Problems with vision after getting new glasses

Space Dog

I was wondering if any optometrists or opticians on here could help me with an issue I'm currently having.
In February, I went to one of the high-street optician to get new glasses. I got an eye test and was told my prescription had changed slightly.
Old prescripton:
R: Sph + 2.75 Cyl -2.75 Axis 180
L: + 5.00/-3.00 x 150
New:
R: + 2.75/-2.75 x 2
L: + 5.00/-3.00 x 147
Picked new frames (wanted to get two pairs to have spare glasses), one of the new frames is similar in shape to my old glasses, the other one is about 4mm larger than my old frame. The lenses are thinned down (1.74 index)
When I picked up the glasses, I had massive problems with spatial awareness and distortion. I felt drunk when I was wearing them and got
headaches and nausea, images were all blurry and weird. I brought them back and was informed that the pupil distance they had measured differed to the PD in my old glasses. So they changed the PD, but this did not solve the problem. Still had problems with distortion, headaches, nausea and massive eye strain. Went back again, optometrist retested my eyes to make sure the prescription was ok, and got me a new lens type, Zeis Individual if I'm not mistaken.
With the new glasses I did not get any headaches, but I still noticed peripheral distortion with the left lens and was getting eye strain as well as shooting pain in my left eye from time to time when reading, doing screen work or driving. I went back to the optometrist who had one of her colleagues recheck my prescription and measure my old glasses.
Apparently the lens centration in my old glasses is slightly below the optical centre they had determined, so they decided to adjust it to the one in my old lenses.

Note that this was in mid-May, so three months after I picked my frames. I was getting a bit annoyed since I had never experienced anything like this before (have been wearing glasses for more than 30 years) and never had any problems adjusting to new prescriptions. Going back to the optician was also time-consuming and cost me money for petrol and parking (obviously). In addition, some of the sales staff were quite rude and condescending to me by now. The optometrist herself was quite lovely though, so I decided to
stick with them and at least try new lenses.

Two days after getting my new glasses, I noticed double-vision when I was driving on national roads or on motorways: The lines would be all over the place, cars in the distance appeared twice and so on.
This only happened when driving, everything else was fine, but I decided that I could not go on driving like this and went back to my old glasses. But lo and behold the problem persisted. I have never had any double-vision in my whole life and have been driving for more than 15 years without any problems.
So back to the optometrist, who was at her wits end, just like myself at this stage. She did a few tests and noticed a slight (microscopic in her words) squint in my left eye and referred me to an orthopist.
She told me I wouldn't have to wait long for an appointment and told me the double-vision would be temporary only, apparently my eyes were just confused from so many different prescriptions over the last few months.
4 weeks later I still have double-vision when driving, it's ok when I have a car ahead of me, but long straight stretches are still a nightmare. I'm worried this might not be so temporary after all.

Last week I got a letter from the HSE, my appointment for the orthopist is for October. This is not acceptable, I can't wait another 4 months to get to the bottom of this. I called the optician and sales staff told me they would let the optometrist know and get back to me.
I haven't heard back from them since. I am beyond annoyed at this stage and feel they should responsibility for screwing up my vision. I paid a good chunk of money and am expecting good service in return.

My question is whether anyone has any idea if the double-vision will settle? Or am I basically screwed now? How do I proceed with the optician? Is there anything I should do or say when dealing with them?
Sorry abut this long post, thanks for any suggestions!

blackeyedpeat

You have obviously been give a complex digital aspheric freeform lens. For some reason they don't agree with you.
It's a bit like new technology ie digital music is great cd's are great but there are still people who just love vinyl.
Think of all the other media like cassettes minidiscs 8 track that were the Dawn of a new age and didn't make the grade.it is the same with these new lenses they promise alot but they need to prove themselves over time.
Stop wearing the new glasses go back to your old glasses and see if the gets rid of the doublevision and peripheral distortion.

Kristopherus

How are the HSE involved? Are you a Medical Card-holder?

endplate

It looks like you are sensitive to axis change. With such a small change in prescription it really was not worth changing glasses unless you wanted updated glasses. My advise to you is to get new lenses made up to your old prescription. The problem for the shop (not your problem) is that with such a expensive lens they have to take the hit for replacing the lenses. That is possibly why they are avoiding you. That behaviour is intolerable and you are well within your rights to demand a refund if they don't provide you with a product that you are not happy with. Hope you get sorted out soon. As blackeyedpeat says go back to your old glasses there really is practically no difference in prescription

Space Dog

Thanks for your input.
The problem is that I already went back to my old glassed and the problem with my vision persists.
I wanted to get a new frame as the old one is slightly banjaxed. It is still holding up but I don't know for how much longer, therefore the need for a new frame, my old frame can't be repaired and the same frame is no longer available.
I will bring up the bit about the axis change when I am talking to the optometrist again. She hinted at that actually. Weird thing is I never had problems adjusting to new prescriptions, even more drastic changes when I was younger.
I was thinking about demanding a refund, but obviously I want them to help me sort out this problem with my vision, so I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Kristopherus wrote: »

How are the HSE involved? Are you a Medical Card-holder?

No I am not, what has one thing to do with the other?

blackeyedpeat

If wearing your old specs hasn't resolved the double vision it may not be a problem with glasses.
If you don't wish to wait for your orthoptic appointment a private appointment would costs about €40-50 in the Mater Dublin.