Specs Problem

[Rob C]

Just in case any opthalmic experts are reading and can offer advice.

My last two pairs of glasses (for distances) have both displayed the same characteristics (from two separate opticians).

1. The first, and most noticeable one is that when I wear them to drive, they make everything look smaller than it is in reality i.e. when not wearing them.

2. The second thing is this distortion, which I have replicated here with a photo thanks to Photoshop, and will take with me next time I try my luck again with a new optician. It doesn't seem as bad at distances, but it does force me to remove the glasses in order to park with confidence that things actually are where they look like they might be. Obviously, a good distance judgement is vital at close quarters.

Now, my daughter wears glasses when she drives, and she tells me, as have others, that specs should not alter the impression of true size, unlike my situation where things looking relatively tiny. It's a bit like looking through the wrong end of binoculars.

Any ideas as to what the problem might be?

I do not need glasses for reading, and can cope with really tiny print. I do not get this distortion without glasses, at any distance. I do have cataracts developing in both eyes, but was told at my last hospital visit that they are not really bad enough to warrant operating upon yet. In any case, I think they would only affect clarity and give halos, but not alter magnification levels.

Hopefully, somebody knows much more about this science than do I, and can suggest what I should tell the people where I go for my next pair.

The distortion in the photo is pretty close to the degree of distortion seen on the instruments when sitting in the driving seat.

Thanks -

Rob

[Ivophoto]

Just in case any opthalmic experts are reading and can offer advice.

My last two pairs of glasses (for distances) have both displayed the same characteristics (from two separate opticians).

1. The first, and most noticeable one is that when I wear them to drive, they make everything look smaller than it is in reality i.e. when not wearing them.

2. The second thing is this distortion, which I have replicated here with a photo thanks to Photoshop, and will take with me next time I try my luck again with a new optician. It doesn't seem as bad at distances, but it does force me to remove the glasses in order to park with confidence that things actually are where they look like they might be. Obviously, a good distance judgement is vital at close quarters.

Now, my daughter wears glasses when she drives, and she tells me, as have others, that specs should not alter the impression of true size, unlike my situation where things looking relatively tiny. It's a bit like looking through the wrong end of binoculars.

Any ideas as to what the problem might be?

I do not need glasses for reading, and can cope with really tiny print. I do not get this distortion without glasses, at any distance. I do have cataracts developing in both eyes, but was told at my last hospital visit that they are not really bad enough to warrant operating upon yet. In any case, I think they would only affect clarity and give halos, but not alter magnification levels.

Hopefully, somebody knows much more about this science than do I, and can suggest what I should tell the people where I go for my next pair.

The distortion in the photo is pretty close to the degree of distortion seen on the instruments when sitting in the driving seat.

Thanks -

Rob

I’m not an ophthalmic expert, but an experience expert.

Wrong centered glasses.

Or defect polished glasses.

Wrong type of lens.

I had a comparable issue some years ago, a letter seemed not rectangular and driving a car was dangerous.

You do not use multifocal with no correction close?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

I am using reading glasses. Mostly the cheap type, those you can buy in bookstores and supermarkets. At one point, during a regular annual eye exam, I asked for prescription reading glasses, hoping they would be much more precise and address the fact that each eye has its own deviation from normal.

I got them. Put them on, expecting superb clarity. Shock! My iMac 27" suddenly looked... trapezoid!!! Moving the sides as my head moves. Doing architectural photography, straightening lines, became impossible.

Went online, got helpful advice like "that's normal, just get used to it." Nope. Back to el cheapo reading glasses, where it is still hip to be square.

[LesPalenik]

Many years ago, I was involved in the design of a computer program used for lens grinding calculations for a large optical company.
I was surprised to learn about relatively high tolerances in the lens grinding and fitting. Many finished lenses in the eyeglasses were 1/4 or even 1/2 diopters off. The other problem mentioned by Ivo is incorrect lens centering, especially in case of bifocals when the optical centres of both lens parts, and their fitting into the frame should coincide.

Rob, I would recommend taking your glasses back to the optical store and ask them to check the optical centres and the prescribed diopter strength. If any of these two parameters are wrong (and frequently, they are) they should give you free replacement eyeglasses.

[amolitor]

I recall an interview with a champion snooker player. He said it was easy.

"I wear bifocals, so when I look at the table, lining up a shot, I see two balls: one small, one large, and I  see two pockets: one small, one large. I simply pot the small ball in the large pocket."


I think, in short, that this is a feature.

[KLaban]

I've have/had a few eyesight issues - macular degeneration and retinal TIAs but the only problem I've experienced with prescription glasses was when I went to a cheapo while-you-wait merchant and ended up with one reading and one distance prescription lens in the same pair of glasses. They rectified their mistake but I never returned.

I now go to well respected ophthalmic practices and have had no more issues.

[Rob C]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

No these are not bifocals nor, to the best of my knowledge, anything but straightforward distance glasses - I think that the more complex ones are an even greater challenge for anyone to get right!

I think I've seen somewhere a testing system where a frame is fitted with different lenses and then the patient looks through the combination and decides when it's right. I didn't get that, as far as I can remember, and the whole thing was done with my chin on a support and my forehead against another, similar to when having the pressures tested. I might be confused here, having been to both pressure testing and glasses testing places quite a lot over the past four years or so.

The local chemist stocks glasses (readymades) for reading, and I think I'll see if they also have some for distances; those cheaper, pharmacy ones may work for me, as for Slobodan. It's all worth a try!

Thanks again!

Rob

[Ivophoto]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

No these are not bifocals nor, to the best of my knowledge, anything but straightforward distance glasses - I think that the more complex ones are an even greater challenge for anyone to get right!

I think I've seen somewhere a testing system where a frame is fitted with different lenses and then the patient looks through the combination and decides when it's right. I didn't get that, as far as I can remember, and the whole thing was done with my chin on a support and my forehead against another, similar to when having the pressures tested. I might be confused here, having been to both pressure testing and glasses testing places quite a lot over the past four years or so.

The local chemist stocks glasses (readymades) for reading, and I think I'll see if they also have some for distances; those cheaper, pharmacy ones may work for me, as for Slobodan. It's all worth a try!

Thanks again!

Rob

I had lenses, and getting older I needed el cheapo reading glasses. Resulting in looking through those damned things the whole day and ruining my eyes at warp speed.
I got myself a decent pair of multi focal glasses.
The first weeks, I suffered same issues as you. But after a week or two my brains got used to it and the phenomenon disappeared.
Only looking at a spreadsheet on a 21” or looking at a table photo book took much longer. I got myself a pair of computer glasses adopted to look in focus on 1 meter. Works perfect, now I’m perfectly happy, but I had the same issues as you and it took some time to get over it.

Something I had to learn is to look by turning my head, and not rolling my eyes. I would not give up on decent ophthalmologist glasses. Going back and explain your issue could solve the issue. It did for me.