Professor Tatiana Shilova stated that ill-fitting glasses do not damage the eyes or lead to permanent vision loss in adults, but may significantly reduce eye comfort and quality of life.
She says: "If the lens power or astigmatism axis is incorrectly determined, a person may experience blurred vision, eye strain, headaches, dizziness, nausea, double vision, or difficulty switching vision from near to far."
According to her, sometimes objects seem to change size or position, and space becomes unstable. This poses a particular danger when driving, climbing stairs, and performing tasks that require precise hand-eye coordination.
She says: "The problem may not be just the strength of the lenses. What is important is accurately determining the distance between the pupils and the location of the optical center of the lenses. If the centering is not accurate, an undesirable prism effect occurs. The eyes have to constantly compensate for this defect, which may cause visual strain, headaches, and double vision."
The professor points out that ready-made glasses available in pharmacies or stores have the same optical power for both eyes and a standard distance between the pupils, but they do not take into account astigmatism.
She says: "The right and left eyes often need different correction. Therefore, these glasses can only be used as a backup option for reading for short periods if the light refraction in both eyes is similar, and after a prior examination. They are not intended for driving, continuous computer work, or distance vision correction."
According to her, inappropriate glasses do not usually cause permanent strabismus in adults, but they may lead to double vision, disrupt the functioning of both eyes together, or cause hidden strabismus (heterophoria).
She says: “If double vision persists after changing glasses, it is necessary, in addition to checking the glasses and lens focal points, to check the condition of the eye-motor system. Children need special care when choosing glasses, because their visual system is still developing. If one eye is weaker than the other, and the necessary correction is not present or is inappropriate, the brain may begin to suppress the image coming from the weaker eye.”
The doctor points out that this increases the risk of developing amblyopia (lazy eye), which is a persistent weakness in vision, and in some cases may affect the control of strabismus (crossed eyes).
The professor emphasizes that ready-made glasses should not be used for children.
She says: “Glasses should be chosen after a thorough and careful examination. It is essential to determine the refractive error of each eye individually, and to check for astigmatism, double vision, the distance between the pupils, and the condition of the eye. This is important because changes in vision may not only be related to the need for new prescriptions, but also to cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases, or other eye diseases.”
