Getting Acclimated to New Prescription Lenses

Very Important:

Any time you change the optical input to your brain you need to allow time to get acclimated to the new input.  For most people this takes just a few minutes.  Some people, especially those with higher prescriptions, may take longer.

Two things will require time to get accustomed to: a change in base curve, and a change in lens material.  If your everyday eyewear is a flatter lens in a high index lens material you will have two new things to get accustomed to when you put on new prescription sunglasses.  Digital lens technology has made it much easier to get acclimated to a change in base curve.  But even if this new input is more accurate, it is still different. 

Once you get comfortable wearing your prescription in a wrapped frame it will not take long for you to easily switch back and forth between your everyday eyewear and wrapped sunglasses.  After you’ve done this a few times it will be pretty automatic.

Do not try to get acclimated to new prescription eyewear on a motorcycle or bicycle.  Walk around in them until you feel comfortable.

Good to know, but not as critical:

Our favorite example of people getting acclimated to new glasses is an experiment done by students at the University of Michigan.  The test group wore goggles that flipped everything upside-down, and they wore these goggles 24-hours a day.  This caused everybody to get a big headache, but after a few days the entire test group could see everything as if they were not wearing the goggles at all.  Then they took off the goggles, and everything was upside-down.  They all got headaches for a few days as their brain flipped everything back to right-side up.

This illustrates the power of our brains to make the most of whatever input we give it.  We can adjust to just about anything, but not in an instant.  Small changes like a change in base curve or a change in lens material are much easier to get acclimated to than rotating your field of vision 180 degrees. 

This also illustrates what will happen if you get a new prescription and you continue to wear lenses with your old prescription.  You will get acclimated to your new prescription much faster if you quit wearing your old prescription.  Some people find they have fewer headaches and they sleep better when they discard outdated prescription lenses.

Our solution to this issue is pretty predictable.  If you have frames you like with an outdated prescription just send them to us and we will replace your old lenses with a new digitally surfaced lens.  This will minimize the difference between your sunglasses and your everyday eyewear, and give you the best possible vision all the time.  And you’re welcome to apply your repeat customer discount to these new digital lenses.  Call us for details.