Many people experience vision changes and distortion when slipping on a brand-new pair of prescription eyeglasses. Don't worry: Most people adjust comfortably to new glasses within a day or two, and fully adjust within two weeks. Your new glasses may appear not to correct your vision as well as your old eyeglasses did, but remember this is completely normal. You might have some vision issues until your eyes adjust. Remain patient and continue wearing your new glasses, and your vision will adjust on its own.
You might experience many issues with your vision during the adjustment period for your new glasses, including eye strain, distortion, fishbowl vision, depth perception issues, and headaches. Each of these provides its own challenges:
Yes. In most cases, it takes two or three days to adjust to a new prescription, while some wearers may experience eye strain and distortion for up to two weeks. This is a common occurrence, as it takes your eyes and your brain to take some time to adjust to processing images through a new lens. Whether it's been a while since your prescription was updated, or this is your first pair of glasses, give your brain a day or two to accept the sharp, new image it's receiving as correct. You have been compensating for poor vision for so long that it's "normal." Your brain will adjust to the new normal as seen through your new eyeglasses.
People with astigmatism take a few days, and up to two weeks to adjust to new glasses, which is the same amount of time as it takes for people without astigmatism. However, you may find that you need a new prescription more frequently than others if you have this common eye condition. Astigmatism, along with age, can speed up the changes in your vision between eye exams. If your eyes don't seem to fully adjust to your new glasses after a week or two, it might be time to see the eye doctor again.
Struggling with new glasses is completely normal, and some of the symptoms people encounter include blurred vision, distortion, eye strain, and a fishbowl effect. If you opt for a new style, a new prescription, or a different type of glasses, it is safe and normal for your vision to feel off and slightly disoriented for the first few days. If the symptoms are severe, or if you experience intense headaches, always consult your eye doctor. Minor blurriness, eye strain, and a slight fishbowl effect on your vision are all common problems people experience in their first days of wearing new glasses. Don't switch back and forth between your new glasses and an old pair. While it's tempting to go back to your older pair, this can slow the adjustment to your new glasses.
It's also helpful to remember that changing between frame styles can affect your vision and require an adjustment period just as much as a new prescription can. Switching from a rectangular-shaped frame to a round frame, for example, or vice versa, can change the curve in the lens. Or moving from a large frame to a smaller frame can change how the frame enters your peripheral vision. While an optometrist can adjust the prescription for the shape, getting used to the new glasses might require some time. And even if your new frames don't affect your vision, how they feel on your face can require a few days of adjusting.
For the most part, the adjustment period for new glasses will pass without any real consequences. Take care, however, while driving, walking up or downstairs, or navigating uneven ground, working with dangerous machinery, or completing tasks that require concentration and good vision. The adjustment period can take some more time if your new glasses are bifocals or they have progressive lenses, or your prescription has changed dramatically.
Most eye care professionals will tell you it will likely take two to three days to adjust to a normal change in your glasses prescription, but the adjustment period can last up to two weeks in some rare cases. If your eyes have not fully adjusted after two or three days, check in with your eye doctor. They might want you to come in so they can check your eyes and/or your glasses.
Just be aware that while many wearers will get used to their new glasses in two to three days, a significant change in your eyeglass prescription, a change to your progressive lenses, or getting your first eyeglass prescription can result in an adjustment period that lasts up to two weeks.
The best thing you can do to help your eyes and brain adjust to new glasses is to wear them. Wearing your glasses will encourage your eyes to get used to the changes and adapt to the vision correction. Put your glasses on and wear them as soon as you wake up in the morning—that's when your eyes are fresh. Continue wearing them as much as possible during the day. Don't wait and put them on later in the day, because that 'shock' can cause you to feel the effects.