Can Glasses Cause Headaches?

Headaches are something that all of us will have experienced at some stage in our life. With so many common causes such as cold/flu, stress, or even bad posture, it’s no surprise that so many of us regularly get them.

Eye strain is another reason why you might get a headache and can be caused by spending too long looking at a computer screen or reading. If you’re supposed to wear glasses, eye strain can occur when you’re not wearing your glasses, because your eye muscles are working harder to focus. But can wearing glasses cause headaches?

Can Wearing Glasses Cause Headaches?

The answer is yes, if your eyes are still working particularly hard whilst wearing your glasses, you can still be straining your eyes and causing a headache. It could be a sign that your prescription is perhaps too strong or too weak. If you haven’t been to the opticians in a while, it might be worth paying us a visit to make sure your prescription is up-to-date. Be sure to mention the headaches to your optometrist.

However, if you’ve recently started wearing your glasses, or your prescription has changed a lot, it might be that you’ll experience eye-strain related headaches in the first few days or weeks of wearing your glasses. This is because your eyes are having to adapt and the muscles are forced to work differently.

To combat this, it might be worth ‘breaking in’ your new glasses, like a pair of new shoes! Wear your new glasses as much as you can and your eyes will soon adjust. To help relieve your eyes in this initial stage, you might also want to rest your eyes for a few minutes a day by taking your glasses off for a short time.

What if my headaches don’t go away?

If you’re still experiencing headaches from your new glasses, be sure to book an appointment with your optician to get it looked at again. It might be that your prescription isn’t quite right and might need updating. At different ages, our prescriptions can change fairly quickly so you need to be aware of this and act accordingly. At the end of the day, your glasses are supposed to help with your vision and well being, so if you believe your glasses are causing a problem, it’s best to book an appointment with an optician.

If you’re looking to book an appointment with an optician; get in touch with us at Focus Medical Eye Centre today. To book an appointment with us, call 01323 442062 or email info@focusmedicaleyecentre.co.uk. You can also fill in a contact form here.