Do your new progressive glasses make you feel like you’re looking through a fishbowl? You’re not alone!
Many new progressive glasses wearers struggle with adjusting to multiple focal powers. If you’re having trouble with this, I’ve got you. Let’s take a look at what you can do to get the hang of your new progressive glasses!
Over on Reddit, many users have shared their struggles with new progressive glasses. In one popular thread, a user named achillezzz shared his woes. He said he’d been trying to get the hang of them for a while, but it just wasn’t working. He also mentioned not being able to play golf because of his glasses.
“I’ve been trying for a long time to transition to progressives but they just dont take. It feels like I’m looking in a fishbowl. I’m always having to move my head to get that spot where my vision isn’t all blurry. It’s weird. My optometrist keeps saying I need to spend more time on it but I don’t know. I also learned you cant really golf with progressives so now I’m thinking I need another pair of just distance glasses.
Anyone have advice either way? Do progressives just not work for some people?”
Others chimed in to affirm his experience. They confirmed that there really is an adjustment period when it comes to these glasses.
Many Redditors gave advice. Orange-You-Glad, for instance, related how he had a “terrible time” with his first two pairs of progressive lenses. He said:
“The only thing that worked for me was first, getting bifocals and getting used to them, which was quick. Then second, buying progressive in frames with the absolute tallest and widest lenses I could find.”
Buying taller and wider lenses was indirectly supported by Prize_Sorbet3366. He suggested going back to the optometrist and telling them to “widen the visual field as far as it can go to reduce the amount of blurriness.”
“Just tell your optometrist that you are not able to adjust to the large amounts of peripheral distortion, and describe to them exactly what I described: they need to widen the visual field as far as it can go, to reduce the amount of blurriness. It will likely be more expensive, but should be more acceptable.”
Others suggested that a slight shift in achillezzz’s posture might do the trick. GC830 told him to:
“Point your nose directly where you want to look… It takes some practice for sure before it becomes second nature.”
A few more Redditors said achillezzz should go back to his optician to recheck the prescription. Fermifighter said:
“Have you had them adjusted/evaluated by an optician? Sometimes a millimeter or two makes all the difference. Some people can’t adapt to them, but I wouldn’t throw in the towel until they’ve been adjusted a couple times.”
Pigeonofthesea8 pointed out:
“I think if the optometrist is insisting on this prescription when you’re saying you hate it, unfortunately you just have to go to someone else.
I had one give me fishbowl lenses, I went back three times, it was horrible. He wouldn’t budge.
Went to another optometrist, magic, I could just see.”
How Progressive Glasses Are Designed
Don’t let all this talk scare you off progressive glasses! Let’s go through how these glasses work to help you understand how to best use them.
Middle Portion: For intermediate vision (e.g., computer use).
Bottom Portion: For near vision (e.g., reading).
These zones enable you to switch powers just by moving your eyes or head. But if you’re used to single vision lenses, it is understandable if this is disorienting at first. Ideally, with time, you will learn to see through these different zones effectively.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Regardless of how much experience you have with eyeglasses, expect an adjustment period when you switch to progressive glasses. These glasses are constructed differently from other eyewear, and you will need to get used to them.
However, trust that your brain wants you to see clearly, and it will learn to do so using your new lenses. In the meantime, here are a few challenges to expect and what you can do about them.
“Swimmy” or Distorted Vision
This is the “looking through a fishbowl” sensation that many Redditors talked about. When you’re new to progressive lenses, things can look distorted, like you’re underwater.
Here are a few things you can do to fix this:
Move your head: Try moving your head so your eyes see through the correct zone of your lenses. If you’re trying to see at a distance, look straight ahead. If you’re trying to read, tilt your head downward.
Practice: Make a conscious effort to see through the different lens zones. Look at a distant object through the distant-range zone. Look at mid-range objects through the middle zone. And then, finally, read using your near vision zone.
Avoid quick eye movements: Resist the urge to quickly move your eyes to try to focus. This can be disorienting and might even give you a headache. Instead, move your head to bring the desired area of the lens into focus.
Difficulty with Near Vision (Reading)
Man Adjusts His Eyeglasses While Reading
If you find yourself having problems looking through your near vision zone or needing to tilt your head back to see clearly, here are a few things to try.
Lower your gaze: Adjust where you look by lowering your gaze. Tilt your head slightly downward when you’re reading. You want to be looking through the lower portion of your glasses.
Change your reading distance: Sometimes, you might just need to adjust the distance of what you’re trying to read. Near vision is typically calibrated for seeing objects 14 to 16 inches away.
Adjust your lighting: Bad lighting can strain your eyes and make it harder to focus. So, make sure you’re reading in a well-lit area.
Trouble with Intermediate Vision (Computer Use)
If you’re having trouble reading from your computer screen, try these tips:
Reposition your screen: Ideally, the top of your screen should be slightly lower than your eye level. If this isn’t the case, try to adjust the height and distance of your screen.
Readjust your head: Try to slightly move your head so that you’re looking through the bottom middle portion of your lenses.
Balance and Depth Perception Issues
Some people feel a sense of imbalance when using new progressive lenses. This is because looking through lenses with multiple focal points can mess with your depth perception. You might experience temporary problems judging distances. Here are a few things to try to fix this:
Focus on the ground: When walking, focus on the ground ahead of you.
Look straight ahead: Look straight through the distance portion of the lenses when walking.
Practice: Practice walking on different surfaces and in various lighting conditions to improve your depth perception while wearing your multifocals.
Headaches and Eye Strain
Trying to adjust and see clearly through progressive lenses can cause headaches and eye strain. Here are a few things to remember:
Rest your eyes: Give your eyes a break. If you’re using your progressive glasses for computer work, pause every 20 minutes. Look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. A visual break can lessen the strain of getting used to progressive lenses.
Over-the-counter pain relief: You might experience headaches while you’re still not used to your new glasses. Alleviate the pain through over-the-counter pain medicines. Once you get used to your glasses, the pain should go away.
Consult your optometrist: If headaches or eye strain are severe or persistent, consult your optometrist.
Make Your Adjustment Period Easier
Woman Getting Her Glasses Adjusted
Consider your adjustment period your rite of passage. Get through it, and you’ll most likely end up loving your progressive glasses! Here’s what you can do:
Wear your progressive glasses often: The more you wear your glasses, the faster you’ll adjust to them.
Start slow: Conversely, for some people, it might be better to start slow. Begin by wearing your glasses for short periods of time. Then, gradually increase the duration.
This counters the first tip, yes. But this works better for some people. Talk to your optometrist to see which method they think would be best for you.
Choose the right frames: Like what a Redditor suggested, sometimes it’s just a matter of finding better frames. Look for eyeglasses that give you a wider field of vision.
Get quality lenses: Better lenses often offer wider viewing areas and reduced distortion.
Be patient: The adjustment period can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Give yourself time to adjust.
Clean your lenses regularly: Remove all potential sources of distortions as much as possible. A regular cleaning routine with a microfiber cloth and lens cleaner can do wonders.
Consider lens coatings: Anti-reflective coatings can reduce glare and improve clarity, especially when driving at night or working on a computer.
If you’ve tried all these tips and you still haven’t adjusted to your progressive glasses, talk to your optometrist. You might need to adjust your prescription.
TL;DR
Reddit user achillezzz is having problems adjusting to progressive glasses. Several Redditors chimed in with advice.
Progressive glasses are designed with three focal zones and can require some getting used to, especially for new users.
Common problems include distorted (swimmy) vision, problems with near and intermediate vision, balance and depth perception, and headaches and eye strain.
Head adjustments, practice, and fixing your work area can help with these common problems.
You can make your adjustment period easier by wearing your progressive glasses often or gradually (whichever is best, according to your doctor), choosing the right frames and lenses, cleaning your eyeglasses often, and being patient with yourself.
My life rotates through five lenses: distance and reading glasses, sunglasses, contacts, and my diving mask's lenses. If I'm not writing, I'm in the kitchen, gym, or under the sea.
