Varifocals & migraines?

Raksha

I went to the Dr the other week, having had my 2nd migraine in the matter of 3 weeks. He checked blood pressure and was happy with that, but suggested I get my eyes tested (I work with a computer screen all day at work, and much of my leisure time is spent here too). My optician was aware of the migraine issue and suggested varifocals. I picked the new glasses up last Monday, and had my 3rd migraine on Thursday.

Asking around, several online friends have said that they too find their migraines were made worse/more frequent by wearing varifocals and they have gone back to single vision glasses.

Is this a common thing that my optician should have made me aware of? I couldn't really afford varifocals, but was 'sold' them. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have spent the same money on two seperate pairs of glasses, perhaps with a 3rd pair for reading to be kept at work.........

Amanita_2

I get vicious migraines and also wear varifocals at times. Other than the very first day I wore them I haven't had any correlation between the two. My headaches are no better or worse since I had them.

Torry_Quine

Have only had varifocals since May but they ahve made no difference to my headaches/migraines.

dmg24

Varifocals take more getting used to than normal glasses, but do not cause migraines. (This was a question that my mum asked when she was in hospital as the result of a severe migraine.)

juby_2002

hi.

i suffer from really severe migraines, flashing lights and sudden blindness. i also wear single vision glasses.

my optition referred me for a CAT scan as after examining the back of my eye he could see a `shadow`. turns out that the optic nerve in the back of my right eye is severley `bent and twisted`. this causes the migraines (for me anyway). there is no fix for my condition and i am partially blind in my right eye and will loose the sight altogether in 12 months.

has your optition used these special eye drops on you where it makes your eyes dialate so he can examine the back of them? have you had the photos taken of the back of your eyes?

might be worth mentioning next time you go just to rule anything out.

hope this helps xx

Raksha

Hi folks. Thanks for the other side of the story.

Juby_2002 - no my optician didn't do that, but he did examine the back of my eyes very carefully with the normal 'in your face noses touching' torch.

pattycake

Varifocals do take a bit of getting used to so you will need to persevere with them for a couple of weeks. If you were having the migraine headaches before getting the glasses I should think it unlikely they would make your condition worse.

However, any respectable optometrist will change your specs back to single vision (two pairs needed though) if you find you cannot get on with the varifocals.

suki1964

TBH my migraines only ever improve when I wear the correct prescription on my varifocals. In other words I get more migraines when the prescription is no longer strong enough for me and I need a new eye test. Other then that I cant say I noticed and increase at all.


Your new glasses didnt just coincide with your time of the month and you never made the connection? (hormones are a major trigger for me)

Raksha

Thanks for the comments folks. I've been thinking about how I use my glasses, i.e. lots of computer work (and leisure), which means looking straight on at the screen - this means I'm looking through the 'distance' part of the lens with varifocals and it's not clear. When watching TV I don't sit directly infront of the telly, so have to tilt my head to the side again to view through the distance part of the lens. The little bit of close up reading that I do is either in bed, or when reading packets in the kitchen for cooking instructions.

I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that a couple of pairs of reading glasses, stratigically placed (home and work) and a distance pair for driving etc. might be a better solution for the same money.

Would I be in order to ask for FOC replacements in the frames I've currently got the varifocals in?

suki1964

Might be easier to look at how your monitor is placed. I have mine raised so I am looking through at middle distance without having to tilt my head and only have to glance down at the keys (closeup)

Tv I dont have a problem with either as its far enough away from where I sit to be viewing through the centre of my glasses

But then I have been wearing vari's for a good ten years now and i could never go back to glasses on/glasses off

Always_Harassed

My blinding migraines were caused by the artificial sweetner aspartame which is in fizzy drinks and some snack foods. Give it up for a week and see if you feel better. Be warned it is in quite a lot of food and drinks.