My new glasses are weird

June 13, 2014 6:40 AM

Will splitting the difference between distance and near pupillary distance make my glasses easier to use?

I have a new prescription for glasses. My old one was primarily for reading, but if I looked up when someone walked through the door, they wouldn't be all fuzzy and weird.

With my new prescription, my computer screen is sharp and good, but if someone walks through my office door they're blurry and it makes my head hurt.

I used the near pupillary distance when ordering this pair, and I'm wondering if it's possible to use a different PD to get a more flexible result.

I ordered them online. PD is 58 distance, 56 near. I used 56 near when I ordered. Would my life improve by using 57, or even 58? I don't remember the old pupillary distance on my old prescription -- I suspect it wasn't given (I had to specifically ask the eye doctor for it this time, in order to order online). Last time I just answered a bunch of questions at Lenscrafters and wound up with a pair of glasses that just sort of generally helped me see better.

(I did read the other questions on this and saw a lot of people struggled with new glasses; I'm just wondering if it's unusual that these are harder to use in that they're less flexible.)

posted by A Terrible Llama to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

These lenses aren't bi/tri-focal, correct? It sounds like you need to talk to your eyecare professional about this, and consider getting bi/tri-focal lenses.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:32 AM on June 13, 2014 [3 favorites]

Seconding the idea of a trip to the optometrist to assess your needs properly. I've had incorrectly-ground lenses before and persevered rather than getting them fixed. The headaches were occasionally excruciating.
posted by peteyjlawson at 7:59 AM on June 13, 2014

Your problem could also be the result of uncorrected astigmatism. Another reason to get properly examined.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:16 AM on June 13, 2014

I'm not sure if I understand your question, since I don't know what PD is, but my eye doctor has prescribed my contacts so that the right eye is optimized for reading and the left for distance viewing. Over two years, my eyes have significantly changed in response, and now my brain relies predominantly on one eye for each task. This has been super useful for me. (I've also got driving glasses, which I can slip on so that both eyes are optimized for driving, although they have such a slight difference they don't make much of a difference.) Maybe discuss this option with your doc when you go back in with these glasses as the others have suggested.
posted by Capri at 9:25 AM on June 13, 2014

Capri...PD is Pupillary Distance. The distance between the centers of your two pupils. This is a key measurement in order to get the focal center of the lenses aligned properly, especially in high-strength prescriptions.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:15 AM on June 13, 2014

I had the same experience when I ordered glasses online and calculated my own PD...... needless to say I didn't bother ordering glasses online again!

Maybe you could go to an optician and have them tell you your correct PD measurement?
posted by JenThePro at 11:46 AM on June 13, 2014

Response by poster: To be clear, I was properly examined and given the PDs (both of them) and prescription by an eye doctor. I am not taking these measurements myself.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:51 PM on June 13, 2014

ATL...When an eye doctor gives you two PDs, this is usually for fitting you with progressive bifocals. Did you not get bifocals? I recall it took a long time to adjust to them when I first started wearing progressive bifocals.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:29 AM on June 14, 2014