Yes, your glasses can give you a headache. If you feel pain around your eyes, temples, or forehead while wearing your glasses, they might be the problem. This happens when your frames don’t fit right, your prescription is wrong, or your eyes are still getting used to new lenses.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to spot the warning signs that your glasses are causing headaches. We’ll also share simple ways to fix the problem so you can see clearly without pain.
Signs Your Glasses Are Causing Headaches
Your body gives you clear signals when something’s wrong with your glasses. Pay attention to these common signs.
Pain in Specific Areas:
Headaches from glasses often show up in certain spots on your face—like your temples, behind your ears, or around your nose. If you feel pressure or pain in these areas, your frames might be too tight.
Touch your temples while wearing your glasses. Do they hurt? Check behind your ears. Is there a red mark? These are clear signs that your frames need adjusting.
Headaches That Start After Wearing Glasses:
Eyestrain headaches appear after you focus on something for a long time. They don’t show up when you wake up. Instead, they build slowly during the day as you wear your glasses.
If your head feels fine in the morning but starts hurting an hour into wearing your glasses, that’s a red flag. This pattern means your eyes are working too hard.
Pain Behind Your Eyes:
The pain is usually located behind or around your eyes, and the area might feel sore or tired. This tired, achy feeling is different from other headaches. It feels like your eyes need a break.
Try this simple test: Take off your glasses and close your eyes for a few minutes. Does the pain get better? That’s a strong sign your glasses are the problem.
Blurry or Double Vision:
Can’t see as clearly as you should? Blurred vision or seeing double could mean your prescription isn’t quite right. Your eyes strain to make up for the wrong prescription, which leads to headaches.
Look at something far away, then something close. If either view looks fuzzy or doubled, your lenses might need checking.
Why Your Glasses Give You Headaches?
Understanding why glasses cause headaches helps you fix the problem faster. Here are the most common reasons.
Getting Used to New Glasses:
Your eyes are adjusting to the new lenses, and they may feel tired and a bit sore as they work to get used to the new prescription. This is normal and usually goes away within two weeks.
Think of it like breaking in new shoes. Your eyes need time to adjust. This can take two to three days for single vision lenses and three to five days for progressive lenses.
During this time, you might also feel dizzy or see things slightly warped. Don’t give up! These feelings should fade as your brain learns to work with your new glasses.
Wrong Prescription:
Sometimes the prescription itself is wrong. Maybe your eye doctor made a small mistake in measuring your vision. Or perhaps your eyes changed between your exam and when you picked up your glasses.
If you’re seeing double, have dizziness or nausea, eye strain that worsens throughout the day, or headaches that last longer than a few weeks, you could need a different prescription.
A wrong prescription makes your eyes work overtime trying to focus. This constant effort tires out your eye muscles and triggers my glasses are giving me a headache pain.
Incorrect Pupillary Distance (PD):
Your pupillary distance is the space between the centers of your pupils. If this measurement is even slightly off, your eyes may have to work harder to focus, leading to discomfort and headaches.
An incorrect PD value can cause blurry vision, double vision, headaches, nausea, and fatigue. This problem is especially bad for people with strong prescriptions or astigmatism.
Here’s why PD matters: The optical center of each lens must line up perfectly with your pupil. If it doesn’t, you’re looking through the wrong part of the lens all day. That’s exhausting for your eyes.
Poorly Fitting Frames:
Poorly fitting frames can put pressure on the temples or nose bridge, leading to a headache. Frames that are too tight pinch your head. Frames that are too loose slide down and force you to look through the wrong part of the lens.
Check your frames right now. Do they leave marks on your nose? Do they pinch behind your ears? Are they sliding down constantly? Any of these signs means you need an adjustment.
At Hampden Optical, our expert opticians can adjust your frames for a perfect, comfortable fit.
Using the Wrong Glasses for the Task:
Glasses worn for distant vision and reading may be ineffective for computer use. Each pair of glasses is made for a specific distance. Reading glasses won’t work well for driving. Distance glasses aren’t ideal for computer work.
If you spend hours on the computer with reading glasses, you’re forcing your eyes to work unnaturally. This causes strain and headaches after new glasses.
Common Headache Symptoms From Glasses
Knowing what to look for helps you identify the problem quickly. Here are the most common glasses headache symptoms.
Eye Strain and Fatigue:
Your eyes feel tired and heavy. Symptoms may include mild headache, muscle spasms of the eye or eyelid, and inability to keep eyes open. You might find yourself rubbing your eyes or wanting to close them often.
This happens when your eye muscles work too hard for too long. Just like your legs get tired from standing all day, your eye muscles get exhausted from constant focusing.
Sensitivity to Light:
Bright lights suddenly bother you more than usual. You might squint when you go outside or when looking at your phone screen. This light sensitivity often comes with a headache while wearing glasses.
Difficulty Concentrating:
You can’t focus on your work. Reading feels harder than it should. Your mind wanders because your eyes are too tired to keep up. This mental fog is a common sign of glasses-related headaches.
Neck and Shoulder Pain:
You might tilt your head or crane your neck to see through your lenses better. This awkward posture leads to tension in your neck and shoulders. The pain radiates up and joins the headache from your eyes.
How to Fix Glasses Headaches
The good news? Most glasses headaches are easy to fix. Try these solutions based on your specific problem.
Give Your Eyes Time to Adjust:
If your glasses are new, be patient. Most people get used to new glasses within two to three days, although it might take up to two weeks. Wear your glasses consistently instead of switching back and forth with old pairs.
Start slowly. Wear new glasses for three to four hours and then take a break for a couple of days. This gives your eyes time to adapt without overwhelming them.
Get Your Frames Adjusted:
Visit your eye doctor or optician for a quick frame adjustment. Most places, including Hampden Optical, offer free adjustments. An optician can bend the temples, adjust the nose pads, or fix the overall fit in just minutes.
Proper fit makes a huge difference. Your glasses should sit comfortably without pinching or sliding. The lenses should align perfectly with your eyes.
Verify Your Prescription:
If you continue to struggle with your glasses for much longer than a few weeks, it could be because of a prescription error. Schedule a follow-up appointment with your eye doctor.
They can check if your prescription is correct and if the lenses were made properly. Sometimes labs make mistakes when grinding lenses. A quick check can reveal if this happened.
Book a comprehensive eye exam to make sure your prescription is up to date.
Follow the 20-20-20 Rule:
This Rule includes taking a break every twenty minutes and looking at something twenty feet away for twenty seconds. This simple habit prevents eye strain, especially during computer work.
Set a timer on your phone. When it goes off, look out the window or across the room. Let your eye muscles relax. This breaks the cycle of constant close-up focusing that causes not wearing glasses headache or strain.
Use the Right Glasses for Each Activity:
Do you need different glasses for reading, computer work, and distance? Ask your eye doctor. You might benefit from:
- Computer glasses for screen work
- Reading glasses for books and close tasks
- Progressive lenses that handle multiple distances
- Custom progressives with specialty coatings for your specific needs
Using the right tool for each job takes pressure off your eyes.
Consider Blue Light Protection:
Research shows blue light blocking glasses make no difference for eye strain, according to recent studies. However, reducing screen brightness and taking regular breaks does help.
Learn more about protecting your eyes from harmful blue light and other screen-related issues.
When to See Your Eye Doctor
Sometimes headaches signal a bigger problem. See your eye doctor right away if you experience:
- Headaches lasting more than two weeks with new glasses
- Vision is getting worse instead of better
- Severe pain, nausea, or dizziness
- Sudden changes in your vision
- Headaches that wake you up at night
A 2016 study found that migraine is a common type of headache condition in people with refractive errors. If you have frequent migraines along with vision problems, mention this to your doctor.
At Hampden Optical, Dr. David Paden and our experienced team can identify the root cause of your not wearing glasses, causing headache concerns, and provide personalized solutions.
Preventing Future Glasses Headaches
Once you fix your current headaches, keep them from coming back with these tips.
Get Regular Eye Exams:
Your vision changes over time. Many people skip their yearly visits because they feel like they are doing all right, but small changes add up. Schedule a comprehensive eye exam once a year.
Regular checkups catch problems early, before they cause headaches. Your eye doctor can adjust your prescription as needed and check for eye health issues.
Take Care of Your Frames:
Keep your glasses clean and properly adjusted. Store them in a case when you’re not wearing them. Bent or misaligned frames cause headaches even if your prescription is perfect.
If your frames feel loose or crooked, stop by for a quick adjustment. Don’t wait until they’re causing pain.
Rest Your Eyes:
Give your eyes regular breaks, especially during computer work or reading. Close your eyes for a few minutes. Look into the distance. Blink often to keep your eyes moist.
When you put on reading glasses, make sure you take frequent breaks to reduce strain and prevent headaches.
Stay Hydrated:
Dry eyes contribute to eye strain and headaches. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Use artificial tears if your eyes feel dry. A humidifier in your workspace can also help.
Understanding Eye Strain vs. Other Headaches
Not all headaches come from your glasses. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Glasses-Related Headaches:
- Starts or worsens when wearing glasses
- Feel better when you rest your eyes
- Located around the eyes, temples, or the bridge of the nose
- Come with tired, sore eyes
- Improve when you take off your glasses
Other Types of Headaches:
- Happens regardless of glasses use
- Come with nausea, vomiting, or light sensitivity
- Feel like throbbing or pounding
- Don’t improve with eye rest
- Affect your entire head, not just around the eyes
If your headaches don’t fit the glasses-related pattern, see your regular doctor. You might have migraines, tension headaches, or another condition that needs different treatment.
Final Thoughts
Glasses should make your life easier, not give you headaches. If you’re dealing with pain, don’t ignore it. The problem is usually simple to fix—whether it’s adjusting your frames, updating your prescription, or giving your eyes time to adjust.
Pay attention to when and where your head hurts. Notice patterns. Are the headaches worse after computer work? Do they happen only with your new glasses? This information helps your eye doctor solve the problem quickly.
Remember, most glasses-related headaches go away within two weeks. If yours don’t, it’s time to visit your eye care team. At Hampden Optical, we’re here to help you see clearly and feel comfortable. Our expert opticians can check your prescription, adjust your frames, and make sure your glasses work perfectly for your lifestyle.
Don’t let headaches keep you from enjoying clear vision. Contact us today for a frame adjustment or a comprehensive eye exam. You deserve glasses that help you see better without any pain.
