How to know if your glasses prescription is wrong
Have you ever heard the tale of the boiled frog? The story goes that if you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly bring the temperature up, it won't jump out. It doesn't realize something is going wrong, so it stays and cooks.
If you're an eyeglasses wearer, you may have experienced something similar. As your prescription needs change, you slowly experience headaches or other symptoms. It can be slow enough that you don't even realize what's happening.
In other cases, you might have an incorrect prescription due to issues with your exam. Knowing how to tell if your prescription is wrong and what to do about it can help you protect your vision. Learn how to know if your glasses prescription is wrong below.
Signs of an incorrect glasses prescription
Have you ever tried on a friend's glasses only to view a sudden world of colorful blobs and blurs? An incorrect prescription that's way off is obvious. But a slightly incorrect glasses prescription is harder to identify.
Blurry vision
Blurry vision is often one of the first signs of an incorrect glasses prescription. However, your vision doesn't have to be blurred beyond function. You might just see letters a bit fuzzier than normal when you're reading or notice road signs are hard to read.
Headaches and eye strain
When you're wearing glasses with the wrong prescription, your eyes and brain have to work harder to compensate. In some cases, your eyes and brain may be able to resolve blurred vision issues, so you think your prescription is working fine. Meanwhile, these parts of your body are overextending themselves.
This strain can lead to headaches or your eyes feeling tired or irritated.
This can be the case even if only one lens has the wrong prescription. One of your eyes might end up compensating for the other, leading to headaches.
Distorted or warped vision
A bit of fuzz around letters or lights is only one sign of an incorrect prescription. Warping or distortion in your vision can also be a symptom.
For example, depth perception issues are common if your prescription is wrong or your glasses don't fit correctly. If you regularly reach for things only to find that they're actually located a few inches farther than you thought, you may have some distorted vision. If you struggle to navigate stairs because you don't perceive where they are correctly, it could be a sign your prescription needs updating.
Dizziness or disorientation
It's normal to experience a little disorientation when you get new glasses. After all, even if the prescription is correct, you may be seeing the world more clearly than you have in a while.
However, continued disorientation or feelings of dizziness can indicate that there's something off in your prescription. If you don't settle into your glasses after a few days or you feel dizzy when you stand up or look from near things to far things (or vice versa), you may need a different prescription.
What to do if you suspect an incorrect prescription
Start by ensuring the glasses you're wearing match your prescription. If you ordered glasses online, double-check the prescription you typed in matches what your doctor wrote. You can also reach out to your eye care professional for help correctly reading and understanding your prescription.
If you check your prescription and you're wearing the one your eye care professional ordered, you probably need to get re-evaluated. Schedule an appointment with your provider as soon as possible to get a more accurate prescription. It's critical that you get the most accurate prescription for each of your eyes so your glasses can best support your vision.
Preventing prescription errors
Even seasoned eye care professionals can provide inaccurate prescriptions, but there are some things you can do to help reduce these changes.
First, make eye care appointments with reputable, experienced professionals. Skilled professionals have the knowledge needed to navigate the exam process and support the most accurate prescription possible. They also have experience with a variety of eye care issues, so they're more likely to recognize issues that might otherwise lead to an inaccurate prescription.
Don't rush through your eye exam. Take time to communicate with your eye care provider about any visual issues you're experiencing. Even something as small as a bit of dizziness or what seems like a random headache may be worth mentioning and can help your eye care professional correctly address your vision needs.
Ask questions and give good feedback during the exam. If your eye care provider shows you different images and you're not sure which one is better, let them know. They have ways of drilling down to what prescription might be right for you, but you have to be honest about what you see in the images they show you.
Take a proactive approach to your vision health
Clear and accurate vision is important to daily life and an active, healthy lifestyle. If you are dealing with changes in your vision or think your prescription isn't correct, don't ignore the issue. Be proactive and reach out to your eye care provider for help. The same is true whether you're wearing eyeglasses or daily contacts.
If you're confident that your prescription is correct and you aren't experiencing any of the above symptoms, consider renewing your prescription online for fast, easy access to new contacts or glasses — often at a discount.
FAQs
Can an incorrect prescription worsen my eyesight?
Yes, wearing glasses with the wrong prescription means your eyes will be trying to compensate to see clearly, which can worsen vision over time.
Can an incorrect prescription cause long-term damage to my eyes?
It's possible for an incorrect prescription to weaken the eyes, which can worsen your vision, but it won't hurt the structure of the eye itself.
How often should I have my glasses prescription checked?
Your prescription should be checked every 1-2 years or when you notice any changes.