"Adjustment period" with new glasses?

[TMinusZero]

Hey guys,
With a new pair of glasses, can patients experience an "adjustment period" where they need to get used to the glasses? If so, for how long? Is it more likely that they're wearing the wrong rx or that the glasses aren't adjusted properly?
What do you recommend to patients who feel that their new glasses are not quite right?
Thanks!
TMZ

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[cunikki]

patients can definitely have an adjustment period.. especially if they had a big change in prescription... or if they are using a new brand of progressive or different size/shape frames. i would say in general if i know that i changed their Rx a lot or they are going to be wearing progressives/bifocals for the first time that i tell them that it might be kind of different and encourage them to wear them fulltime for at least 2 weeks... if after that time they are still having problems i would tell them to come back and we can check some things out to see what is going on. ...

 

[alferec]

Given that the Rx is recommended for full time use, you definitely need an adjustment period especially if you have cyl in the Rx (astigmatic correction). This is especially true for first time glasses wearers, or people who have not had their astigmatism corrected before. The worst thing you can do is to switch back and forth between old and new glasses - this will make the adjustment time longer.

There's a whole explanation regarding spatial distortion due to the astigmatic correction - one of our professors said if you play golf with a first time cyl wearer, you're going to win because the green will look funny .

 

[KHE]

I respectfully disagree with the previous two posters.

A two week adjustment period should not be needed for all but the most horrendous of prescriptions. If a patient puts on a pair of glasses and says they "can't see" somethings wrong right away.

If they say they "feel funny" than an adjustment period of more than 2 or 3 days is rarely needed.

 

[qwopty99]

Basically agree with KHE. 2-3 days, tops. However,

Some folks take a week or two to adjust to PALs. Some folks never do.

 

[drbizzaro]

Basically agree with KHE. 2-3 days, tops. However,

Some folks take a week or two to adjust to PALs. Some folks never do.

Yeah, I agree.

Also, some folks who have purchased Varilux Comfort in the past, and now are trying to wear an Essilor Small-Fit in a super small frame will probably not adapt.

 

[EyEnStein 07]

The worst thing you can do is to switch back and forth between old and new glasses - this will make the adjustment time longer.

Does switching between old and newer glasses, cause harm to the eye in general?

This is because, i have 2 sets of glasses, but for outside wear i use contacts.
The 2 glasses are probably 1.00 off each other. I use one for general home wear, and i use the other if i go outside without my contacts. But my contacts are a little higher power than the glasses. Should i continue this trend or stop?

 

[JMU07]

Does switching between old and newer glasses, cause harm to the eye in general?

This is because, i have 2 sets of glasses, but for outside wear i use contacts.
The 2 glasses are probably 1.00 off each other. I use one for general home wear, and i use the other if i go outside without my contacts. But my contacts are a little higher power than the glasses. Should i continue this trend or stop?

If your prescription is high enough then your contact lenses will normally be a different power than your glasses. I don't think switching would cause harm, unless you can't see clearly out of one of those pairs of glasses and you hurt yourself. I switch back and forth between old and new glasses all the time, the prescriptions are fairly similar though and I've never had problems.

 

[alferec]

This is yet another discrepancy between theory and how things actually turn out clinically...what you learn in class doesn't always happen in patients.

So there's a very good chance that these experienced ODs that posted are right!

 

[aphistis]

When I get my vision prescription updated, I get a pretty good fishbowl effect for 24-48 hours. I've found that a brief LSD taper works well to counteract it.


(No, people, not really. Don't go calling the Indiana dental board on me. )

 

[micktor]

I respectfully disagree with the previous two posters.

A two week adjustment period should not be needed for all but the most horrendous of prescriptions. If a patient puts on a pair of glasses and says they "can't see" somethings wrong right away.

If they say they "feel funny" than an adjustment period of more than 2 or 3 days is rarely needed.

Hi, I have experienced this very thing today on fitting my new glasses. They did not accept that I said that if felt as though I had someone elses glasses. They retested my sight and came up with the same result. After readjusting the glasses I was still seeing blurriness around the letters. These are Multies by the way. I have never had this experience with other glasses over the years but he was pretty mad and said that I need to take them and get used to them. Due to his disgruntlement I agreed. NO good so far. Feel like I am on another planet. What do you think, should I wait a few days longer and 'adjust?'
Thanks, Micktor

 

[PBEA]

I would say that there is almost ALWAYS some degree of adaptation, usually brief, but some may have a longer period. Even if no change or a small change is made. Many small variables can affect this. Frame size, lens material, lens style, prescription. Also, one thing many don't realize is that the refractive state of the eye varies, sometimes even daily. Affect, eye condition, precription druguse/medical history, etc can change both the objective and subjective refractive values. Some of these can be a real challenge. And, of course there is always a chance that the glasses were of low quality or simply made incorrectly. The latter is what the public always thinks about any perceived problem with their specs.

 

[Meibomian SxN]

Basically agree with KHE. 2-3 days, tops. However,

Some folks take a week or two to adjust to PALs. Some folks never do.

True. I do 7days max. Children with high hyperopic Rx's may have to "build up" to their full Rx.

 

[Ryan_eyeball]

You could Rx what some doc's do, 1BD prism in both eyes. Patient will take a few days to adjust to it. If the patient goes to another doctor and doesn't catch it the patient will be back. Dishonest: yes, but definitely seen done.

 

[yOyOYoo]

You could Rx what some doc's do, 1BD prism in both eyes. Patient will take a few days to adjust to it. If the patient goes to another doctor and doesn't catch it the patient will be back. Dishonest: yes, but definitely seen done.

Can you explain this?

 

[4Eyes]

There used to be an OD around here who would put something like half a diopter of vertical prism in one eye for the same reason. If they went elsewhere, something would feel "not right." Patient would be unhappy with vague complaints, both patient and doctor would be frustrated if patient went back for rechecks, so in theory the patients would end up back in the first OD's chair. He was retired by the time I started practicing. But I have heard of similar things happening.

 

[odieoh]

In my somewhat limited experience the age of the pt also comes into play, especially when making a significant change to the cyl, whether direction or power. The older they are the harder it is to adjust and the longer the adjustment period.