Quick answer: It’s common for new glasses to feel a little strange at first, with some blurring, mild headaches or the feeling that things look slightly different. Most people adjust within a few days, though it can take up to a couple of weeks. If your vision is still blurry after that, one eye is much worse than the other, or things get worse rather than better, something may be wrong. The usual culprits are a prescription entry error, an incorrect pupillary distance (PD), a poor fit or the wrong type of lens for the job.
You’ve been looking forward to your new glasses, but when you put them on, things don’t look as sharp as you expected. Or perhaps they look sharp, but you’ve had a nagging headache since you started wearing them. Is that normal, or is something wrong?
This guide helps you tell the difference. It covers what’s normal while you adjust, the signs that point to a problem, the most common causes, and the simple checks you can do at home.
Note: this guide is about single vision glasses, such as distance, reading or computer glasses. If you’ve just started wearing varifocals, read our guide to adjusting to varifocals instead, as getting used to them works differently.
Is It Normal for New Glasses to Feel Strange?
Yes, to a point. Your eyes and brain get used to the way your old glasses worked. When anything changes, whether it’s your prescription, your lenses or your frame, it can take a little time to adjust.
What’s Normal in the First Few Days
- Things look slightly blurry for the first few hours or days.
- Mild headaches or tired eyes, especially in the first few days.
- Objects look slightly larger, smaller or further away than you expect.
- Straight lines or the floor look slightly curved, sometimes called a “fishbowl” effect.
These are all recognised parts of adjusting to new glasses. They should ease a little each day.
How Long Should It Take to Adjust?
Most people feel comfortable within a few days, but adjusting can take up to a couple of weeks. It may take longer if this is your first pair of glasses, your prescription has changed a lot, or you have a large astigmatism correction.
How to Help Yourself Adjust
- Wear your new glasses consistently, rather than for a few minutes at a time.
- Try not to switch back to your old glasses, as this resets the adjustment.
- Make sure you’re using them for the right task. Reading glasses aren’t designed for distance, for example.
Signs Something May Be Wrong
Adjustment problems get a little better every day. A genuine problem usually doesn’t. Watch out for these signs.
Blurring That Doesn’t Improve After a Week or Two
If your vision hasn’t settled after a week or two of wearing your glasses consistently, it’s worth getting them checked.
One Eye Is Much Blurrier Than the Other
Cover each eye in turn. If one eye is clear and the other is noticeably blurry, the problem may be with that lens or with the prescription values for that eye.
Your Old Glasses Seem Clearer
Once you’ve given your new pair a fair chance, your vision with them should be at least as good as with your old pair. If your old glasses are still clearer, something may not be right.
Symptoms Get Worse, Not Better
Headaches or eye strain that build up each day, rather than easing off, suggest the glasses aren’t working for you as they should.
Things Only Look Clear When You Tilt or Move Your Glasses
If you find yourself pushing your glasses up or tilting your head to see clearly, the lenses may not be lined up properly with your eyes.
What Could Be Causing the Problem?
If your new glasses don’t feel right, the cause is usually one of the following.
The Prescription Was Entered Incorrectly
When you order glasses online, you enter your prescription values yourself. Small slips are easy to make: putting the right eye’s numbers in the left eye’s boxes, missing a minus sign, or mixing up the CYL and Axis values. Our guide on how to read your glasses prescription explains what each value means.
Your PD Is Wrong
Your pupillary distance (PD) tells the lab where to place the centre of each lens, so it lines up with your pupils. If the PD is wrong, you may be looking through the wrong part of the lens, which can cause blurring or strain. Common slips include giving your near PD for distance glasses, or entering a single PD as if it were one eye’s measurement. Read what PD is and why it matters, and use our guide on how to measure your PD at home to double-check yours.
Your Glasses Don’t Sit Properly
Even with the right lenses, a frame that sits crooked, slides down your nose or sits too close to your eyes moves the lenses out of position. If one side feels “wrong”, check that the frame sits level on your face.
You’re Using the Wrong Type of Lens for the Task
Different glasses are made for different distances. Reading glasses are set for close-up work, distance glasses for further away, and computer glasses for screen distance. Using one pair for the wrong job will make things look blurry, even if the lenses are made perfectly.
Your Prescription Is Out of Date
If your prescription is old, your eyes may have changed since it was written. Check the date, and see our guide on how long an eye test prescription lasts in the UK.
The Lenses Were Made Incorrectly
This is less common, but it can happen. If you’ve ruled out everything else, the retailer can check your lenses against your order.
Simple Checks You Can Do at Home
Before you contact anyone, run through these quick checks. Make a note of what you find, as it will help whoever looks into it.
- Compare your order with your prescription. Check every value, for each eye, against your order confirmation. Pay close attention to minus and plus signs, and to which eye is which.
- Check your PD. Make sure the PD on your order matches your prescription or your own measurement, and that you used a distance PD for distance glasses.
- Test each eye separately. Cover one eye, then the other, and look at the same object. Note whether one eye is blurrier.
- Check the frame in a mirror. Make sure it sits level and doesn’t slide down your nose.
- Try gently pushing your glasses up. If things become clearer, the fit may be the problem.
- Compare with your old glasses. Look at the same thing, at the same distance, with each pair.
- Note when the problem happens. Is it at a particular distance, after a certain time, or during a specific task such as driving or reading?
What to Do Next
Give Them a Fair Chance
If your symptoms are mild and improving, keep wearing your new glasses consistently for up to a couple of weeks. Many adjustment problems resolve on their own in that time.
Contact the Retailer
If you’ve found a clear mistake, or your vision hasn’t settled after a week or two, contact the retailer you bought from. If you ordered from Glasses Store, contact our team before sending anything back, with your order number and a note of what you’ve found. You can also read our refunds and returns policy.
Go Back to Your Optician
If your glasses have been made exactly to your prescription and PD, fit well and still don’t feel right, your prescription may need checking. Book an appointment with your optician and take your new glasses with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for new glasses to be blurry?
A little blurring in the first few days is common while your eyes adjust. It should improve day by day. If it hasn’t settled after a week or two, get your glasses checked.
Is it normal for new glasses to give you a headache?
Mild headaches in the first few days are a recognised part of adjusting to new glasses. If they continue beyond a couple of weeks or get worse, contact the retailer or your optician.
How long does it take to get used to new glasses?
Most people adjust within a few days, but it can take up to a couple of weeks, particularly with a first pair or a big change in prescription.
Why is one lens of my new glasses blurry?
The prescription values for that eye may have been entered incorrectly, the left and right values may have been swapped, or the lens may not be lined up with your eye. Check your order against your prescription first.
Can the wrong PD cause headaches?
An incorrect PD means the centre of each lens doesn’t line up with your pupils, which can cause blurring or strain. Check the PD on your order against your prescription or your own measurement.
Why do things look smaller or curved with my new glasses?
Changes in lens power or shape can make objects look a slightly different size, or make straight lines look curved at the edges. This usually settles as you adjust.
Should I go back to my old glasses while I adjust?
It’s best not to. Switching between pairs slows down the adjustment. Wear your new glasses consistently unless they’re clearly wrong.
My new glasses are made correctly but still feel wrong. What now?
If the lenses match your prescription and PD, and the frame fits well, your prescription itself may need rechecking. Book an appointment with your optician.
Clear, Comfortable Vision
A short adjustment period is normal with new glasses. Problems that don’t improve, affect one eye or get worse are worth checking, and most come down to a prescription entry error, a wrong PD or a poor fit. If you’re ordering a new pair, double-check your prescription and PD before you buy, and browse our full range of glasses when you’re ready.
