Author: Meredith Marmurek

Reviewed by Sonia Kelley, OD, MS on July 25, 2024

Getting used to new glasses can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. The time it takes to adjust depends on factors such as whether you’re wearing glasses for the first time, switching to a different type of lenses like bifocal or multifocals, or updating to stronger lenses. Continue reading to learn what to expect during this adjustment period.

What Happens to My Vision When I Have New Glasses?

When you start wearing new eyeglasses, several things might affect your vision and how quickly you get used to them.

If you’re a first-time glasses wearer, it may take a little longer to adapt. Your brain and eye muscles have been working hard to help you see clearly without glasses, and they need to readjust to your improved vision. You also need to get used to wearing glasses on your face if you’ve never worn them before.

The adjustment time can also be longer if you’re transitioning from single-vision lenses to new glasses with bifocal or multifocal lenses. Single-vision lenses are designed to help you see better either up close or at a distance. Bifocal or multifocal lenses are designed to help you see up close and at a distance, all in one pair of eyewear.

A bifocal-style reader has unmagnified lenses which also contain inserts with the magnification of your choice in the lower portion of the lenses - the bottom segment is for seeing up close while the rest of the lens is for seeing at a distance.

Multifocal lenses, such as those in our Multi Focus reading glasses, have three areas of focus in one lens so you can see clearly up close, at arm’s length, and when interacting. This type of lens can require more of an adjustment period since you must learn to use each area of the lens. Your peripheral (side) vision can also look a bit wavy, but that should improve as you adapt to wearing your specs.

The most important outcome of wearing new eyeglasses is that you can see better, making the adjustment period well worth it.

Problems Getting Used to New Glasses

You might encounter some challenges as you’re getting used to your new glasses, but this is usually normal. These may include:

• Depth perception – At first, it can be hard to judge how near or far away objects are.

• Distortion – Objects in your field of view may look out of focus, wavy, or bent.

• The fishbowl effect – Objects in your peripheral vision may appear to be bent or warped as if you’re looking through a fishbowl.

• Wearing your old glasses – Switching back and forth between your old and new eyeglasses can prolong the adjustment time.

A different shape and style of frame can also require some adjustment. For example, if your new frames are larger, the lenses will be also larger, providing a wider field of vision. This can make your peripheral vision feel different, which might take some time to get used to.

If you choose a smaller frame, your visual field is narrower. You’ll probably need some time to get used to your new frame size even if the prescription stays the same.

Is It Normal to Feel Dizzy With New Glasses?

Feeling a little dizzy with new glasses is quite common. This dizziness can be caused by problems with depth perception.

Depth perception is one way you interact with the world around you. It helps you feel stable in your environment. New eyeglasses can temporarily alter your depth perception, which can make you feel dizzy.

If your new glasses make you dizzy, the feeling should subside after you’ve been wearing them consistently for a week or two.

What Are the Symptoms of Adjusting to New Glasses?

When you get new eyeglasses, your eyes and brain need time to adjust to seeing things differently. Here are some symptoms you may experience during this process:

• Headache – This is one of the most common symptoms of adjusting to new glasses. It’s typically caused by your brain and eyes working hard to adapt to the lens strength.

• Temporary blurry vision – As with headaches, blurry vision with new glasses is often caused by your eyes and brain getting used to your change in vision.

• Eye strain – Your eyes may feel tired as they adjust to wearing new glasses.

It’s normal to experience these issues when you start wearing new eyeglasses. Talk to your eye doctor if any of these symptoms last longer than two to three days or if you have questions about your glasses or vision needs. They may want you to recheck your eyes and confirm that the lens strength is right for you.

Safety While Adjusting to New Glasses

You’ll probably feel comfortable with your eyeglasses after a few days of wearing them. But it’s a good idea to be extra careful during the adjustment period, especially when performing activities that require good vision and depth perception, such as:

• Driving

• Walking up or down stairs

• Using heavy machinery

• Walking on uneven ground

One of the fastest ways to adjust to your new glasses is to wear them as much as possible.

When it's time for your next pair of specs, you can feel confident shopping with us. We have a wide variety of reading glasses and SunReaders reading sunglasses that can help you see better and look great.

SOURCES:

1. How long does it take to adjust to new glasses? All About Vision. March 2020.*
2. How long does it take to adjust to new glasses? Eyebuydirect. July 2023.*
3. Eyeglasses. Cleveland Clinic. February 2024.
4. How long does it take to adjust to new glasses? Glasses.com. February 2022.*
5. How long does it take for your eyes to adjust to new glasses? FramesDirect. Accessed July 2024.*

The sources listed here have been provided for informational purposes only. The citation of a particular source does not constitute an endorsement or approval of EssilorLuxottica products, services, or opinions by such source.

*Like Foster Grant, All About Vision, Eyebuydirect, Glasses.com, FramesDirect, and AAV Media, LLC are affiliates of EssilorLuxottica.