Having trouble getting new glasses on the sweet spot

Discussion in 'Optometry Archives' started by Spork, May 28, 2010.

  1. Spork

    Spork Guest

    I have a terrible time getting glasses properly set for me. I don't
    have my prescription on hand but I can tell you that I'm near sighted
    and have astigmatism. I've always needed glasses.

    I've been wearing my new pair for around a week and the vision is
    still a bit blurry or swimmy? Not sure how to describe it but my eyes
    feel out of focus. So I started moving them around to see if there was
    a point to get clear vision. I found a sweet spot where everything
    came into focus and my eyes relaxed.

    I went back down and had them readjusted. The tech said they were not
    adjusted properly and raised them up to center them better. At first
    they seemed to be a little better and I was relieved because she
    sounded very confident that they were right. After wearing them for a
    bit I still don't think they are right.

    For them to come into focus properly I have to lift the arms of the
    glasses completely off my ears so the top of the lens is slightly
    forward while making sure they are still centered. I'm getting a bit
    frustrated. Is it possible the lenses were made wrong? I'm going back
    tomorrow and wondering what should I tell this place so they can
    properly help me?

    Is this a common problem with astigmatism correction? Even my older
    pair if it gets bumped from the sweet spot even a little it drives me
    bonkers. Makes my equilibrium feel really funky.

    thanks

    Spork
     
    Spork, May 28, 2010
    #1
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  2. Spork

    Spork Guest

    I also wanted to mention that I have thin lenses, transitions (or is
    it progressive?), and the 3m anti reflective coating.
     
    Spork, May 28, 2010
    #2
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  3. Spork

    Mark A Guest

    Please post your exact Rx and any other info about the lenses and frames
    that you have (check the receipt). If you don't have the Rx, call your OD
    and get a copy (you are entitled to it by law if you live in USA without
    paying any extra charge other than the exam fee).

    Transitions is a brand name of a lens that gets darker in the sun, and
    progressives are multi-focal lenses (different strength for distance and
    reading).
     
    Mark A, May 28, 2010
    #3
  4. Spork

    dumbstruck Guest

    My last glasses prescription nailed it right the first time... I don't
    get these folks who tell you to take time to adjust to a poorly
    working prescription (unless you have made a big jump from last time,
    esp in one eye). Also unless they were in fact progressives... that
    may take some learning of your eye/brain coordination to make sense
    of. If not progressives, you could try some experiments before re-exam
    although not very decisive.

    Tilting them up has an effect of increasing the correction for
    nearsightedness, but this sounds like the least likely problem. If
    they undercorrected for that, your eye is quite forgiving of that and
    should give slight fuzzyness. If they had overcorrected it can be
    disturbing but it probably wouldn't help to tilt them up.

    Having astigmatism correction wrong can be very disturbing. You might
    see if the angle is wrong by rotating the lenses about the center
    (must fold earpieces out of the way). If the cylindrical is wrong, it
    could conceivably help (or hurt) by tilting the lenses, but this is
    hard to evaluate. Best thing might be to look at a pinpoint of light
    at night with each eye, and see how many copies you see. Like a ready
    light for a TV or the like. One copy is good, I would get a bunch
    before my last correction.
     
    dumbstruck, May 28, 2010
    #4
  5. Spork

    Dan Abel Guest

    This advice is usually given because it often works. It sometimes takes
    a period before you get used to new lenses, especially if they are a lot
    different. I have learned this from my own personal experience, as well
    as talking to others. Of course, sometimes there is something wrong,
    including the simple inability of a person to adjust to something that
    another could adjust to easily.
     
    Dan Abel, May 28, 2010
    #5
  6. Spork

    Spork Guest

    I went back and found someone that was extremely helpful. First thing
    he did was check the glasses to make sure they were made properly. He
    did some better adjustments and put a tilt in them. They seem to be
    better. I think my eyes may still be in a adjustment phase. He
    suggested it could take a while. I've been with my new ones a week but
    thinking back it may have taken several weeks to a month before my old
    ones felt right. This person had a similar prescription to me and
    understood what I was going through. Its nice when you finally get
    good service. He told me to bring them back as many times as I need
    until they are right.

    If I'm still having issues in a week I will ask for a printout of my
    prescription and consult back here. I believe my astigmatism is +150
    and another number was - 600 I think. This is also my first time
    having a sunglasses clip. Colors in certain things look all funky like
    in a oil puddle.

    thanks again for responding
     
    Spork, May 29, 2010
    #6
  7. Spork

    Spork Guest

    and yes they are single transition(darkening) lenses. I was thinking
    progressive was another name for transition.
     
    Spork, May 29, 2010
    #7
  8. Spork

    Spork Guest

    Yes I did. So that would be the problem?
     
    Spork, May 30, 2010
    #8
  9. Spork

    Spork Guest

    Transitions is included with my vsp package. The clip on came with the
    frames that I picked out so I didn't go in looking for one. I like my
    transitions but need a alternative for driving. I have some older
    prescription sun glasses also.

    I also wonder if dilation can affect my vision test. I seemed to have
    trouble focusing and am already sensitive to light. The doc said it
    shouldn't but I wonder.

    everyone has been very helpful here. thank you
     
    Spork, May 30, 2010
    #9
  10. Spork

    Spork Guest

    Still having problems. I thought it was better but after a few days of
    wearing I'm still not happy. They put a major tilt in the glasses when
    I went in for the adjustment because I told them thats when the vision
    looks normal. They seem to require just a bit more tilt for my vision
    to focus. By tilt I mean that the top portion of the lens is going
    further away from my face while the bottom moves closer. The problem
    is they already have so much tilt I'm not sure the frames could handle
    being angled more. It has to be in the perfect spot or everything is
    out of focus.

    My old pair that works for me has tilt also but less than the new
    ones. Does this sound like a recheck could help? I'm going to make a
    appointment. I want to at least be sure the dilation wasn't the issue
    and see if they come up with the same readings.

    thanks

    Chris
     
    Spork, May 31, 2010
    #10
  11. In <>,
    This sounds similar to my problem. Things don't feel out of focus as
    long as I look straight ahead, but I do feel as if my eyes are straining
    somehow. I also suspect that the new glasses cause more minification
    than my old ones, but that's very hard to verify. The easiest thing to
    explain is that if I look off axis things are out of focus. This is
    enough to force my head into an awkward angle when looking at a kitchen
    counter or computer keyboard.

    I don't really have a sweet spot in either pair; my old glasses are fine
    and the new ones aren't, no matter how I position them. But part of the
    problem is maybe that the new glasses can't be put in a position that
    suits me, because the optician had no bridges over 18mm in stock and
    they're too high up my face. I wear my old glasses, with a 20mm bridge,
    quite low and I'm definitely aware of the "cut-off" at the bottom being
    higher in the new pair.

    Could an incorrect astigmatism correction cause this problem? My current
    prescription is:

    R: Sph: -6.25 Cyl: -0.75 Axis: 17
    L: Sph: -6.50 Cyl: -0.50 Axis: 0
    I can't remember what they said the PD was.

    My "good" glasses from 2006 were:

    R: Sph: -6.25 Cyl: -0.75 Axis: 15
    L: Sph: -6.50 Cyl: -0.50 Axis: 42.5
    PD 63 near, 66 distance.

    I also had a test in 2008, from which another optician failed to make
    satisfactory glasses:

    R: Sph: -6.25 Cyl: -0.75 Axis: 10
    L: Sph: -6.50 Cyl: -0.50 Axis: 37
    PD 67.

    Why should my axis change so much when nothing else has? AIUI that would
    mean my eyes are slowly rotating!? I wonder if the part of the eye test
    that measures the axis (is that the circles on red and green
    backgrounds?) doesn't work properly for me and that the numbers it spits
    out just happened to be OK in 2006. Could I be better off with no
    astigmatism correction at all? I used to wear contact lenses until about
    11 years ago and I've got a vague memory that at least once they decided
    not to bother with the astigmatism correction, perhaps because it meant
    they could use cheaper lenses?

    The other thing I've got in mind is to ask this optician to take back
    the new glasses and reglaze my old, comfortable frame (fortunately I
    have got a spare that I can live with for a week or so), making sure
    they get the lens centres in the same place as the old ones. Should I
    ask for the new prescription, the old one, or without astigmatism
    correction?

    I tend to disagree with the person that said it's more productive to go
    back to the optician. Here there are experts willing to offer advice. At
    high street opticians you usually only get to see sales staff who don't
    have the technical knowledge to understand this problem and possible
    means to solve it.
     
    Tony Houghton, Jun 1, 2010
    #11
  12. Spork

    Spork Guest

    In the past few days it seems my glasses have clicked for me. I went
    back in for a recheck anyway and they told me I had 20/15 vision with
    the glasses! I'm happy now but still find it odd that it took 2 weeks
    to adjust. Actually they still don't feel as natural as the old pair
    so I guess I just need to be patient.
     
    Spork, Jun 4, 2010
    #12
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