A common concern among eyeglass wearers is that the wrong prescription can damage your eyes and the short answer is no. While an incorrect prescription can cause headaches, discomfort and eye strain, permanent damage won’t occur.
What Happens If You Wear the Wrong Prescription?
Wearing incorrect prescription glasses or contact lenses will not cause permanent damage to the eyes of most adults, but it can certainly lead to temporary discomforts such as eye strain, headaches, and blurred vision. Incorrect prescriptions can also affect depth perception, leading to dizziness or imbalance.
For children, there are some risks. The wrong prescription can negatively impact the development of their eyes and even worsen conditions like myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.
So if you’re looking to just try on a friend or family member’s glasses, or temporarily go back to using an old pair of glasses that have a different prescription. You don’t have to worry about any long term effects.
How Do You Know If You Have the Wrong Prescription Glasses?
The signs of an incorrect prescription are often clear. People with new glasses might initially struggle with discomfort, which could subside after an adjustment period ranging from a few days to two weeks. However, ongoing issues such as persistent headaches, blurred vision, or the need to squint to see clearly can indicate that the prescription is not optimal. If this is the case, then you should go see an optometrist and get your prescription checked.
What Are the Consequences of Long-Term Use of the Wrong Prescription?
Long-term use of incorrect prescriptions can lead to chronic eye strain and may contribute to the worsening of existing vision problems. While adults generally do not face severe risks from wearing the wrong prescription, it is crucial to address any discrepancies to avoid ongoing discomfort and potential safety issues, like impaired driving vision.
In some cases your eyes can attempt to compensate for an incorrect prescription, over time making it feel normal. When you get a new pair of glasses with your proper prescription it will take time for your eyes to readjust, even feeling like the new prescription is wrong.