Tips For Adjusting To New Eyeglasses or Contact Lenses

If you’ve just gotten a new pair of eyeglass frames or new or contact lenses along with a new prescription from our optometrist at Columbia Office, congratulations! This means you’ll be seeing the world much more clearly. Along with that new clarity, however, sometimes means you’ll also have a period of adjustment as your brain begins processing those sharper images your new lenses are producing. 

Although this adjustment period is usually fairly brief, just a few days, it’s not uncommon to experience some temporary inconveniences that may include eye strain, headaches, dizziness or blurry vision. These are normal reactions and should not cause you any worry.

We’ve got a few tips for our patients to make the adjustment period a bit easier:

• First, be patient, because it can take up to two weeks to fully adjust, especially if your prescription calls for progressive lenses or bifocals. Keep in mind that each person’s eyesight adjusts differently. And the change in strength from your previous prescription to the new one will also come into play.

• We encourage you to wear your new lenses consistently to allow your brain to adapt to the new strength. 

• If you’re experiencing eye strain or headaches, it’s okay to give your eyes a rest by taking off your glasses for a brief amount of time. But we urge you not to switch back and forth to your old glasses. Switching will slow down the adjustment process. 

• Wearing a new frame style may prompt an additional adjustment period, because of the effects the different positioning of the lenses has on your brain.

If you're still experiencing issues with your new lenses after a few weeks, don’t hesitate to schedule a follow-up appointment with our optometrist at Columbia Office. Perhaps a slight adjustment is needed to your prescription or the positioning of the lenses in the frame. Our staff is “all in” on helping you see the world more clearly and comfortably.