant · 04/05/2022 21:12

Bizarre but true about improvement according to a few older people I know.
mine once hadn’t centred the ‘optical lens E’ in the right place. It was awful and I felt as you describe. One lense was okay though. Hope you get it sorted asap. I’d go back to wearing the old ones.

Neptunesgiraffe · 04/05/2022 21:13

Give your optician a ring first thing. My last prescription wasn't correct and I went back the next day but they said they couldn't just see me and that I needed an appointment. It might save you a wasted journey.

stimpyyouidiot · 04/05/2022 21:18

I would go back. I was once given glasses with the opposite prescription - she had somehow put a '+' and not a '-', just a typo.

Starlightstarbright1 · 04/05/2022 21:20

How were they in the shop. Give them a few days .. phone and make an appointment if they don't improve. You will need an appointment as it won't be shop floor staff who check them.

It is a very high prescription so does need to be accuratly measured and if not sitting at the same position as when measured they may well be causing the issue.

BearAusten · 04/05/2022 21:22

Definitely go back and get them rechecked. I have a strong prescription and had a similar problem a few years ago when there was a change in the thickness of the lens. (Struggled with a thicker 1.74 Nixon lens as opposed to a 1.9 Zeiss.) I think a higher index lens results less distortion. Alternatively, it could just be poor fitting. Did you have to wear a mask? A good opticians should remedy the problem.

fortifiedwithtea · 04/05/2022 21:22

I have the opposite problem +7.5 . The optician I went to in my late twenties correctly predicted I would have a window in my thirties where my prescription lessened but would go downhill by 40. I am now 56 and have separate glasses for reading and distance.

during lockdown our dog chewed up a couple of pairs and I had to make do with an old prescription. Had an eye test and new glasses made. Horrific couldn’t even walk across a room with them. After some back and forth I got my money back and went to spec savers. Their explanation was new prescription was too big a jump so they made up a compromise and suggested I re test 6 months later. Still wearing my spec savers but should go back before they become a problem.

herbologist · 04/05/2022 21:38

I have the same problem! I went back, they remade the lenses, but they're still not right so I have booked an appointment with another optician. I suspect the optical centre isn't right.

cushioncovers · 04/05/2022 21:49

I gave mine about three days but felt sick and dizzy so I went back and they checked them and straight away could tell that they hadn't centred the prescription properly in the lens. A new prescription may feel weird but it shouldn't make you feel seasick and dizzy.

ilovemyelectriccar · 04/05/2022 21:53

I had the prism put in incorrectly and could not have coped. Luckily I complained before I left the shop. They checked and realised. They remade the lenses.

Original poster
TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 22:31

JustSumo · 04/05/2022 21:07

Give it a few days as sometimes it takes a short while to adjust to a new prescription, you do have a high prescription, but as they said it was slightly better than before, you shouldn't really get that 'dizzy' feeling.
If it doesn't get better go back to where you got the glasses from as if the lenses are not centered in front of your eyes properly, more important and has to be precise if you have a high prescription, (both horizontal and vertical) that dizzy feeling will not go away. Get them to check they have centered the lenses correctly. If the lenses are not sitting in the correct place you will feel as though your eyes are 'pulling' and not able to focus properly.
(I'm an optician) 👍🏼

Brilliant thank you. That’s how I feel. Like everything’s slightly out of focus. I’ll call in Friday. Appreciate the help!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 22:32

Summerholidayorcovidagain · 04/05/2022 21:09

Strong prescription here also.

When you put them on look down and put them on before looking up and through them. Feels like motion sickness when I first get new ones.. Seems to help.

I’ll give that a try. Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 22:33

BearAusten · 04/05/2022 21:22

Definitely go back and get them rechecked. I have a strong prescription and had a similar problem a few years ago when there was a change in the thickness of the lens. (Struggled with a thicker 1.74 Nixon lens as opposed to a 1.9 Zeiss.) I think a higher index lens results less distortion. Alternatively, it could just be poor fitting. Did you have to wear a mask? A good opticians should remedy the problem.

Yeah I was wearing a mask..I didn’t even think that might affect where they were sitting. Makes sense actually. Thanks!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 22:34

DecentPleasant · 04/05/2022 21:12

Bizarre but true about improvement according to a few older people I know.
mine once hadn’t centred the ‘optical lens E’ in the right place. It was awful and I felt as you describe. One lense was okay though. Hope you get it sorted asap. I’d go back to wearing the old ones.

I tend to wear contacts for work anyway, because mask and glasses is a ballache!
thanks!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 22:35

Neptunesgiraffe · 04/05/2022 21:13

Give your optician a ring first thing. My last prescription wasn't correct and I went back the next day but they said they couldn't just see me and that I needed an appointment. It might save you a wasted journey.

Noted. I’ll call them tomorrow

OP posts:
Original poster
TheOriginalEmu · 04/05/2022 22:36

fortifiedwithtea · 04/05/2022 21:22

I have the opposite problem +7.5 . The optician I went to in my late twenties correctly predicted I would have a window in my thirties where my prescription lessened but would go downhill by 40. I am now 56 and have separate glasses for reading and distance.

during lockdown our dog chewed up a couple of pairs and I had to make do with an old prescription. Had an eye test and new glasses made. Horrific couldn’t even walk across a room with them. After some back and forth I got my money back and went to spec savers. Their explanation was new prescription was too big a jump so they made up a compromise and suggested I re test 6 months later. Still wearing my spec savers but should go back before they become a problem.

I honestly dread the day when I start needing varifocals or whatever! I’m 42 so not quite there but I’m sure it’s coming!

OP posts:
Marvellousmadness · 04/05/2022 22:36

That is literally a question you could have answered yourself. Yabu