New RX makes me squint - left eye dry & painful

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chucklong9910@yahoo.com - 23 Feb 2009 00:59 GMT

I was wondering if anyone could offer any suggestions

I am 40 years old and two weeks ago got a new pair of glasses. The
reason I went to an optometrist was I noticed I was having trouble
reading street signs especially at night.

This is my old prescription which was essentially unchanged in 20
years, at least since my last exam which I think was 2003 or 2004.

Right -3.25 Cyl -0.25 Axis 180
Left -3.25 Cyl -0.5 Axis 175

The new prescription is as follows:

Right -4.00 Cyl -0.5 Axis 173
Left -4.75 Cyl -0.5 Axis 010

The frame is Polo 1007 9013 48[]20 140

I think this is the one

http://www.framesdirect.com/framesfp/Polo-tcrama/r.html

Also, I think lenses are polycarbonate although not 100% sure. The
optometrist said I would have thinner lenses and less peripheral
distortion if I paid extra for the more expensive "thin lenses" so
that is what I did.

Now, my distance vision is better with these glasses. I can read
street signs much better especially at night. The problem is I feel
like they make me squint and tense the eye muscles straining my eyes.
The left eye becomes dry, irritated, and red after a few hours of
wear. I do think my eyes may relax a little bit if I focus on
something in the far distance (like a mountain range 30 miles away)
but still not nearly as much as they do just taking the glasses off.

In addition, if I cover up the left eye, I can see OK with the right.
If cover up the right eye I need to tilt my head about 10 degrees to
the right to see clearly from the left eye (looking at an angle rather
than straight ahead).

It almost seems like the lenses have a narrow field of view and I need
to squint to line up my eyes with the "sweet spots" of the lenses.

I am wondering if perhaps

i) prescription is too strong
ii) lenses are too small in diameter(need larger field of view)
iii) frame is not fitted correctly
or iv) something else?

I mentioned to the optometrist when I tried them on that they did not
feel quite right, he verified the prescription and said the peripheral
vision would never be as good as the old ones due to the higher power,
but I would get used to them.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

Reply to this Message

Mark A - 23 Feb 2009 04:46 GMT

>I was wondering if anyone could offer any suggestions
>
[quoted text clipped - 53 lines]
>
> Thanks in advance for suggestions.

You may have a aspheric lens design, which are more sensitive to be fitted
on your face so they are in the correct position relative to your pupils.
Fitting errors are common, and are often the fault of the optician (unless
the OD has your PD and they did not verify it). But it sounds like your OD
is your optician.

The other possibility is that your do have polycarb, which typically has
more peripheral distortion than other lenses and have the worst optics (esp.
chromatic aberration) of any commonly dispensed lens material. A 1.60
plastic would be preferable. If you happen to have a 1.67 index material,
then 1.60 might be better but it will be a bit thicker at the edges (and
therefore a bit heavier).

Don't let your OD/Optician off the hook. Tell him you are not satisfied and
you cannot live with the current lenses. You should not see such a drastic
degradation of vision with such a relatively minor increase in power.

Reply to this Message

Mike Tyner - 25 Feb 2009 04:49 GMT

Your optometrist increased your prescription by -0.87 in the right eye
and -1.50 in the left. At 40 years old, this is no "minor" change.

It's a big change, one that isn't normally made without some mention of the
problems it will cause. He or she should have described the need for
bifocals, or for keeping your old glasses for reading. If not, it's a big
omission and it might be best to find another optometrist.

At the very least, go back and tell them you can't get used to the new
prescription.

It's absurd to blame your problem on polycarbonate, or aspheric lenses.

-MT

>I was wondering if anyone could offer any suggestions
>
[quoted text clipped - 53 lines]
>
> Thanks in advance for suggestions.

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