Glasses for distance with monovision

[kellymasonmom]

I had lasik monovision correction about 5 weeks ago. My left eye had no surgery done. I purchased glasses to correct my left eye and plain glass in my right eye. I felt uncomfortable driving at night in unfamiliar circumstances and thought that this would help. When I put the glasses on, I have ++++nausea and pain behind my right (dominant) eye. Is this normal?? Will it get better with time or every time I put the glasses on will I experience this?
I appreciate any feedback.

[LasikExpert]

Once you become accustomed to monovision you may experience some odd effects when you wear full correction, but your response seems unusual.

The addition of glasses should not cause outright pain, however if your eyes are trying to over-focus to adapt to the retun of distance correction you may experience discomfort.

Discuss all of this with your surgeon and you should verify that your prescription has not changed and that the glasses you received are the correct power and that the center of the correction is consistent with the width of your eyes.

[kellymasonmom]

Perhaps pain was a strong word. I should have explained it in more detail What I experienced, was a pulling sensation, (not a stabbing pain) behind my right eye, that was very uncomfortable. After using glasses for as little as 30 mins, my eye still aches behind the eye for a few hours. Does this still sound like an extreme reaction? I really appreciate your feedback!
Thank-you

[LasikExpert]

This sounds like accomodation and possibly convergence difficulty. We have an article about Lasik and eye strain that you may want to read.

[kellymasonmom]

Thanks for the suggestion. I read the article, but I am still a bit confused. Intentionally I have unbalanced vision by having monovision correction. It makes sense to me that could cause my problems. But, I don't experience nausea and eyestrain until I put glasses on. When both eyes are fully corrected for distance, shouldn't it correct the imbalance in my vision, and not create the symptoms of nausea and eyestrain?
Also, in time will this get better? If I wear the glasses more frequently, will it gradually resolve? I really enjoy the great vision at night with the glasses but it may not be worth it if I will always have the nausea and eyestrain.
Thanks again.

[LasikExpert]

What may be happening is that when you are wearing glasses that provide full distance vision, your eyes need to accommodate (change focus by changing the shape of the natural lens inside the eye), converge (eyes aim toward each other - crosseyed), and the pupils constrict.

When you are not wearing glasses to give you full distance correction your eyes are myopic (nearsighted, shortsighted). Since your eyes are already focused to see objects near, you don't need to accommodate as much.

I suspect that you are actually a little bit myopic in your right eye, add to that your moderate myopia in the left eye, and you should have very good near vision and you do not need to accommodate much, if at all.

Put on your glasses that correct you for distance vision and you need to accommodate, converge, and constrict. That makes your eyes angry.

[kellymasonmom]

Is there hope? Will it eventually sort itself out? Will I have to give up monovision and get both eyes corrected for distance? Or, can I never wear glasses? What are my options?
I really, really appreciate your help.
Thanks

[LasikExpert]

First check the glasses, prescription, visual axis distance, prism (if any), all the mechanics of your spectacles. They may be just enough inaccurate to exacerbate an otherwise tolerable situation.

One of the problems with plus sphere and minus sphere (MDs write different prescriptions than ODs for the same thing) is that the numbers can be confusing at the manufacturer. Spectacle lenses are made with the wrong power all the time.

Your eyes have probably adapted to the monovision well. Now you are asking them to adapt again, but for a short term. Yes, it is likely that your brain will adapt, but it is not guaranteed. At least not yet.

At some point you will become presbyopic enough that you will have no accommodation. If accommodation is the problem (remember that I'm speculating), then it would be resolve when you have no accommodation.

[kellymasonmom]

Thank you very, very much for your help. You are a life and sanity saver!!! You are providing a service (that I don't think you realize) is very important. Sometimes physicians just don't have time to explain things to us and we, as patients, don't always remember everything we want to ask. In the comfort of our own homes we are able to find answers to our questions.
Thanks!!!

[LasikExpert]

Thank you for the kind words. I'm delighted to be of service.

[kellymasonmom]

Just thought I would give an update. I had my eyeglasses checked by and independent company and they are correct to my prescription. Therefore, it must be my eyes trying to accommodate, etc. as you had suggested.
Thanks

[LasikExpert]

I'm glad you have faith in my non-physician cyber-analysis, but has your doctor confirmed my suspicions? You want to get a diagnosis from a competent doctor who has actually examined you to be sure that whatever the problem may be is being appropriately treated or managed. Don’t just rely on a website...even our website!

[kellymasonmom]

Is it possible,when a person adapts to monovision, that the brain will ignore the blurry image when night driving? Are some people able to night drive and not have the halos arousing from the non-dominant eye? That is what I am experiencing and wondered if it is a possibility. I know you have stated that you use glasses when night driving to get perfect vision. I am curious if the glasses make things clearer for you,or, is it to get rid of those nasty halos. As stated before, I am having trouble adapting to glasses now and wondered if it is possible my night vision will improve.
Thanks again for your insight.

[LasikExpert]

It is likely that both will occur.

As the brain learns how to use monovision to its advantage, the appearance of distance blurr will be reduced. It would not be reasonable to expect that all distance blur would be eliminated. It would still be there, but it would (quite literally) not be as noticed.

My glasses provide either full distance correction or full near correction. I have a pair of both. On those ocassions when I must do a lot of reading, I use the glasses with full near correction. When driving, especially when driving at night, I wear full distance correction glasses and have the best possible distance vision.

[kellymasonmom]

If you do not wear your glasses for night driving-do you see any halos around headlights and lamp posts?
Thanks again!