How to Get Used to Wearing Glasses | Visionworks | Salesforce Commerce Cloud

When you first get new glasses, they may feel uncomfortable. Not only has your reflection in the mirror changed, but the sensation of having something new on your face can be awkward. Until your brain and eyes adjust, you may experience headaches and eye strain. Although glasses help you see better, learning to get used to new glasses can be inconvenient.

If you’re wondering how to get used to new glasses, you’re not alone. The answer depends on several factors, including your prescription strength, the size of your glasses frame, and whether you just started wearing glasses.

This article reveals steps you can take to get through this challenge more easily, as well as signs that might indicate there’s a problem that warrants a follow-up visit with your optometrist.

What Symptoms might You Experience while Wearing New Glasses?

While getting a new pair of glasses is exciting, it may come with minor drawbacks. Your brain and eyes have to learn how to get used to the new glasses, leading to a period of mild discomfort. Common symptoms associated with new glasses include:

Slight visual distortions
Eye strain
Depth perception difficulties
Dizziness
Nausea
Headaches
Fishbowl effect (images seen through lenses appear to bend)

Another common side effect of wearing new glasses is that your ears, nose, and temples might take a while to adjust to the touch from your glasses. Any mild discomfort you experience should go away after two to three days.

Why Can it Be Difficult to Adjust to New Glasses?

Adjusting to new glasses forces your brain to correct your vision and adapt to the images you see. The eyes must work harder to obtain a clear picture and adjust to the new sensation.

The truth is, even if you’ve worn glasses for years, your eyes must adjust to any new eyewear, including:

New frames and a new prescription
The same frames with a new prescription
The same prescription and new frames
A new lens type, like progressive lenses or bifocals

The best way to adjust to new glasses is to be patient. If you’re wearing glasses for the very first time, the adaptation period could be a little longer. However, if uncomfortable symptoms persist longer than a few days, consult with your eye doctor.

What’s Normal (or Not) With New Glasses

Is it normal for new glasses to be uncomfortable?

Yes. Getting used to something new on your face can be awkward. You might find yourself touching and adjusting your glasses a lot or wishing you could take them off. Even if you've worn glasses before, switching from square to round frames or small to large ones can still take an adjustment period. In most cases, you’ll get used to the new sensation within a few days.

Discomfort can mean many things and is different for every wearer. For example, some people experience discomfort on their nose because the bridge of the glasses feels slightly heavy, while others don’t even notice the change.

Is it normal for eyes to hurt with new glasses?

Yes, this side effect is common in a new glasses adjustment period. Eye strain due to new glasses occurs when eye muscles overwork as they adjust to focusing through new lenses. Your eyes may feel tired and even a bit sore as they work to get used to the new prescription.

Eye strain isn’t always the result of new glasses, though. It can occur because you have the wrong prescription or you spend hours viewing screens on digital devices or TV. If the strain doesn’t ease up in a few days, call your optometrist, because you may need an adjustment to your frames or prescription.

Is It Normal for New Glasses to Be Blurry at First?

Yes. When you wear glasses for the first time—or even when you get a new prescription—you may experience blurriness or vision distortion as your brain adjusts. Until now, your brain and eyes have been overcompensating for poor vision. They need time to learn to process images differently. These problems should be temporary.

Visual distortion can also occur based on where lenses sit on your face. Lenses too far or too close to your eyes can disrupt your vision correction. If your prescription and frames are well-suited for you, blurriness is likely to go away in a few days.

If your discomfort is acute, avoid driving or operating machinery for a few days. Take more frequent breaks and rest your eyes as you deal with the side effects of wearing new glasses.

Is It Normal to Get Headaches with New Glasses?

Unfortunately, headaches are common as you learn how to get used to new glasses. Frames can pressure your nose and temples and lead to a tension headache. Likewise, eye strain sometimes leads to headaches and nausea.

Taking breaks from your glasses as your eyes adjust can be helpful. In most cases, headaches go away naturally in a few days. Start by wearing your glasses for an hour or two and work up to wearing them all day.

Another tip: Avoid wearing your old pair of glasses. While this may seem counterintuitive, you’ll want to allow your eyesight to adapt to your new glasses. Putting on your old pair may prolong your symptoms, especially if you have a new prescription.

How Do You Know if Your Lens Prescription Needs Adjustment?

Occasionally, you may need to have your lens prescription adjusted. There are a few reasons why the prescription could be off: exam errors, the eye measurement process, and manufacturing issues. The problem may also be frames that don’t center the lenses on your pupils.

If any symptoms like headaches or dizziness persist for more than a week, your prescription might be incorrect.

Can You Return Prescription Glasses?

You can generally return your prescription glasses, depending on the return policy of the retailer or eye care provider you purchased them from. With Visionworks’ 100-Day Guarantee, you can return your prescription glasses for a quick fix or a new pair of equal or lesser value within 100 days of your purchase date.

Should You Drive with New Glasses On?

Most people adjust to their new glasses quickly, but side effects like eye strain or nausea can persist for some. Since difficulties during the new glasses adjustment period can affect your vision or reaction time, avoid driving for the first two to three days if you’re experiencing discomfort.

How Can You Help Your Child Adjust to New Glasses?

Children may have more trouble adjusting to their new glasses and need a little encouragement to become comfortable with them. Get creative with your support during this adjustment period, such as letting them pick their frames or cheering them on when they wear their glasses consistently. Establishing a routine around putting on and taking off the glasses each day can also be helpful.

How to Get Used to New Glasses: 6 Tips

If you're dealing with challenges when wearing new glasses, you aren't alone. Try these strategies for a more pleasant adjustment period.

1. Verify Your Prescription and Have It Adjusted if Necessary

There are several reasons a prescription could be off. Potential issues include errors during the exam, inaccuracy while measuring your eyes, and manufacturing problems. Contact your optometrist to discuss adjusting your prescription if discomfort persists for longer than a week.

2. Ensure Your Frames Fit Your Face

Your prescription isn't the only factor in improving your eyesight. You must have frames that fit your head and have them adjusted to your face. The right frame size maximizes your comfort. Misaligned lenses can lead to eye strain, headaches, and blurry vision.

How an Optician Can Help You Fit and Adjust Your New Glasses

Well-fitting glasses feel comfortable when you wear them, and they shouldn’t pinch, slip down your nose, or distort your vision. An optician can help make sure your new glasses feel snug and well-aligned.

You can ask an optician to double-check the fit of your glasses when you pick them up from the store. If you ordered your pair online, you can bring them in once they’ve arrived. The optician can also answer any questions you have about how your glasses fit and give you tips for protecting your frames from wear and tear.

3. Gradually Increase Wear Time

Start with just an hour or two of wearing glasses daily and work up to wearing them all day. The best way to teach your eyes how to get used to a new pair is simply to wear them.

As much as possible, wear your glasses early in the day, when your eyes are fresh, and gradually increase wearing periods. If practical, wear glasses for simple activities like watching TV or anything requiring minimal exertion.

Should You Wear New Glasses All the Time?

You might wonder if you should wear your new glasses all the time, especially when you rely on glasses to get through the day. The type of glasses you’re wearing, eye conditions you have, and activities you’re doing can all factor into how much you need to wear your glasses.

Some find they adjust to their new glasses faster by wearing them full-time—and there’s nothing wrong with doing so. Others prefer to ease into wearing their new glasses. Starting slowly is fine as long as you make sure to wear your glasses during activities that require clear vision. When in doubt, talk to your eye care provider.

4. Exercise Your Eyes

If you experience eye strain, especially while wearing your glasses at work, a few simple exercises may help alleviate it. Every 20 minutes or so, take your eyes off your computer screen and desk to focus on something far away in the distance, such as a tree or building outside your window.

Next, look down and focus on something close, then alternate focusing on objects at different distances. This exercise is particularly beneficial if you’re learning to get used to bifocals or progressive lenses.

5. Be Consistent

The key to learning how to get used to new glasses is to wear your new pair consistently. This means not switching to an old frame with an outdated prescription, no matter how strong the temptation.

What to Do with Your Old Glasses

Getting comfortable with your new glasses may tempt you to throw away the old pair, but there are a few useful things you can do with your outdated glasses. For example, you can keep the old pair if you cannot obtain a backup pair yet or sell your old glasses to a collector.

Many nonprofit organizations accept old glasses and give them to people who are unable to access eye care services. An eyeglasses donation could mean both convenience for you and good news for someone in need.

6. Protect and Clean Your Glasses

When you’re not wearing them, make sure to take care of your glasses and keep them in a hard case, especially if you carry them around with you. In addition to scratching your lenses, bumps and falls can warp or damage the frames so they don’t fit your face or correctly line up with your eyes.

Your optometrist’s office adjusted the frames specifically for your face, with the center of focus where your pupil is located. If this is thrown off, your vision could be, too.

Be sure to clean your glasses regularly. Keep them clean using a soft microfiber cloth and lens spray to remove spots, smudges, and dirt. Resist the urge to wipe off stray hairs or dirt off your glasses with your fingers, even if your hands are clean. Fingertips are oily and leave stubborn smudges on your glasses.

When Should You Ask Your Eye Doctor About Discomfort with New Glasses?

Most people are able to start adjusting to their new glasses within two or three days, though sometimes it can take up to a week. Experiencing long-term discomfort is usually a sign something might be wrong. For example, the alignment of your lenses could be a little off, or your frame might be too tight.

If you’re still experiencing headaches, eye strain, or another type of discomfort after a week, reach out to your eye doctor for a consultation.

Get Used to Wearing Glasses with Visionworks

Learning how to get used to wearing glasses doesn’t have to be complicated. At Visionworks, we want to help you have a pleasant and comfortable experience while getting used to new glasses.

If you need more information on eye care, check out our post on when to see an eye doctor. When you’re ready to update your prescription or get more insight into your eye health, all you need to do is set up an eye exam near you.

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