Taking AWAY lens strength in bad eye in older adult?

[dannywho]

Hi, 61 year old male here with astigmatism. I recently had an eye exam and new glasses. Having trouble getting used to them after 1.5 months. Last glasses 4 years ago, had some trouble but not this bad. Both pairs are "progressives". Old 4 year old glasses keep seeming somewhat sharper than new ones. Was getting a little nauseous, as well as a headache wearing new ones, so had to keep switching back for a while. Went back to the store 4 times for "adjustments", but still not up to par with my old glasses, but nausea and headache much better, but not 100% always gone.  I was told on my recent exam, my good eye was adjusted +1, but my bad eye -1 "click'. Was told at my age they start taking away strength on prescriptions for the weaker eye instead of adding it. Was told no cataracts. Is this standard practice to take away on the worse eye? Was told that may be entering into my getting used to them. Something still seems amiss. Also the "sweet spot" area where you see best seemed to get a little smaller. Thank you.

[dannywho]

Hi Kate, thanks, hope your Easter was good too, mine was good. Glasses working out better. "I wonder if print will be larger when sending?" - I think anything sent, I assume you mean typing in a form as I'm doing now - won't make the final text bigger that someone else would see, comes out on the other person's computer per how their preferences are set up. If you mean to print out on a printer - depends on browser settings and printer settings, but I think generally should print with the bigger text.

[Irishbred]

Hi Danny, This is using (your option for me) Ctrl and bringing screen closer---I wonder if print will be larger when sending? Wow, what a great idea you gave me--now I don't have use large caps, squint. I have a magnifier on printer--but not for typing. I'm not great on computers--this is the first time s/one gave me this suggestion, great one too.
Danny--hope you had a wonderful Easter and your getting more accustomed to new glasses. Many thanks, Kate

[dannywho]

Sorry about that Irishbred, you're one of the few that have a reason it looks. Thanks on the good luck. BTW, if you're on Windows, you can hold down CTRL on the keyboard, and scroll the mouse wheel away from you, and the page you're reading or typing on will get bigger in most cases, scroll toward you and will get smaller. Works on IE, FF, and Chrome, and prolly other browsers, and even in some programs. It sometimes takes a moment for it to do so.

[Irishbred]

Good news---Danny I type in CAPS due to dilated veins behind eyes..hard to type small/vision. Hope e/thing works out now. Good Luck

[dannywho]

PS, can you post replies *not* in all CAPS, really hard to read, thanks.

[dannywho]

Got the whole 9 yards done at the new eye doc, an MD, dilation, follow the light, No diseases. New script very similar to the one I got a couple months ago,said my present new lenses are fine, well within "tolerance". Said even if I got several tests from several practitioners the same day, the prescriptions won't all be exactly the same, there will be small variances. About the weaker eye getting a weaker lens, he said it's measured in "directions", the place may have made it weaker in a certain direction. But the lenses are working better than they were.

[Irishbred]

HI DANNY, WOW...OPTOMETIRIST VS. OPTHAMOLOGIST. FIRST OF ALL DAN--YOU NEED (AGE) TO HAVE (DEMAND) A VISUAL FIELD TEST--WHERE YOU LOOK AT LITE AND CLICK WHEN YOU SEE WHITE DOTS--THAT'S THE MOST IMP. TEST FOR EYES, TRUST ME. I HAD LEFT EYE ADJUSTED AND NOW I CAN'T SEE OUT OF GLASSES AT ALL. I HAVE SINUS AND EYES ARE SWOLLEN--SO I'M GIVING MYSELF CHANCE TO SEE IF FLONASE REDUCES POLYPS, NEVER ENDING. CHECK YOUR DR'S RATINGS ON RATEMD.COM--CHECK QUALIFICATIONS,IMP. AND "INSIST" ON VISIUAL FIELD TEST. I WAS TOLD BY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL "THAT'S THE MOST IMP. TEST OF ANY EYE EXAM...AND OF COURSE, DILATION/S/TIME WE NEED A DRIVER TO GET HOME. CHECK ON COMPUTER "10 TOP OPTHAMOLOGISTS IN YOUR ZIP CODE AREA--LOOK AT OPINIONS. GOOD LUCK. BEFORE YOU SEE DR. MAKE SURE HE DOES VISUAL FIELD TEST AND DILATION..OTHERWISE, CANCEL APPT. AND CHECK COMPUTER. GOOD LUCK...LET ME KNOW YOUR OUTCOME. I WAS TOLD I NEED CATARACT--BUT I'M NOT DOING IT. NEPHEW LOST HIS VISION..CELLS BACK OF EYE "DIED." AND DR. WAS V.GOOD. WE TAKE CHANCES WITH EA. SURGERY, EVEN BEST DRS.
GOOD LUCK

[dannywho]

Thanks Irishbred. Seem to be getting better as I wear them, about as good as old glasses now. But I also have an eye exam with another doc next Monday scheduled for a second opinion. This new doc is an MD, who I assume will do the whole battery of tests including pupil dilation. The one I went to in January I found out is only an OD (optometrist), not a MD or DO. And he only did a quick exam "which is better" maybe 3 or 4 comparisons. He then said we're done. I then asked about dilating the pupil, etc, he said "we don't do that here". They KNOW it was a good 4 YEARS since my last exam, and the full range tests are needed, esp. at 61 years old! I think they failed in their obligation to fully inform a patient beforehand. I'll wait till I see the new doc, and take the new glasses with me so he can check. If he says my test and/or lenses are not right, I will plan on asking for my money back for the glasses. The exam was free on my insurance, and luckily I have another insurance provider now, but will be $40 co-pay with new plan for the exam. I did ask at the new doc office if taking away lens strength on the weaker eye is heard of, he said that does not sound right. I also don't want to be doing damage to my eyes if they are getting used to a bad prescription, but I think I read all it does is cause more inconvenience than damage.

[Irishbred]

P.S....DANNY, LET ME KNOW HOW YOU MADE OUT...

[Irishbred]

DANNY,  IF YOU HAVE TO MOVE FRAMES ,THAT'S THE ANSWER. SAME PROBLEM I HAD YRS. BACK. MAKE SURE YOU TELL THEM YOUR OTHER PAIR WAS FINE .YES, RE-TEST--EXAM, RE-DO  YOUR MONEY, DON'T LET THEM "OFF THE HOOK"  TELLING YOU --- "GET USE TO IT", NOT SO.  NOT CHEAP GLASSES---GLAD YOU FOUND OUT..GOOD LUCK...

[dannywho]

Thanks Irishbred. Seem to slowly get a little better. Does seem a bit better when I "play" with the frames. Same optician but different ophthalmologist. I'll go back there Thursday, hopefully they can re-exam and/or re-do.

[Irishbred]

I HAD VARILUX ALSO--"ADJUSTMENT LINES WAY "OFF",  IMPROPERLY MEASURED, COULDN'T WEAR. OPTICIANS OFFICE REFUNDED AND I GOT DIFF. GLASSES. I HAD TO PUSH THE VARILUX FRAME "UPWARD" FOR PROPER VISION--TOTAL MESS. TRY PUSHING FRAME UP/DOWN,SEE IF VISION IS BETTER--IF SO,THEN IT'S MEASUREMENT--IF NOT, SEE OPTH. ASK FOR OLD SCRIPT--S/TIMES NEWER IS HARDER TO ADJUST TO NOT WORTH IT---
4YRS. AGO , DIFFERENT OPTICIAN? PROGESSSIVES ARE NOT "CHEAP",  PUSH FOR ANSWERS--STORE OR OPTHAMOLOGIST.
THE GLASSES MEASURED IMPROPERLY WOULD MAKE ONE DIZZY...BUT HEADACHES? I ALSO HAVE ASTIGMATISM--GOOD LUCK

[dannywho]

Thanks. The same place made my last glasses 4 year ago, and have that script  as well. Regular bifocals are worse for me as far as tolerance. After getting used to last progressives, all was fine. Mine are Varilux/Crizal, so I assume good lens and coatings.

[Irishbred]

POSSIBLY WHERE YOU HAD GLASSES MADE,ESP. MEASUREMENTS ARE OFF? BRING YOUR OLD GLASSES TO STORE FOR MEASURING,IF NOT SAME PLACE. I TRIED PROGRESSIVE ONCE YRS. AGO, NOT FOR ME..MEASURE "OFF", "OFF" SICK/DIZZY.. NOW,JUST BI-FOCALS.  GO BACK TO  OLD GLASSES, IF HEADACHE ETC. GONE THEN YOUR SCRIPT IS PROB. OFF.    IF NOT, SEE  NEURO-OPTHAMOLOGIST,CHECK FOR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS W/EYES.  ALSO,
RE-TEST BY SAME EYE DR. OR ANOTHER OPTHAMOLOGIST...ALL OPTH WILL DIFFER W/SCRIPT, TRUST ME. I WENT  2X'S SAME EYE DR...BOTH SCRIPTS DIFFER, WHY?  SWOLLEN EYES/ALLERGIES AT THE TIME OF TESTING?
GO BACK AND TELL EYE DR.RE-TEST/MEASURE, IF NO SOLUTION..GO TO ANOTHER EYE DR...GOOD LUCK.