Eye strain/headaches

[lucky10382]

I had been going to a few doctors(walmart) in the past for my annual eye exam, this year I went to a new doctor and he changed my contact prescription just slightly. I was at -3.00 on the right and -2.5 on the left. The right eye stayed the same but he changed the left to -2.25 and put me in a different contact brand. After about a week or two when I was reading I started to get headaches. I tried to continue reading but the headaches get worse and stay around for up to several days depending on how bad I was straining the eyes. I also started to get headaches on the computer. I went back to the doctor after about 1-2 months of the headaches. He checked my eyes again and said that I had been over-corrected and now my eyes were worn out and he checked my prescription again and put me in -2.50 in the right and -2.00 on the left. I still had the headaches after a few weeks. He then put me back in my original -3.00 and -2.50 to see if that would correct it. That did not either. He then put me in a +.75 to wear over my contacts. I tried that and I was able to get on the computer a little longer without the headaches but I would still get them. He increased it to a +1.25. During this time I started to get headaches a little more often throughout the day (even waking up with them) and they started to stick around. The headaches worsened when I was watching TV. I told him about that. Now he has me in glasses with a -2.5 and -2.00 with computer glass which I think are 1 less diopter  than my regular glasses. When he did that now I get headaches much more frequently while watching TV(after 1 hour of TV) and other distance activities. I still get headaches with reading/computer work as well . This is getting worse, not better and I am getting frustrated and worried. I have researched computer vision syndrome and I have tried to ensure that my monitor is at least 20" from me and is at the right level. I tried taking breaks on the 20/20/20 rule. The breaks help a little, but I will definitely still get headaches. So I am not convinced that computer vision syndrome is the issue especially since I will get headaches now with a lot of distance activities like TV, driving long distance, etc.

Does anyone have any thoughts/insights.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Good luck: JhaganMD

[lucky10382]

Thank you very much for the response. I have been researching my eye health issues online for a while and these are by far the best suggestions I have seen. I actually thought the guy I was going to was an MD, but after looking him up he is in fact an optometrist, so I will definitely get an appt scheduled with an ophthalmologist.

Also I am 28, so I will ask for the type of refraction you mentioned above.

Again thank you for the suggestions.