How To Get Used to Glasses

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How To Get Used to Glasses

Buying a new pair of prescription glasses can help you with clearer vision, but it can also cause discomfort at first. If you are new to glasses, it is crucial to know that many factors play into adjusting to a new pair.

New prescription glasses can cause dizziness or headaches even if you’re a glasses wearer. If you want to find out why that happens and need a few tips on adjusting to new glasses, keep reading this article. 

How long does it take to adjust to new glasses?

Adjusting to new glasses is different for everyone. For some, it takes a few days; for others, it takes more. Not only do your eyes muscles have to adjust to the new lenses, but your brain has to adjust too. The adjusting time frame depends on many factors; it can either be based on the complexity of your prescription or the type of lenses you choose. If you are a glasses wearer, adjusting to a new prescription can also depend on your personal sensitivity or for how long you wore your last pair of glasses. Progressive lenses, for example, tend to be the hardest to get used to. 

Is it normal for new glasses to feel weird?

The short answer is yes; new glasses can feel weird. As we already said, getting used to either having a new prescription or starting to wear glasses takes some time. While some symptoms may be expected and typical, it is still essential to analyze what is happening and understand if what you’re experiencing is common and temporary or if the glasses are not right for you. 

If this is your first time wearing glasses, it is important to understand where the discomfort comes from. Is it from the lenses? Or is it from the frames? Having glasses sit on your face all day can be quite unpleasant the first few days; if the back or your ears hurt and you have severe nose marks, you may have chosen the wrong glasses size. You may also consider selecting a pair of frames made with lightweight materials like titanium.

Is it normal for glasses to be blurry at first?

Having blurry vision the first few days of wearing new prescription glasses is very common. With time passing, the blurriness should gradually begin to fade. Please consult an eyecare specialist if no improvement happens over the first few days. Your prescription may need to be corrected, and continuing to wear the glasses may cause damage to your vision. 

Is it normal to feel dizzy with new glasses?

Dizziness is another common symptom during the first few days of wearing new glasses. Your brain may struggle to adapt to the new prescription, making you feel dizzy, nauseous, and lightheaded. While these symptoms are unpleasant or not what you expect when wearing glasses, they are usually short-lived and disappear in a few days. If, after a few days, the discomfort is still there, please consult an eye specialist.

Do new glasses give you a headache?

Headaches and eyestrain are commonly associated with new prescription glasses. The discomfort is more likely normal, so don’t panic. New lenses usually make your eye muscles respond differently compared to the old lenses or compared to not wearing lenses at all. Listed below, you will find four useful tips on how to help get used to new glasses.

Is there an adjustment period for new glasses?

As already mentioned, the adjusting period is different for everyone. While some may get used to the new prescription in a couple of days, others may need 5-6 days to start seeing clearly without experiencing discomfort. 

It is crucial to note that although experiencing headaches, eye strain, dizziness, and blurry vision is expected, if the symptoms are severe and no improvement is visible after the first few days, you must consult an eye care specialist. Wearing the glasses for an extended period while experiencing these discomforts is not advised, as it may damage your vision.

Best way to adjust to new glasses

If you’re new to wearing glasses and are looking for tips on what to do to ease the adjusting process, here are some tips for you: 

  1. Wear the glasses as much as your eye doctor advised: do not avoid wearing your glasses or go back to your old ones. Your eyes need to adjust to the new prescription, so wear them as much as advised.
  2. Give your eyes some rest. When experiencing eye strain, it is essential to give your eyes some rest. Remove the glasses, close your eyes, and take some time with your eyes closed to give them a break.
  3. Make sure you move your head: first-time glasses wearers tend to avoid moving their heads because of the new feeling of having them on their heads. Move your head as usual; the glasses will not fall off your face; if they do, you might need to check the size. 
  4. Clean your glasses regularly. Even the smallest amount of dirt can increase discomfort for new glasses wearers, so make sure you clean the glasses regularly using a microfiber cloth and an optical spray. Remember to store the glasses in their case when not wearing them to avoid scratches. 

If you have more questions regarding prescription glasses, you can head to our Optical Center and ask our certified opticians for help.

Ask the Optician

ASK NOW

How To Get Used to Glasses

Buying a new pair of prescription glasses can help you with clearer vision, but it can also cause discomfort at first. If you are new to glasses, it is crucial to know that many factors play into adjusting to a new pair.

New prescription glasses can cause dizziness or headaches even if you’re a glasses wearer. If you want to find out why that happens and need a few tips on adjusting to new glasses, keep reading this article.

How long does it take to adjust to new glasses?

Adjusting to new glasses is different for everyone. For some, it takes a few days; for others, it takes more. Not only do your eyes muscles have to adjust to the new lenses, but your brain has to adjust too. The adjusting time frame depends on many factors; it can either be based on the complexity of your prescription or the type of lenses you choose. If you are a glasses wearer, adjusting to a new prescription can also depend on your personal sensitivity or for how long you wore your last pair of glasses. Progressive lenses, for example, tend to be the hardest to get used to.

Is it normal for new glasses to feel weird?

The short answer is yes; new glasses can feel weird. As we already said, getting used to either having a new prescription or starting to wear glasses takes some time. While some symptoms may be expected and typical, it is still essential to analyze what is happening and understand if what you’re experiencing is common and temporary or if the glasses are not right for you. 

If this is your first time wearing glasses, it is important to understand where the discomfort comes from. Is it from the lenses? Or is it from the frames? Having glasses sit on your face all day can be quite unpleasant the first few days; if the back or your ears hurt and you have severe nose marks, you may have chosen the wrong glasses size. You may also consider selecting a pair of frames made with lightweight materials like titanium.

Is it normal for glasses to be blurry at first?

Having blurry vision the first few days of wearing new prescription glasses is very common. With time passing, the blurriness should gradually begin to fade. Please consult an eyecare specialist if no improvement happens over the first few days. Your prescription may need to be corrected, and continuing to wear the glasses may cause damage to your vision. 

Is it normal to feel dizzy with new glasses?

Dizziness is another common symptom during the first few days of wearing new glasses. Your brain may struggle to adapt to the new prescription, making you feel dizzy, nauseous, and lightheaded. While these symptoms are unpleasant or not what you expect when wearing glasses, they are usually short-lived and disappear in a few days. If, after a few days, the discomfort is still there, please consult an eye specialist.

Do new glasses give you a headache?

Headaches and eyestrain are commonly associated with new prescription glasses. The discomfort is more likely normal, so don’t panic. New lenses usually make your eye muscles respond differently compared to the old lenses or compared to not wearing lenses at all. Listed below, you will find four useful tips on how to help get used to new glasses.

Is there an adjustment period for new glasses?

As already mentioned, the adjusting period is different for everyone. While some may get used to the new prescription in a couple of days, others may need 5-6 days to start seeing clearly without experiencing discomfort. 

It is crucial to note that although experiencing headaches, eye strain, dizziness, and blurry vision is expected, if the symptoms are severe and no improvement is visible after the first few days, you must consult an eye care specialist. Wearing the glasses for an extended period while experiencing these discomforts is not advised, as it may damage your vision.

Best way to adjust to new glasses

If you’re new to wearing glasses and are looking for tips on what to do to ease the adjusting process, here are some tips for you: 

  1. Wear the glasses as much as your eye doctor advised: do not avoid wearing your glasses or go back to your old ones. Your eyes need to adjust to the new prescription, so wear them as much as advised.
  2. Give your eyes some rest. When experiencing eye strain, it is essential to give your eyes some rest. Remove the glasses, close your eyes, and take some time with your eyes closed to give them a break.
  3. Make sure you move your head: first-time glasses wearers tend to avoid moving their heads because of the new feeling of having them on their heads. Move your head as usual; the glasses will not fall off your face; if they do, you might need to check the size. 
  4. Clean your glasses regularly. Even the smallest amount of dirt can increase discomfort for new glasses wearers, so make sure you clean the glasses regularly using a microfiber cloth and an optical spray. Remember to store the glasses in their case when not wearing them to avoid scratches. 

If you have more questions regarding prescription glasses, you can head to our Optical Center and ask our certified opticians for help.

When were Glasses invented

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When were Glasses invented?

Have you ever wondered when were glasses invented and who had the genius idea of creating them? This article is about the history of glasses, who invented them, and how they slowly developed into what they are now.

When were the first glasses invented – The early stages 

Optical devices were in use back in 1000 A.D. In Ancient Rome, Seneca is believed to have read “all the books of Rome” using a glass globe of water as a magnifier, while monks in the Middle Ages were said to use glass spheres as magnifying glasses to read.

Sources are unclear on when glasses were developed and by whom; some credit the invention to Salvino D’Armate; his epitaph in the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Florence referred to him as the “inventor of spectacles.” Others, on the other hand, credit the invention to Friar Alessandro Della Spina of Pisa. While it seems evident that glasses were invented somewhere in Italy, it’s hard to name the exact inventor. 

The first-ever glass frames were created in Venice. The city is well-known for welcoming the most talented glass blowers. Frames were made of bone, leather, or metal, and these glasses were used to magnify words and help during reading.

The first evidence for eyeglasses is Tommaso da Modena’s 1352 portrait of cardinal Hugh de Provence reading in a scriptorium. While it would have been impossible for the cardinal to use eyeglasses (he lived way before glasses were invented), the painting proves that in the mid 13hudreds, glasses were already ordinary and used by cardinals. 

Who invented the eyeglasses, and how were glasses made

The invention of printing and the distribution of more and more books led to a higher demand for prescription glasses: people needed better vision and help to read. The most significant developments around glasses started happening during the 17th century. Most importantly,  glasses slowly transitioned from just magnifying words to correcting vision. 

Here are the most significant steps in the development of glasses: 

  • In the 1600s: concave lenses are invented to improve distance vision
  • 1727: temples finally make their appearance thanks to optician Edward Scarlett, making glasses more structured and stable on the face 
  • 1784: Benjamin Franklin invents the bifocals dividing lenses into two zones: one for distance vision, one for near vision 
  • 1827: Thomas Young discovers astigmatism and later invents cylindrical lenses that are now used to correct it
  • 1959: Bernard Maitenaz invents progressive lenses, giving up on the line that used to divide bifocal lenses 
  • 1950-60: hard plastic contact lenses are being used and become more common

During the 19th & 20th centuries, the development of eyewear continues, and glasses are constantly redesigned with thinner lenses and different frame designs. Glasses today are made with lightweight materials, such as plastic or metal, to ensure comfort and durability; this was not the case many years ago, as lenses were made with heavy glass, and frames were made of leather or bone.

When did eyeglasses become common?

At the beginning of the 19th century, glasses were still handcrafted and not accessible to everyone. Not only were they scarcely produced, but because of their handmade nature, they were costly and only available to wealthy families.  

However, the industrial revolution was just around the corner, making it much simpler for working men and women to get the necessary eye correction. Thanks to the mass manufacture of both frames and lenses, these became more available, giving more people a chance to have better vision and good eye health.  

Today, with increasing screen exposure, taking care of your eyes and having good vision is crucial! When buying glasses, options are infinite, and choosing the best one can feel overwhelming. You can either visit stores in your area or head online to websites like SmartBuyGlasses, where you can filter through different price ranges, brands, colours, and materials. The best part is that you don’t have to break the bank to have a good pair of eyewear to help you see better! 

At SmartBuyGlasses, we believe everyone should benefit from good vision; this is why you can choose between many affordable options and get prescription glasses delivered to your door within days.

What if glasses were never invented

Considering up to 75% of the adult population needs vision correction, most would not be seeing correctly if glasses were never invented. Glasses not being invented would mean most of the world’s population would be suffering from everything that comes with needing proper eye care. This could also result in dangerous situations as good vision is extremely important for daily activities like driving or crucial jobs like operating surgery. 

As much as we would love to believe that eyewear is now accessible to everyone worldwide and is not a privilege, that is still not the case. 

SmartBuyGlasses’ mission is to help people see and be healthy regardless of their budget; this is why we joined forces with other exclusive brands that share this vision. One of those is Arise Collective, a global eyewear brand featuring sustainably made frames and has a partnership with 1% for the Planet to support global environmental and social causes.

Considering all the progress made in the last 800 years since glasses were invented, we hope to make even more progress and make eyecare accessible to everyone worldwide.

Ask the Optician

ASK NOW

When were Glasses invented?

Have you ever wondered when were glasses invented and who had the genius idea of creating them? This article is about the history of glasses, who invented them, and how they slowly developed into what they are now.

When were the first glasses invented – The early stages 

Optical devices were in use back in 1000 A.D. In Ancient Rome, Seneca is believed to have read “all the books of Rome” using a glass globe of water as a magnifier, while monks in the Middle Ages were said to use glass spheres as magnifying glasses to read.

Sources are unclear on when glasses were developed and by whom; some credit the invention to Salvino D’Armate; his epitaph in the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Florence referred to him as the “inventor of spectacles.” Others, on the other hand, credit the invention to Friar Alessandro Della Spina of Pisa. While it seems evident that glasses were invented somewhere in Italy, it’s hard to name the exact inventor. 

The first-ever glass frames were created in Venice. The city is well-known for welcoming the most talented glass blowers. Frames were made of bone, leather, or metal, and these glasses were used to magnify words and help during reading

The first evidence for eyeglasses is Tommaso da Modena’s 1352 portrait of cardinal Hugh de Provence reading in a scriptorium. While it would have been impossible for the cardinal to use eyeglasses (he lived way before glasses were invented), the painting proves that in the mid 13hudreds, glasses were already ordinary and used by cardinals.

Who invented the eyeglasses, and how were glasses made

The invention of printing and the distribution of more and more books led to a higher demand for prescription glasses: people needed better vision and help to read. The most significant developments around glasses started happening during the 17th century. Most importantly, 

glasses slowly transitioned from just magnifying words to correcting vision. 

Here are the most significant steps in the development of glasses: 

  • In the 1600s: concave lenses are invented to improve distance vision
  • 1727: temples finally make their appearance thanks to optician Edward Scarlett, making glasses more structured and stable on the face 
  • 1784: Benjamin Franklin invents the bifocals dividing lenses into two zones: one for distance vision, one for near vision 
  • 1827: Thomas Young discovers astigmatism and later invents cylindrical lenses that are now used to correct it
  • 1959: Bernard Maitenaz invents progressive lenses, giving up on the line that used to divide bifocal lenses
  • 1950-60: hard plastic contact lenses are being used and become more common

During the 19th & 20th centuries, the development of eyewear continues, and glasses are constantly redesigned with thinner lenses and different frame designs. Glasses today are made with lightweight materials, such as plastic or metal, to ensure comfort and durability; this was not the case many years ago, as lenses were made with heavy glass, and frames were made of leather or bone.

When did eyeglasses become common?

At the beginning of the 19th century, glasses were still handcrafted and not accessible to everyone. Not only were they scarcely produced, but because of their handmade nature, they were costly and only available to wealthy families.  

However, the industrial revolution was just around the corner, making it much simpler for working men and women to get the necessary eye correction. Thanks to the mass manufacture of both frames and lenses, these became more available, giving more people a chance to have better vision and good eye health.  

Today, with increasing screen exposure, taking care of your eyes and having good vision is crucial! When buying glasses, options are infinite, and choosing the best one can feel overwhelming. You can either visit stores in your area or head online to websites like SmartBuyGlasses, where you can filter through different price ranges, brands, colours, and materials. The best part is that you don’t have to break the bank to have a good pair of eyewear to help you see better!

At SmartBuyGlasses, we believe everyone should benefit from good vision; this is why you can choose between many affordable options and get prescription glasses delivered to your door within days.

What if glasses were never invented

Considering up to 75% of the adult population needs vision correction, most would not be seeing correctly if glasses were never invented. Glasses not being invented would mean most of the world’s population would be suffering from everything that comes with needing proper eye care. This could also result in dangerous situations as good vision is extremely important for daily activities like driving or crucial jobs like operating surgery. 

As much as we would love to believe that eyewear is now accessible to everyone worldwide and is not a privilege, that is still not the case. 

SmartBuyGlasses’ mission is to help people see and be healthy regardless of their budget; this is why we joined forces with other exclusive brands that share this vision. One of those is Arise Collective, a global eyewear brand featuring sustainably made frames and has a partnership with 1% for the Planet to support global environmental and social causes.

Considering all the progress made in the last 800 years since glasses were invented, we hope to make even more progress and make eyecare accessible to everyone worldwide.

Nighttime Driving Glasses

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Nighttime Driving Glasses

For many, driving at night poses no problems. But for some, driving at night can sometimes be stressful and even dangerous. Compromised vision combined with low levels of natural light or sensitivity to bright lights when driving may make you want to stay off the road at night. Nighttime driving glasses exist, and many people use them, but do they work? 

Many people have reduced vision in low light, especially older people. You may need twice as much light at 50 to see as well as you did when you were 30. Glare from headlights and traffic is one of the biggest issues that affect night driving. This glare can affect colour recognition, depth perception and peripheral vision.

What are night driving glasses?

Nighttime driving glasses are glasses with yellow-tinted lenses, usually non-prescription and can be purchased over the counter. They often have some kind of anti-reflective coating to help minimise reflections and filter out blue light from streetlights and oncoming headlights. Blue light is most likely to cause glare when it enters the eye. 

Nighttime driving glasses are similar to the glasses that some people wear for hunting and other sports. They have been found to increase the contrast of objects against an overcast sky, which may help detect objects in an unclear environment. 

Factors that make it harder to see at night 

Certain eye conditions may make it harder to see well at night and, therefore, may affect your driving. 

  1. Nyctalopia: also called night blindness, is a combination of vision problems that occur at night, including difficulty adjusting to dim and bright lights.
  2. Myopia: also known as nearsightedness, may make it harder to see in low-light conditions. 
  3. Glaucoma: when fluid builds up in the eye and damages the optic nerve, reducing peripheral vision.  
  4. Astigmatism: an irregularly shaped cornea that may cause blurry vision and worsen when driving in low light conditions.
  5. Diabetes: can damage nerves and blood vessels in the retina, which may lead to difficulty adjusting vision in different light settings. 
  6. Vitamin Deficiency: vitamin A helps to produce pigments that assist your retina in processing images correctly. A deficiency may cause night vision problems. 
  7. Cataracts: a condition that can result in blurry vision; cataracts may also cause light from traffic or headlights to dominate your field of vision and appear as a halo or glare.

These conditions do not always lead to difficulty driving at night. If you have a concern, start by scheduling an eye exam with your eye doctor to discuss options that are right for you. 

Nighttime driving glasses to reduce glare

Nighttime driving glasses are designed to reduce glare by scattering and filtering blue light. Blue light, a part of the light spectrum, has the shortest wavelength and the largest amount of energy. Blue light is more likely to cause glare when it enters the eye.

While nighttime driving glasses may reduce glare for some, some research suggests drivers are better off without them. Ophthalmologist Andrew Iwach has discussed his doubts and said that tinted lenses used in night vision glasses are designed to limit or reduce the amount of light getting to the eye. According to Dr. Iwach, anything that does this at night will make it harder to see. 

Adding an anti-glare coating to your prescription or non-prescription lenses might be a safer choice. This coating reduces reflections from appearing on your eyeglass or sunglass lenses. Without reflections, more light can reach your eyes, improving your vision. With the addition of this coating to your lenses, your vision in the dark may improve, making this a good option if you find nighttime driving difficult. 

Do night driving glasses work? 

As mentioned above, night driving glasses have received mixed reviews. Some wearers claim that they can see better while driving at night, but researchers are not so sure. Researchers conducted a study to determine whether night driving glasses provided any visual benefit for nighttime driving. According to the results, the data suggested that wearing yellow-lens glasses when driving at night does not improve performance in the most critical task: detecting pedestrians. In fact, “these findings do not appear to support having eye care professionals advise patients to use yellow-lens night-driving glasses,” the authors concluded.

Are there prescription glasses for driving at night?

Standard nighttime driving glasses are usually sold over the counter without a prescription. If you wear prescription glasses and have trouble driving at night, consider wearing them while driving. It is recommended that you speak to your eye doctor to better make an educated decision about driving and finding the right option for you and your eyes. 

The best glasses for driving at night  

There might not be a one-size-fits-all pair of nighttime driving glasses. The best pair for you will depend on your overall eye health, needs and preference. 

Apart from eyewear, anything that reduces blurriness or glare will help with night driving vision. Here are some other elements which may help improve eyesight while driving:

  1. Clean your eyeglasses and keep them free of smudges, as they can amplify glare
  2. Clean the inside and outside of your windshield; dirt and dust can make it harder to see
  3. Replace your windshield wipers regularly 
  4. Keep your dashboard lights dim to avoid eye strain 

Don’t let the wrong eyewear keep you off the road at night. Protect yourself and others by finding the best solution for you. Always keep your prescriptions up-to-date, consult with your optometrist and visit our Optical Centre to speak with one of our opticians.

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