If you’ve recently started wearing glasses or updated your prescription, someone might have said to you, “Be careful, glasses can make your eyes worse.” It’s a common myth that can cause hesitation, especially if you’re already adjusting to the feel of new lenses. But here’s the truth: glasses themselves don’t inherently weaken your eyes. In fact, they support your vision and help you avoid unnecessary strain or discomfort.

That said, the answer does depend on age and condition. Let’s break down where this myth comes from, why glasses are essential for eye health, and how different conditions respond to glasses.

Do Glasses Weaken Your Eyes?

For most people, glasses do not make vision worse. They are medical tools designed to correct refractive errors, like nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism, and presbyopia. By properly focusing light onto the retina, glasses help you see clearly — without changing the structure of your eyes.

The idea that glasses “make your eyes lazy” or lead to dependence is largely a misunderstanding of how vision works. The reality is more nuanced, and it depends on the condition:

• Children with Myopia (Nearsightedness): Standard single-vision glasses correct distance vision, but they can create hyperopic defocus in the peripheral retina. This signals the eye to elongate, which can accelerate myopia progression and lead to stronger prescriptions over time. This is why myopia-control strategies (specialized contact lenses, orthokeratology, or spectacle designs) are now recommended for children.
• Children with Lazy Eye (Amblyopia): For amblyopia due to uncorrected refractive error, glasses are essential. Providing full correction allows both eyes to send clear signals to the brain, helping them work together binocularly. In these cases, glasses do not make vision worse; in fact, withholding proper correction risks permanent vision loss in the weaker eye.
• Adults with Presbyopia (Age-Related Near Vision Decline): For early presbyopes, reading glasses don’t cause worsening vision. The gradual decline in near focus is due to the natural weakening of the ciliary muscle starting around age 40, progressing steadily until about 65. Glasses simply address the symptoms — they don’t speed up the process.

In summary: glasses themselves don’t inherently “weaken” the eyes, but in children with myopia, traditional single-vision lenses can indirectly contribute to progression through optical design. In other conditions like amblyopia or presbyopia, glasses are necessary and beneficial.

Understanding Myopia (Nearsightedness)

Myopia is a condition where the shape of the eye causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it, making distant objects appear blurry. It usually develops in childhood and can progress during the growing years.

Wearing glasses doesn’t cause myopia to progress, but as noted above, standard single-vision glasses don’t slow the condition either. Without correction, children may experience eye strain, headaches, or learning challenges in school.

This is why myopia-control strategies — like Ortho-K lenses, atropine eye drops, or specialized spectacle designs — are increasingly recommended to slow progression and reduce long-term risks.

What Is Myopia Control?

Myopia control refers to specialized lenses or treatments that aim to slow the progression of nearsightedness, particularly in children and teens. Slowing myopia progression is important because high levels of myopia increase the risk of long-term eye conditions like:

• Retinal detachment
• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Myopic macular degeneration

While regular glasses correct blurry vision, myopia control lenses are designed to do both: improve visual clarity and reduce the rate at which myopia worsens.

Why Do New Glasses Feel Weird?

If you’ve ever put on a new pair of glasses and felt dizzy, disoriented, or uncomfortable, you’re not alone. These temporary effects don’t mean your glasses are hurting your eyes. They’re part of your brain’s adaptation process to a new way of seeing. To make this adjustment easier, it’s important to invest in high-quality lenses and get them fitted properly by an eye care professional — not just purchased online. The right lenses and a proper fit can make all the difference in your comfort and vision.

Common symptoms during the adjustment period include:

• Mild headaches
• Light dizziness
• Eye strain
• A “warped” feeling or altered depth perception

This adjustment usually lasts a few days to a week. It’s your brain learning to work with the new prescription — especially if it’s a significant change or your first time wearing multifocal lenses.

Tips for Adjusting to New Glasses

Adapting to a new prescription can be a smooth process with a few simple strategies:

• Wear them consistently: The more you wear your new glasses, the faster your eyes and brain adjust. Try not to switch back and forth between old and new lenses.
• Take breaks: Use the 20-20-20 rule when working on screens or up-close tasks. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Check the fit: Poorly fitting frames can cause strain or pressure points. If your glasses feel uncomfortable, visit your optician for an adjustment.
• Transition gradually: For more complex prescriptions, it may help to wear your glasses for short periods at first, gradually increasing wear time.
• Speak up: If discomfort persists beyond a week, or something just doesn’t feel right, your optometrist can recheck your prescription or fit.

Glasses Aren’t the Only Option

For some people, glasses aren’t always the most practical or comfortable solution. Thankfully, there are several options to correct your vision and support eye health:

• Contact lenses: A popular alternative that offers clear, natural vision without the need for frames.
• Orthokeratology (Ortho-K): Special overnight lenses that temporarily reshape the cornea to correct myopia during the day.
• Laser eye surgery: Procedures like LASIK or PRK offer permanent vision correction for eligible candidates.
• Myopia control glasses or contacts: These are great for younger patients with progressive nearsightedness.

Your optometrist can help you explore which vision correction method best fits your lifestyle, age, and long-term goals.

When to Visit Your Eye Doctor

Wearing glasses supports your vision — but they’re just one part of your overall eye health strategy. Annual or biannual eye exams are essential to monitor changes in your prescription, assess for early signs of eye disease, and determine whether additional treatments like myopia control are necessary.

If you’re experiencing visual discomfort, notice rapid prescription changes, or have questions about your glasses, your optometrist can guide you with expert advice tailored to your needs.

At Eyelab in Vancouver, our team is here to help you see clearly and comfortably at every stage of life. Whether you’re adjusting to a new prescription, exploring myopia control for your child, or simply due for a check-up, book your comprehensive eye exam with us today!