motion sickness meds to get used to new glasses??

Not sure where to post this, but I hope someone can help. At the ripe old age of 48, back in January, I had to get glasses. They are no-line bifocals and they are glasses that I should be wearing all the time - for driving, for reading, etc. However, I can't wear them more than a few minutes before I get "seasick" - dizzy and headachy. I am very susceptible to motion sickness, I guess -- I don't really get carsick or anything like that, but I cannot watch home videos or really jerky-photography movies (like hand-held cameras running through the woods type stuff). So I'm having a hard time wearing these glasses that I am legally supposed to wear when I drive.

I am wondering if anyone else has this same problem and whether taking a motion sickness med such as Bonine or Dramamine for a few days would help me get acclimated. I mentioned my "video sickness" to the eye doc and she said it was an inner-ear thing as opposed to a vision thing.

Anybody have any suggestions?? Thanks.

Kellie in Texas

I always have a problem when I change glass prescriptions--just keep wearing them--it can take a couple of weeks to get used to what you're seeing. (Your brain is just having a bit of trouble "seeing" things differently!)

You will adjust--give it time!

Go back to your doctor and ask for regular bifocals. Some people just cannot adjust to progressive lenses...I am one oth them. I am farsighted...No-line lenses have one small area for reading, and everything else progresses out from there. I tried them initially when I got bifocals, and found I couldn't go shopping...everything around the edges appeared distorted. It didn't make me sick, but annoyed the heck out of me. Also, I hated having to turn my head as I read...would rather just shift my eyes to travel across the page. I had already been wearing half glasses with my contacts to do needlework, so adjusting to regular bifocals was no problem at all. I actually thought they were pretty neat! Now I wear trifocals - I tried progressives again when I needed the midrange vision to see monitors and computer screens...But it was still no-go. I think optical shops try to steer you to no-line lenses because of vanity and they cost more. EM

I totally agree with essiesmom. If you aren't used to them by now (if you've been wearing them since Jan), you aren't going to adjust. If your optical shop is like mine, they will switch them to regular bifocal lenses at no charge. If they have not suggested this to you after such a long period of time (most people adjust within a few days), I would look into changing my doctor/optical shop, also. That is way too long to put up with this. Some people just can't adjust; you seem to be one of them.

Also, don't ask for medication advice on a message board! Medicine won't help you adjust to your glasses.

Have you had the prescription checked to ensure it's accurate? I have been wearing progressives for since they came out and love them. That said, I did have one pair that was not made properly and I had a similar problem. After checking they agreed and remade them.

Another problem I had was switching brands. I had always used Varilux lens, but one time the place I went to talked me into another brand. While they were a little cheaper, I simply could not wear them. Again, a similar experience to yours with headaches, blurryness etc.

Did you by chance have a gray tint put on them? Gray will also affect some people (like my wife!).

Cheers,

We have trifocals with no lines and only once did I have to go back to the doctor and get them fixed when I wasn't able to adjust to them in a couple of weeks. This has gone on for months with you. That doctor needs to recheck the prescription (mine were reversed). There is definitely something with those glasses.

Since January? That's an awfully long time for you to have dealt with this. You need something changed.

I agree that the idea of taking medication (recommended from a message board) in ordr to adjust to your glasses is not a great idea.

Good luck.

I'm 25 and have a similar issue. So you're not alone. And mine are just normal glasses with the same prescription I currently have in my old glasses. The new ones are just a bit smaller. I've only been able to wear them twice because it makes me sick to wear them.

Thank you for everyone's input. I have to 'fess up: I haven't been wearing my glasses since January - I've only worn them a few times and only for a few minutes each time because they make me queasy. A couple of you mentioned the distortion of words in a book - that's exactly what happens to me. It's like the page is curved and only the words in the middle are "straight." I'm thinking that I just need to force myself to wear them 5-10 minutes a few times a day and work up from there. My husband has worn glasses since he was a teenager and got his first bifocals when he turned 40, so he is not sympathetic to my plight. :rolleyes:

Kellie

So you've been driving for 5 months not wearing glasses you need to correct your vision? :eek:

Thank you for everyone's input. I have to 'fess up: I haven't been wearing my glasses since January - I've only worn them a few times and only for a few minutes each time because they make me queasy. A couple of you mentioned the distortion of words in a book - that's exactly what happens to me. It's like the page is curved and only the words in the middle are "straight." I'm thinking that I just need to force myself to wear them 5-10 minutes a few times a day and work up from there. My husband has worn glasses since he was a teenager and got his first bifocals when he turned 40, so he is not sympathetic to my plight. :rolleyes:

Kellie

As I mentioned before, I would have the glasses checked again to ensure the prescription was cut properly. If it was, then I would have the positioning of the cut checked as well. You say they are no line bifocals. What you are describing for symptoms sounds like something you would see with progressive lens. A progressive lens must be centered on your eyes. If you are looking down reading a book, and you move your eyes right or left you will get some distortion. You must move your head with progressive lens.

You really should not be having this much problem adjusting so something simply is not right with the glasses.

Cheers,

I wear contacts probably 12-14 hours a day. When I got my progressive lenses (eyeglasses) last summer, I had a heck of a time adjusting to them. I felt like I was seasick and could not adjust to reading, walking, or doing whatever else I had to do while wearing the glasses. I made numerous trips to the eye dr. and he checked the Rx on the lenses and found it to be correct, and then had to make an adjustment of the nose piece and ear pieces so that my eyes looked through a different portion of the eye glass. Because I was not wearing the glasses on a steady daily basis (but rather my contacts) , I have to say it took me about 4 months to adjust to them. I was very tempted to go back to my old bifocal style glasses, but am glad that I stuck it out. You have to get used to moving your head rather than your eyes to read. And, yes, I am one of these people who cannot tolerate the fast moving motion out a window or an I-Max Theater. I have to sit with my eyes closed. Good luck with your glasses.

I also have a pair of the progressive lens glasses that I cannot wear. During the day, I wear soft contact lens. But they correct my vision too much for reading. I went back to the dr. and got my regular prescription for seeing distance - no bifocals. This pair corrects my vision just enough for reading comfortably. I would just go ahead and get two pair of glasses if I were you. One for reading and one for driving. It's awful to be motion sick all the time - not worth it!

You may want to try out soft contact lens. For years I wore the old glass permiable contacts. They hurt. I have extremely poor vision, but the soft lens work just fine. I can't even feel them at all in my eyes.

Good luck and go for what works best for you.

There are many reasons that your glasses do that. First, you need to take them back and ask that they be verified to your prescription. If the axis is off or the bifocal is too high or even the wrong type of bifocal/progressive is used then you will have problems. If they verify correctly, then ask for an Rx Check with the doctor. If you had or have had a change in medications or have diabetes this can change your prescription. 3rd have the doctor re-measure the distance of each level of your bifocal/progressive. Most no line are actually a progressive and have 3 levels. Your reading distance (the lowest part of your glasses) should be comfortable reading at bent arm length (10-12inches away). The middle distance should be about computer distance (12-16 inches away) or about straight arm distance. the top part is your distance length (looking down the road) if these distances were measured too high on the physical lens then you will be looking thru the wrong area. There are over 50 different types of progressives out there with different amounts of space allotted to each area. If you have an "AO EASY brand" for instance it would give you different results than another brand.

If you had an astigmatism and it changed that can make you get the swoons.

Almost 90% of the time your reaction is from something being physically wrong with the lens/measurements. Please go back to your Eye doctor of store where you got them and let them know, there is a limited time that they will change these issues for you at their cost. Most figure that if you are complaining at 6 months then your eyes have changed and the Rx was good at the time.

It is true that some people just cannot adjust to the no lines, if all of the above checks out then you are probably one of them. Another trick that sometimes helps no matter what type you have, when looking from distance to upclose or vice versa, blink it will help your eyes focus better.

I hope I have helped, and yes I worked for an eye doctor and this comes up pretty often. You are not alone and shouldn't feel bad for going back to the doctor about it, most doctors want to make sure that you are comfortable with your glasses and it really is pretty common that adjustments are needed.

I have had bifocal contacts for several years, and they work great. I am very nearsighted, but have a pretty weak prescription for reading. Mine are the kind that correct both types of vision in both eyes, but I know other people that have one contact for reading and one for distance in the other eye.

My eye doctor recommended that I gradually change from my old contacts to bifocal contacts, but I just put the new ones in and never went back to the old ones. Unless you absolutely can't wear contacts, I think you would be happy to get rid of those troublesome glasses!

Thanks again, everyone, for all the advice. I've been reading more on the internet and found a couple of "practical" tips such as point your nose or chin at what you want to look at (a book, the highway, a computer) to get your eyes lined up in the proper spot of the lenses. Another said to put the glasses on and leave them on to help your eyes get adjusted faster. So that's just what I'm going to have to do. One good thing at least is I really do like the frames I picked out! :cool:

Kellie

Kellie- Kat89447 is absolutely correct. I am a "retired" ABO Certified Optician. You need to take you glasses back to your doctor and have them mark up the lenses to verify pupil distance, segment height and the actual prescription. If all checks out, you need to be rechecked by the doctor.

I just got my first paid of progressives this week. I am having trouble getting used to how the page "drops off", but nothing like you have experienced. Getting used to new glasses just shouldn't be that difficult.

Good Luck!

Cheryl