How Long Does It Take To Adjust to New Glasses?

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So you’ve seen an optician, got your new glasses prescription, chosen a new pair of glasses, started wearing them and now they feel weird. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! It takes time to adjust to new glasses. For some people, it could take a few hours; for others, it could take a few weeks. But why? It’s very individual and comes down to a few things like your eye health, the strength of the prescription, how much the prescription has changed, or the types of lenses and frames. Just like with anything new, glasses need to be worn in.

You may experience discomfort while adjusting, but know that this period is necessary. If you remain calm, continue to wear the new glasses and follow our advice in this article, you should be able to adjust quickly and easily. 

Why does it take so long to get used to new glasses?

Experiencing discomfort while adjusting to new glasses is normal. Whether you’ve renewed your prescription, are correcting astigmatism, or changed your lenses or frames, it takes time for your eyes and brain to adapt. Your eyes are complex, and during this period, they’re learning to work with your brain to adjust to your new prescription to give you improved vision. 

Problems getting used to new glasses

If your eyes hurt with new glasses, know that this is probably completely normal, but if anything is continuously disrupting you, see your optometrist. Though generally mild, there are a few common problems that people may experience. Eye strain with new glasses is one of the most frequently reported, followed by blurry vision and dizziness. You may also experience difficulty focusing, depth perception, the fishbowl effect, headaches, or nausea. 

What are the symptoms of adjusting to new glasses?

Most of the symptoms listed above shouldn’t cause long-term issues and will improve as you begin to adjust. Distortion, like the fishbowl effect, may cause images to appear bent at the edges. Depth perception could make it difficult to detect how near or far an object is. 

Eye strain occurs when you are overexerting your eyes during the adjustment period and can cause other symptoms like tired, irritated, or burning eyes, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, or headaches. Minor instances of these symptoms are all common problems that people experience at the beginning of wearing new glasses. 

Why would new glasses feel weird if the prescription is the same?

Generally, you should not face discomfort for too long when you retain your old prescription, but it is possible. Different lenses and frames can vary from what you’re used to. Did the size or structure change? Is the alignment different? Changing between frame styles can affect your vision and cause an adjustment period. Even how new frames feel on your face can require a period of adjustment. Understanding prescription glasses measurements and what you need to consider when buying and adjusting to new ones is essential. 

If the new lenses are physically bigger or smaller than your last pair, your field of vision will be different. A change in structure (full-frame, half-frame, rimless) could also cause visual differences. For example, if you always wore rimless glasses and switched to full-frame, you may feel your field of view is limited. A change in shape may also take time to adjust; for example, switching from a round to a rectangular-shaped frame causes the lens shape to change as well, affecting your field of vision. 

Increased or decreased peripheral vision may take time to get used to. Peripheral vision is the part of your visual field that is not right in the centre of your gaze, usually for detecting motion, colours, or lights at the edge of your vision. 

How to get used to wearing new glasses fast

While it might seem tempting to ditch your new prescription glasses and reach for your old ones, switching between new and old glasses will confuse your eyes and brain, slowing the adjustment to your new glasses. Put your new glasses on first thing in the morning when your eyes are ‘fresh,’ and continue wearing them as much as possible throughout the day. 

Wear your glasses consistently 

Wearing your new glasses regularly will shorten the adjustment period and make it easier for your eyes to adjust to the change. 

Give your eyes a rest 

Since it takes time for your eyes to adjust, give them a break when they feel strained or you feel a headache coming on. You can increase the amount of time you wear them each day, starting with simple tasks and working up from there. 

Exercise your eyes

If you experience eye strain, a simple eye exercise might help it. Take a moment to focus on an object far in the distance, then look down and focus on something close. Continue switching from the near and far thing for a few moments. This exercise is especially helpful if you’re adjusting to bifocals or progressive lenses. Another exercise is 20/20/20, when using a computer screen, every 20 minutes look 20 meters away for 20 seconds to rest the eyes. 

Ensure your frames fit your face shape and head size 

It is important to find a pair of glasses that fit correctly, and not only for aesthetics. Misfitting glasses can cause further eye strain, headaches and disruptions to your vision. Understanding your facial and glasses measurements is essential. Before buying, use our size guide and Virtual Try-On tool to find your perfect pair. 

Adjust your prescription 

While most people will adjust to their new glasses on their own, if your symptoms last more than two to three weeks, you may have the wrong prescription. If your prescription is wrong, your eyes and brain will not adjust, and you will need to speak to your optometrist. 

Getting used to new glasses just takes a little time 

While you may be looking forward to wearing your new glasses and seeing clearly, it might not happen right away. There is no need to worry, as an adjustment period is a normal response to new glasses. Be patient, and remember this should only last about a week. 

If you have any questions or want to learn more, head to our Optical Centre and speak to one of our opticians online today. 

Ask the Optician

ASK NOW

How Long Does It Take To Adjust to New Glasses?

So you’ve seen an optician, got your new glasses prescription, chosen a new pair of glasses, started wearing them and now they feel weird. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! It takes time to adjust to new glasses. For some people, it could take a few hours; for others, it could take a few weeks. But why? It’s very individual and comes down to a few things like your eye health, the strength of the prescription, how much the prescription has changed, or the types of lenses and frames. Just like with anything new, glasses need to be worn in.

You may experience discomfort while adjusting, but know that this period is necessary. If you remain calm, continue to wear the new glasses and follow our advice in this article, you should be able to adjust quickly and easily. 

Why does it take so long to get used to new glasses?

Experiencing discomfort while adjusting to new glasses is normal. Whether you’ve renewed your prescription, are correcting astigmatism, or changed your lenses or frames, it takes time for your eyes and brain to adapt. Your eyes are complex, and during this period, they’re learning to work with your brain to adjust to your new prescription to give you improved vision. 

Problems getting used to new glasses

If your eyes hurt with new glasses, know that this is probably completely normal, but if anything is continuously disrupting you, see your optometrist. Though generally mild, there are a few common problems that people may experience. Eye strain with new glasses is one of the most frequently reported, followed by blurry vision and dizziness. You may also experience difficulty focusing, depth perception, the fishbowl effect, headaches, or nausea. 

What are the symptoms of adjusting to new glasses?

Most of the symptoms listed above shouldn’t cause long-term issues and will improve as you begin to adjust. Distortion, like the fishbowl effect, may cause images to appear bent at the edges. Depth perception could make it difficult to detect how near or far an object is. 

Eye strain occurs when you are overexerting your eyes during the adjustment period and can cause other symptoms like tired, irritated, or burning eyes, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, or headaches. Minor instances of these symptoms are all common problems that people experience at the beginning of wearing new glasses. 

Why would new glasses feel weird if the prescription is the same?

Generally, you should not face discomfort for too long when you retain your old prescription, but it is possible. Different lenses and frames can vary from what you’re used to. Did the size or structure change? Is the alignment different? Changing between frame styles can affect your vision and cause an adjustment period. Even how new frames feel on your face can require a period of adjustment. Understanding prescription glasses measurements and what you need to consider when buying and adjusting to new ones is essential. 

If the new lenses are physically bigger or smaller than your last pair, your field of vision will be different. A change in structure (full-frame, half-frame, rimless) could also cause visual differences. For example, if you always wore rimless glasses and switched to full-frame, you may feel your field of view is limited. A change in shape may also take time to adjust; for example, switching from a round to a rectangular-shaped frame causes the lens shape to change as well, affecting your field of vision. 

Increased or decreased peripheral vision may take time to get used to. Peripheral vision is the part of your visual field that is not right in the centre of your gaze, usually for detecting motion, colours, or lights at the edge of your vision. 

How to get used to wearing new glasses fast

While it might seem tempting to ditch your new prescription glasses and reach for your old ones, switching between new and old glasses will confuse your eyes and brain, slowing the adjustment to your new glasses. Put your new glasses on first thing in the morning when your eyes are ‘fresh,’ and continue wearing them as much as possible throughout the day. 

Wear your glasses consistently 

Wearing your new glasses regularly will shorten the adjustment period and make it easier for your eyes to adjust to the change. 

Give your eyes a rest 

Since it takes time for your eyes to adjust, give them a break when they feel strained or you feel a headache coming on. You can increase the amount of time you wear them each day, starting with simple tasks and working up from there. 

Exercise your eyes

If you experience eye strain, a simple eye exercise might help it. Take a moment to focus on an object far in the distance, then look down and focus on something close. Continue switching from the near and far thing for a few moments. This exercise is especially helpful if you’re adjusting to bifocals or progressive lenses. Another exercise is 20/20/20, when using a computer screen, every 20 minutes look 20 meters away for 20 seconds to rest the eyes. 

Ensure your frames fit your face shape and head size 

It is important to find a pair of glasses that fit correctly, and not only for aesthetics. Misfitting glasses can cause further eye strain, headaches and disruptions to your vision. Understanding your facial and glasses measurements is essential. Before buying, use our size guide and Virtual Try-On tool to find your perfect pair. 

Adjust your prescription 

While most people will adjust to their new glasses on their own, if your symptoms last more than two to three weeks, you may have the wrong prescription. If your prescription is wrong, your eyes and brain will not adjust, and you will need to speak to your optometrist. 

 

Getting used to new glasses just takes a little time 

While you may be looking forward to wearing your new glasses and seeing clearly, it might not happen right away. There is no need to worry, as an adjustment period is a normal response to new glasses. Be patient, and remember this should only last about a week. 

If you have any questions or want to learn more, head to our Optical Centre and speak to one of our opticians online today.

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