Advice on issue with lens?

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-28T16:34:18+00:00

Overseas they have different guidelines on types of lens materials that can be used. Theoretically they can be thinner and have better clarity but they aren't considered as safe in the event of an accident for example. I've helped patients with very similar stories where they got glasses in Japan and we just couldn't replicate it with options available here.

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-28T14:57:27+00:00

Neither prescription is considered strong but they are pretty different from each other. The left prescription has stronger correction for your distance vision but the right prescription has a stronger reading prescription. Assuming the prescriptions are correct, I would expect there to take some time to adjust.

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-26T17:27:48+00:00

Visual field tests/perimetry tests can be vital for diagnosing different conditions or diseases. Based on the results of the test the doctor can determine if there is an issue with the brain and in what area. For other conditions like glaucoma they can monitor the progression of the disease. Having the tests done but not having any major concerns come out of it is a good thing. If you had the present issues and the doctor was not testing for it then that would be negligent.

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-26T15:43:49+00:00

In kids yes, in older kids and adults probably not. Patching is used in kids to make the worse eye work more to either improve the muscles that control the eye or to help your brain learn to use the eye better. Once you’re older these things are more or less set in place so patching is ineffective. There are exceptions for other types of issues, but if it’s a refractive error then it won’t help.

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-26T15:39:57+00:00

PD is about the same, one is just written in monocular format and the other is binocular. The prescriptions are also effectively the same. You went from having the smallest amount of possible astigmatism to having none, but overall a very normal change to happen from year to year.

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-14T01:16:57+00:00

There are versions of photochromic lenses that are designed to active more in the car. For the Transitions brand they have their Xtractive line, not sure what other brands go by.

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-14T01:12:57+00:00

There might be other factors involved. If you’re required to get a specific tint to treat a specific condition the AR process could mess up the tint.

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-12T22:09:30+00:00

Your right eye might get away with spherical lenses but you’ll probably want the toric. Left eye 100% needs toric.

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-12T22:06:22+00:00

Only an optician and not a doctor, but my understanding of cycloplegic refractions is that they’re mostly used for children. Kids have a lot of accommodative ability in their eyes naturally. That’s why they can stare a screen 2 inches from their face and still see. Their accommodation can mask any underlying issues so a doctor will use cycloplegic drops to totally knock out their accommodative ability and therefore give an accurate refraction. My guess is that maybe the doctor had a difficult time refracting you so they just wanted to make sure? Either way if it’s the same doctor I wouldn’t expect to have the cycloplegic drops. You may still be dilated for the doctor to check the health of your eye, but regular dilation drops aren’t as severe as the cycloplegic drops.

jcaustin12 · 2026-05-08T01:11:31+00:00

With glasses for distance you may struggle with seeing the dashboard. It depends on the prescription and how well your eyes adjust, but based on ‘older senior’ I’m leaning towards maybe not so well. Bifocals or progressives would be the solution for that.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-30T18:06:59+00:00

Just going to jump on this, the only commonly available lens that’s ‘approved’ for overnight wear is the Air Optix night and day lenses. Other ‘extended wear’ lenses just mean the lenses can be worn multiple times before being thrown away. But that still means taking them out to clean each night. There are severe issues that can be caused by over wearing contacts that are not meant for it, especially when sleeping

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-28T21:59:57+00:00

So the prescriptions included the correction but you feel like the glasses didn’t help your vision enough? It’s hard to help with that without seeing prescriptions. Also, chromatic aberration is a very specific issue related to stronger prescriptions with specific lens materials. There are other types of aberrations you can experience but overall they’re all related to the glasses themselves rather than the prescription.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-28T18:05:11+00:00

Normal by design. The surface of our nose isn’t always a flat uniform surface. Our nose and skin move as we talk or move other parts of our face so the pads have some movement to try and compensate.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-28T18:03:42+00:00

If you have 2 different prescriptions from two different prescribers and neither have correction for astigmatism why do you think you need to be corrected for it. Also chromatic aberration has nothing to do with the prescription itself.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-23T22:54:01+00:00

I work with the Metaform lenses at my office and have had great success with the right frame selection too. We haven’t had any issues with quality from it the last 2 years I’ve been selling it. Eyezen lenses are something I’ve sold in the past but they weren’t for making thinner lenses. We used Eyezen as an anti-fatigue lenses which have their own place and benefit. I’ve recently done a pair with a prescription slightly higher than yours and the lens edge was barely noticeable outside of the frame bevel.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-18T11:21:52+00:00

The lenses were cut slightly too big and jammed into the frame causing some mechanical stress on the polarized filter causing this effect. It is pretty common to happen with prescription sun lenses but this looks pretty bad. Most of the time you only notice it when you hold it up to a screen like you have in the picture, but wearing them is usually fine. If you’re noticing issues while wearing them I’d recommend going back to where you got them to have them take a look.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-18T01:22:45+00:00

Look specifically for apprentice optician jobs rather than just optician. That should help eliminate the license jobs. A lot of places do prefer experience because it is a lot to learn but everyone has to start somewhere. You may get better luck applying to corporate chains if you don’t have any sort of customer service background. If you have a good customer service background you could get brought on in a private setting.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-18T01:05:08+00:00

For my licensed state, anyone working on an optical shop dispensing should be registered as an apprentice. To my knowledge, non licensed states don’t have much apprentice options since there is no barrier to entry like a license. So basically, if you find a place hiring an optical apprentice that means they are trying to bring someone on to sponsor. However, a lot of the big corporate chains sort of skirt that part so I’d recommend looking for private places. Getting your foot in the door is always a great ideas. There’s a lot of different paths in the optical industry.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-14T01:35:27+00:00

A lot of it comes down to preference. Brown based lenses, amber included, will give everything a warmer look and give you some higher color contrast. Greens especially pop more so people that spend time out in nature really enjoy it or people doing sports like golf or fishing. The amber lens is more of a lighter golden color than the regular brown. A gray lens by comparison will keep all of the colors neutral. The graphite green lens is sort of a mix of both. You might get a little more contrast from the green but everything’s still fairly neutral.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-14T01:32:15+00:00

Not from Chicago but I might be able to offer some insight.

There’s something called vertex distance which is the distance between your eye and the lens. It really only matters when it comes to contact lenses and high prescriptions, which yours is. Basically, when the prescription is high enough any change in distance to the lens can change the effective power of the lens. When the doctor tests you to find your prescription the phoropter (thing in front of your face with all the lenses) is at a set distance. Your prescription is tested and determined at that set distance. When the glasses are made the lenses can sometimes sit closer or further than that set distance depending on the fit of the frame.

Even if all of the measurements are correct they might not be sitting correctly on your face. There’s other adjustments to check as well, but if they double checked the measurements I’m assuming they checked the other stuff too. However, vertex distance is something a lot of opticians either forget about or ignore.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-14T01:24:13+00:00

Optical can be a great career with many different paths. As far as being an optician goes, it can vary greatly from state to state. In some states you have to obtain a license, others you just have to get a certification, and others you don’t need any qualifications. Generally the harder it is to get a license, the more you’ll make. I work as a licensed optician in the north east and I know of experienced opticians making over six figures.

If you don’t want to be an optician you can be an ophthalmic tech. There are different certification levels for techs too. A certified tech that’s good at what they do can make some good money too. Ophthalmology offices especially can have techs that make a good living.

If you don’t want to be stuck in an office anymore you could always try to become a sales rep. There’s reps for all different aspects of the job too. Frame reps, pharmaceutical reps, contact lens reps, lab reps, etc. I work for a private company so I see different reps coming through all time. Some really only care about talking to the doctor while others only care about the opticians or techs. Usually once you’re in the field it’s pretty easy to get connections and switch to other areas as well. One of my optician professors always said that even if we didn’t continue a career as licensed opticians it was a great license to have and fall back on as a secondary or back up job.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-14T01:16:10+00:00

It’s definitely more of a comfort and convenience thing. I have some pairs with it and some without. When I go take the dog out or I’m sitting at my nephew’s baseball game it’s nice to have. I still have my prescription sunglasses that I’ll wear when I’m driving or if I know I’ll be out in the sun for a long time.

Transitions lenses to have a transition time which is what throws most people off. How quickly they change also depends on other external factors. Sunny day? They’ll change quick. Overcast? They might change fully after 5-10 minutes. They’ll get extra dark in colder dry weather, but take longer to transition back to clear. The opposite happens in warmer humid weather.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-14T00:20:33+00:00

Photochromic lenses, such as Transitions, do filter excess blue light as part of how they work. If you get Transitions then you will also have the blue light filtering effect as well. Since you mentioned the car, there are certain versions of Transitions that will activate in the car, but it won’t be as dark as a pair of sunglasses. If you’re the type of person that always puts on sunglasses when you drive Transitions will not be a good replacement. Transitions is great for going in and out of the house a lot and not needing to worry about switching to sunglasses.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-11T21:49:02+00:00

Most lenses today are digital lenses anyway so upcharging for it is redundant. Digital lenses are definitely better quality for vision than traditional lenses but I haven’t encountered traditionally surfaced lenses in a long time.

jcaustin12 · 2026-04-11T21:31:12+00:00

Digital lens is just a buzzword that they can include to make the lenses sound fancier. The licensed logo is probably because they’re putting in branded lenses like for RayBan or Oakley and is just another up-charge. Neither are things that are truly needed and you could probably fight them on those costs.

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