Wearing glasses can be a life-changing way to address your vision concerns. With how essential your vision is to your day-to-day life, allowing you to see the world with perfect clarity and precision, utilizing any form of vision protection can make your life much easier. However, what happens if your glasses are too strong? How can you tell?
There are a few warning signs to look for if you think your glasses are too strong, including blurry vision, eye strain, headaches, dizziness and nausea, and problems with depth perception.
If you notice any of these symptoms, you should visit your eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam to update your prescription.
Blurry Vision
One of the first signs noticed if glasses are too strong is the development of blurry vision. If you notice that things are blurry, fuzzy, or out of focus, it could indicate that your prescription is incorrect.
Blurry vision occurs when your glasses refract light in a way that doesn’t correct your vision properly, causing the light to hit the wrong part of your inner eye. This leads to an inability to create an accurate, clear image, as each person’s eyes have unique needs and precise adjustments to achieve optimal vision.
When wearing glasses that are too strong, you may struggle to see fine details, read smaller text, and clearly see objects at a distance. Things may appear fuzzy, like they don’t have sharp edges, or you may have difficulty focusing your eyes on certain objects.
While blurry vision can be caused by glasses that are too strong, it could also be caused by other eye issues. If you regularly experience blurry vision, you should speak with your optometrist.
Eye Strain
Another common symptom that suggests an incorrect prescription is eye strain. This is the feeling of fatigue, discomfort, or even tightness in the eyes and is caused by the eyes working to compensate to see things clearly. When light is refracted improperly through an incorrect prescription, it can lead to this feeling of fatigue.
In some circumstances, this can even be characterized by:
- Aching
- Soreness
- Redness
- Dryness
It can also lead to difficulty focusing on tasks for an extended period or cause you to need to rub your eyes. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should visit your optometrist.
Headaches
One consequence of wearing glasses with an incorrect prescription may be the development of headaches. When the eyes work harder to interpret visual information correctly, you may begin experiencing tension headaches. These typically start around the eyes or temples before radiating to other parts of your head.
If you notice you’re experiencing headaches more often since changing your glasses, you should immediately schedule a comprehensive eye exam. Headaches, while common, can indicate another condition developing, so it’s important to visit your optometrist to determine whether or not the glasses are the cause.
Dizziness & Nausea
Wearing an incorrect prescription can also lead to feelings of dizziness or nausea developing. When the lenses in your glasses alter the light entering your eyes incorrectly, it can disrupt your visual system, leading to short-term effects on your balance and coordination.
These effects can lead to dizziness, vertigo, nausea, or even feelings of unease. The glasses altering how light enters your eyes can lead to changes in your spatial awareness or even the equilibrium of your inner ear, and all of this is made worse with sudden movements of the eyes or head.
Dizziness and nausea may not appear immediately—it may take time to develop as your eyes and brain struggle to adapt to the incorrect light entering your eyes. This can make it more challenging to determine if you’re feeling these symptoms because of your glasses or another condition.
Depth Perception & Distortion
An incorrect prescription affects not only your visual clarity but also your depth perception and the way you see the world. When the lenses aren’t providing the right correction your eyes need, it can lead to distorted vision, making it more difficult to judge distances accurately.
This can be problematic and even dangerous if you’re engaging in activities that require accurate depth perception, like playing sports or driving a vehicle. If you’ve recently developed problems with depth perception, you should have your prescription checked as soon as possible.
What to Do if Your Prescription Is Too Strong
If you suspect your prescription is incorrect, your first step should be to visit your optometrist. Seeking professional advice and a second opinion on your vision is essential to determine why you’re experiencing these symptoms. Through a regular comprehensive eye exam, an optometrist can determine your exact prescription and make adjustments to help make your vision clearer.
It’s important to avoid ignoring the signs that something may be wrong with your eyes. To speak with a caring, experienced professional and receive a comprehensive eye exam, book an appointment with us at Bettner Vision today!
