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Thread: New glasses & Eye Allergies

  1. #1
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    New glasses & Eye Allergies

    Hi All, yesterday I purchased a new pair of glasses, it is the first pair I have bought in probably 7 years (I have worn contacts for the last 3-4 years).

    I've been having some terrible eye problems the last 2 years or so. It begins each afternoon and feels a lot like eye allergies. I have burning in the eyes and dry eyes and then I always get a front-head headache and I basically feel very tired and can't concentrate or focus. I've tried Patanol and some OTC eye drops but these don't really help.

    Anyway, after speaking to another Doctor, I decided that it may be my contacts that are irritating my eyes somehow. So I decided to buy glasses to test out the theory.

    I tried the glasses last night for the first time and they seem to be very wrong. I notice it most when I look at the computer screen. It is almost as if there is a small bubble in the middle of the screen so that things on the sides are distorted slightly. Another analogy would be to say that the things on the screen almost appear to be slanted. I also seem to have poor peripheral vision and things seem to have a slight tint or halo to them that they shouldn't. However, I should also point out that things are also somewhat clear (ie, the prescription itself doesn't seem too far off).

    I know that I waer Toric contacts and have an astigmastism and I'm not sure how/if this is reflected in my glasses prescription (I brought the prescription issued by the optomistrist to the glasses maker). The lenses are the Featherwate from LensCrafters and have the anti-reflective coating.

    So, my questions are the following:

    1. Does anyone have experience with eye allergies/problems described above?
    2. Has anyone heard of these sorts of troubles with new lenses before? Aside from returning to LensCrafters (which I will do), is there any other advice? Should I have another eye exam?

    For reference, the prescription, as written, is (it is about 4 months old):

    OD: -250, -75 115
    OS: -200, -150, 72

    Any help is greatly appreciated! Kevin

  2. #2
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    Discomfort

    While this page is not the place for clinical answers, you should probably give it a couple of days. What you are probably experiencing is prismatic effect. The contact lenses are directly on the eye, whereas the spectacles are located some 8-14 mm away. As you look through the periphery of the specatcle lenses your world changes a bit. It should go away as you become adjusted. That said, do not wait long. If it is not comfortable very soon, then go back to have it checked. I am sure you have a very competent eye doctor, and they would want you to return if you continue to have problems. You must be the judge....if it unbearable and causing great discomfort, do return immediately. If not I think you will be safe.

  3. #3
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    Hey, kbalfe!
    Why don't you take your glasses to Judy Canty or CME4SPECS to verify your prescription. They will gladly provide the service for only a buck a minute. (see "Neutralization Policy" thread.)

  4. #4
    Sawptician PAkev's Avatar
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    From one Kevin to another heres my free first time advice...........

    #1 We don't know the previous RX but with it being 7+ years between th old and the new RX it can be like trying to take one long leap from the 1O yardline into the end zone instead of taking ten long steps. For example (10yds) pl., (9yds) -.25, (8yds) -.50, (7yds) -.75, (6yds) -1.00, (5yds) -1.25, (4yds) -1.50, (3yds) -1.75, (2yds) -2.00, (1yds) -2.25, *Touch Down -2.50.
    #2 A principal termed vertex distance is influencing your tolerance of the new RX since your contacts rest directly on your eyes and your spectacle lenses are about 13 mm from your eyes.

    #3 Those Featherweight lenses are a fancy name for a material which is known to the optical industry as POLYCARBONATE. Although polycarbonate material has excellent impact resistance and is lighter than conventional plastic, it has greater abberation due to the inherent material properties of polycarbonate.

    #4 Since Lenscrafters claims they will refund your money if your not happy (See post on new lenscrafters commercial). You may want to consider getting your money back and purchase your eyewear from a professional that has the ability to understand and recommend the most appropriate lenses for your specific optical demands.


    :cheers:

    Kevin

  5. #5
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    What kind of contacts do you wear? Soft or RGP ? Your prescription for the right eye is borderline for using a toric contact lens. You might have a sperical lens for that eye( -2.87 if he used the sperical equivalent) and can be hard now to get used to the cylinder power from the spectacles Rx. Only because you got glasses from Lenscrafters that does not mean they are wrong . I do not see any problems using polycarbonate lenses whith your prescription.( a lot of people are using poly lenses and they need a bigger corection; you have to try them first to see if that chromatic abberation is bothering you so much) Maybe it is better to have your dr check the glasses .If they are made by specifications and you can not get used to them in a few days you probably need another eye exam.

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Jubilee's Avatar
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    As someone who does work for LensCrafters, first, let me assure you that they'll do whatever they can to make sure the glasses work for you.

    As for the trouble with you optics. I would try to give it a couple of days to see if it is a matter of adjustment. If you were wearing toric contacts, not only do you have to take into account the difference with having a contact sit on the eye, instead of several mm away, but the soft torics aren't made to your exact axis of correction either. The majority run in 5 degree increments, so the left eye axis on the contacts could be 70 or 75 instead of 72. Some people are sensitive to those changes in axis.

    Two, I was concerned about the "bubble effect", or what I call the fishbowl effect. When you look straight ahead, does the characters on your computer screen still appear slanted, regardless of crisp or clear they individual characters are? If they appear slanted, or if something straight like a counter top, or some other flat surface, my first thought goes to the axis correction on the glasses. (which would require a Dr recheck)

    Three, I also would have tried polycarbonate as well. Most people in your prescription range tolerate it very well. Due you notice any rainbows or color bleeds from white characters on screen?

    If you want to refund, and go to a "independent professional" then that is your perrogative, and that is part of the reason why there is a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. I just want to make sure that there isn't any other issues, that would reappear regardless of where you went due to the script, material, base curve, etc.

    Cassandra Brackmann

  7. #7
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    Update

    First, thanks to everyone who has passed along their thoughts, it's all been very helpful.

    The day I posted the original message I tried wearing the glasses for limited periods of time even though they weren't feeling right. After work I went back to the local LensCrafters and they were very helpful. They rechecked the glasses and confirmed that they did match the prescription. They also made slight adjustments to the frame. He reiterated what others have been saying here (that it may take some time to adjust).

    The following day I tried wearing the glasses for more prolonged periods of time. I still felt the effects and still saw the distortion (primarily noticeable when looking at the computer screen.) Cassandra, to answer your question, the characters on the screen actually look OK, it's more of the edges of the screen that appear slanted. For intance, if I'm viewing a web page, the left border of the page and the left border of the screen do not appear to line up. If I move over to the left so that I'm viewing the screen on an angle, things seem to straighten out. I also get a sort of halo effect around some objects.

    After the second day I went back to the Dr. that issued the original prescription. He checked it again and found some slight differences, but nothing that he said would really make a difference. He said to give the glasses 2 weeks to see if my eyes will normally adjust. I told him I would do my best, but in all honesty I'm nervous to drive in them and I get a feeling of sea-sickness or vertigo after prolonged periods. Perhaps I should get a second opinion, or perhaps it is the axis problem as has been previously mentioned.

    If anyone has additional thoughts based on this update, they're appreciated. Oh, and one other thing. The reason why I'm doing this (the eye allergies) do seem to subsibe significantly when I wear the glasses. Does anyone have advice for other brands of contacts to try (I'm using AcuVue now)? I've heard good things about the contacts that help with dry-eye which I think might be a cause from all my computer use.

    Thanks again, Kevin

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