Common Glasses Problems and Solutions

This is a very common problem and is usually due to either worn out frames, a poor lens/frame match in which the lens is to heavy for the frame, or poor frame match for your facial anatomy. Keep in mind too that the back of the ears and sides of the nose are rich in sweat glands which can cause them to slip and slide. Depending upon the reason, several things can be done. A headband might be necessary for heavy glasses when working out in the hot sun. Also, increasing temple support can help greatly. The frames can often be tightened and nose pads added. Worn out frames and delicate frames may need adjusting on a regular basis, and we are happy to provide that service free of charge. Remember too that in the case of plastic frames, being out in the hot sun will cause the frame to stretch out if it’s too large for your face. When all else fails, a new properly fitted feather-weight frame will solve the problem.

Multiple reasons. Often, glasses will slowly slide out of position, especially if the glasses are old and heavy. Keep in mind, however, that eyestrain can cause blurring due to fatigue, so make sure that your correction is current. Also, the front surface of the eye has a tendency to dry out since we normally blink less when reading. Dryness can become a problem during middle adult years, and can be helped by instilling a good lubricant before reading and using a bright light.

Transitional lenses turn dark by UV activation. Since car windows filter out UV light, the lenses remain clear while in the car. If sunlight bothers you while driving, sunglasses will be necessary.

ABSOLUTELY YES!!! Make sure that your glasses are the right prescription. Minimizing edge thickness with the newer lenses will help. The addition of A/R (anti-reflective) coating will be a significant plus, especially with high index lenses. We recommend caution adding this coating to old lenses. As always, we advise a full examination if you’re having problems with glare, because other problems such as cataracts can also cause glare problems.

Switching to a “no-line” bifocal can be a real adjustment because the mechanics of focusing through them are very different from a line-bifocal. With a no-line bifocal, the further down you look, the closer the working distance. In other words, holding a newspaper 14 inches away will necessitate looking further down into the bifocal than looking at a grocery shelf from your shopping cart. That is in fact the beauty of modern day no-lines. You can vary your range of focus by how far down through the bifocal you look. People love having this kind of control over focusing, but LEARNING HOW to use them properly takes practice. With practice, however, one will automatically learn how far down to look for a given range of focusing. If you continue to have problems, let the doctor or optical personnel know to make sure that the lenses were properly grounded.

This has become a major problem now that we’re in the computer age. Traditional line bifocals are not very user friendly for prolonged computer work, not to mention the havoc it wreaks upon your neck. There are 2 solutions. Have a pair of dedicated computer glasses made. Depending upon your optical state, this can be as simple as a pair of generic readers. The other solution would be no-line bifocals, which are excellent for computer work and can allow you to focus with only minimal head tilt. If you happen to be nearsighted, simply removing your glasses may help (depending upon the degree of nearsightedness you have.

Simple. Frames and lenses have become smaller and more efficient. That’s part of the light-weight technology. Therefore the rim of the frame is more easily seen in your peripheral vision. However once you get used to it, you won’t even notice the rim. And….you’ll love the comfort.

Reflective glare can be annoying and can cause intense squinting. This of course can lead to headaches. Sources of reflective glare are objects such as metal, water, or any “shiny” surface such as snow, ice, etc. Polarized sunglasses will eliminate this type of glare and is worth its weight in gold. Remember though that headaches in bright light can indicate a medical problem as well and should be checked out by your ophthalmologist.

Glare at night is a very common problem, especially in people with nearsightedness. Reducing or eliminating glare will take several steps. #1. An up-to-date eye exam to make sure you have no other problems with your eyes such as cataracts, etc. #2. An accurate glasses prescription. #3. Anti-reflective coating on your glasses lenses to eliminate surface and internal lens reflections.

“High” minus lenses for nearsightedness can cause some cosmetic problems and visual distortion. Several things however can be done to greatly alleviate the problem: #1. Use smaller lenses made out of high index plastic such as polycarbonate. These lenses are fashionable, light weight, and thin. #2. Use a light weight frame that will allow the lenses to fit close to your eye. The closer “minus” lenses sit to your eye, the more normal in size your eyes will look, and images through the lenses will seem more normal to you as well. Another consideration is contact lenses. See Optical Services-Contact Lenses.

“Plus” lenses are for farsightedness, and the more farsighted one is, the stronger the lens. Strong “plus” lenses cause the eyes to appear magnified. Also images seen through the lenses will appear larger than they really are. Several things can be done. #1. Use lenses made of high index plastics such as polycarbonate, and keep the lenses small. This will help reduce edge thickness and weight. This in turn will help make your eyes look normal in size. #2. Use a light weight frame. Together with small lenses, this will allow the lenses to sit closer to your face reducing the magnified appearance of your eyes and images through your glasses. Another consideration is contact lenses. See Optical Services-Contact Lenses.

The term for this is called “image jump,” and is common with a straight top lined bifocal. This is normal depending upon your correction. To minimize image jump, always choose a straight top lined bifocal if your nearsighted, but try to choose a “round” top if your farsighted. In both cases, image jump can be minimized. The best solution however is choosing a no-line bifocal.

Several possibilities. #1. The base curve of the new lens could be different than your old lens. Lenses with different “curves” could have the same identical prescription in them, but because the “curve” is different, the way you see through them could be different. #2. Other factors such as lens quality, improper optical centers, lens size differences, type of lens plastic chosen, grinding quality, can significantly affect the quality of vision through your glasses.

Generally, anti-reflective coating should not be added to old lenses, especially if there are any surface defects or scratches. A fresh pair of lenses with AR coating should do the trick.

Either the lens(es) was (were) not ground properly or optical centers are incorrect. Such lens parameters can be easily checked out. Contact us here for an appointment.