OPTX Optometry - Los Angeles & Valencia

I feel odd in my new spectacles even though they are made to the same prescription as my old ones -

A change in your prescription is not all that causes a new pair of specs to feel weird. The frame change requires adaptation as you may be looking through a smaller or larger viewing area and the lenses may be closer or farther from your eyes compared with before. The lenses may also be tilted at a different angle in the new frame and perhaps the frame does not wrap your face as much or as little as it did previously. The type of lens design in the new specs will also influence your vision. For example, thinner, flatter, aspheric high index lenses often seem less clear when looking through the extreme periphery of the lens. Perhaps the centers of the lenses are higher or lower than before. This can also influence your initial comfort. Perseverance is the key to adaptation, but after 3 weeks without improvement, please see our spectacle collections team for further assistance.

My close-up vision is not as good as it used to be - is this normal?

Yes - this change in your near vision focus happens to everyone and is called Presbyopia. The effect of presbyopia is similar to that of longsightedness, but they are not the same. See Lingo for more information.

Why is it more difficult for me to see at night?

When it gets dark, our pupils dilate and this makes everyone more short-sighted. This is usually why night-time vision is worse than during the day even if you are wearing your up-to-date prescription. Should you be driving at night, more care should be taken on the roads, as oncoming headlamp glare can be quite distracting. Any prescription found for general use should obviously be worn in these conditions. Some inherited conditions of the eye like retinitis pigmentosa also cause problems with night vision.

At the start of spring I can't wear my contact lenses comfortably as my eyes itch - why is this?

You are probably suffering from an eye allergy. Spring often brings about more sneezing and increased pollen counts along with all the daffodils. Certain susceptible individuals will experience a reaction in the eyes and an allergic conjunctivitis results. The itching is usually confined to the upper and/or lower lids and possibly the corner of the eye closest to your nose. If you wear contact lenses, the best thing to do is switch to spectacles for the duration of the allergy and buy a small supply of daily disposable lenses so that you can use them for a few hours out in the evening if you are desperate. Daily disposables would be the best lens type if your allergies are fairly chronic and you refuse to wear glasses. For relief from the itching certain anti-histamine containing drops can be bought from your local pharmacy. Most cannot be used in conjunction with contact lenses. Other types of drops can be used over a sustained period of time to strengthen the membranes of the cells that cause the symptoms of allergy. These drops have a longer-term effect and are called mast-cell stabilizers. The active ingredient is usually sodium cromoglycate. Ask your Optometrist or pharmacist for more information.

What is glaucoma?

There are two types of adult-onset Glaucoma and both refer to an increased abnormal pressure within the eyeball. The rarer form is when an acute attack occurs. Symptoms include a painful, red eye and possible light sensitivity and nausea. The most common form of Glaucoma is the preventable chronic type. Sight is adversely affected if it is not picked up early, the long-term effect being progressively worsening tunnel vision. It is essential to have your eyes screened for glaucoma once you are over the age of 40 years as the relative risk increases from this point. Other factors increasing the risk of glaucoma are diabetes, high levels of short-sightedness, age and family history.

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