New glasses make vision worse

[Grandma4321]

I'm in early 70s, have worn glasses since @ age 35 for reading & gradually distance added & both increased thru the years.  I've worn my current glasses for @ 7 yrs.  I have eyes checked yearly by opthomologist as I have type II diabetes.  Each yr a new prescription is written.  For the last 3 yrs, I've had new glasses made, but I can never wear them as I get headaches, vision is very blurry  & the distance seems "off" [objects seem farther away than with my current glasses].  Each time, I've had glasses checked & Opthomologist says they are made to prescription.  I still work as bookkeeper, enjoy genealogy researching/etc., so seeing accurately without headache/blurry vision/etc is most important.   I'm beginning to feel very intimidated & frustrated as the Opthomoligist [more than one] & Opticians make me feel I am not cooperating by not forgetting my current glasses & only wearing new ones.  I am also almost deaf & wear hearing aids.  New glasses make me feel dizzy & thus [I gues thru blood pressure] affect my hearing & all this combined is really taking a toll on my mental health.  This last time, I went to a well-known University school of Optometry.  I feel I got a very good eye exam. I took copies of the last 2 yrs of prescriptions & I discussed my problems & was told their prescription was very near the other 2.  As I couldn't handle the other 2 prescriptions, I requested a prescription half the strength & suggest tri focals.  Today, I picked up the tri focals & the distance seemed o.k. [not better], but reading any size print is blurry.  I am about ready to buy several cheap reading glasses at a local discount store & change lenses around so I can do my bookkeeping & get glasses for distance.  How can I keep my sanity & see well?  I do have dry eyes.  I'm very grateful for any help you can give.

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

As life goes on some people develop a need for glasses, in some the eye keeps changing, in others it happens quick, others slow, some it doesn't change. There are no rules for this. That is a very small change. If your new glasses cause a headache return to whoever wrote the RX for it and have them do a glasses check. Often this is done for free.
JCHMD

[viki786]

Dear JCH MD

Please advise me about the axis change. I want to know why the axis has changed because wearing new axis gives headache

             SPH       CYL      AXIS
OD      -1.75     -2.00      170      ( 160 new axis )  

OS      -1.50     -2.50      180

Regrds
Waqar

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

If the new glasses are unsatisfactory return them for your money back. Given you have gone to many ophthalmologists/optometrists and every been happy or adjusted to the glasses it more likely its you rather than you having seen a successive series of incompetent practitioners.

some people never make their peace with glasses and are not comfortable with them. If you diabetes is not well controlled it will change your glasses RX and its like trying to buy a pair of shoes that fit when your foot is a different size every day.

If you can find a pair of over the counter reading glasses that work buy them and use them, it won't hurt your eyes.

JCH MD