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Can Progressive Lenses Cause Headaches?

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Posted on Wed, 20 Aug 2014
Question: Got my first pair of progressive lenses last week. Can they cause headaches? I'm a migraine sufferer, but the usual causes of migraine are not present (well, that's not even fair to say because headaches have a mind of their own, don't they? )
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Wrong prescription can cause headache.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to health care magic

I am Dr. Dadapeer K, an ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.

Progressive lenses are given for correction of refractive errors affecting both distance vision and near vision. They are better alternative to bifocal glasses.
They will not cause headache. Progressive lenses will in fact treat headache as refractive errors can cause headache.
However under correction or over correction of refractive errors can cause headache. Hence if you are having headache you need to undergo refraction testing to see the correction is right or not.
Hence progressive lenses by themselves will not cause headache, however if the correction given is wrong they can cause headache.

Hope the information is helpful to you.

Thank you
With regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dadapeer K (9 minutes later)
Thanks. I think the Rx is good, because when I put the glasses on, it's amazing how clear things become. Perhaps I am not wearing them often enough and the bad vision is bothering me. My old glasses were just for distance (driving, movies, etc) so I didn't wear them all the time. Now I need them for reading, too. When I picked them up, the woman who fitted them told me to wear them as often as possible. That is a challenge for me, as I am not used to wearing glasses all the time.

Or, maybe it's just a coincidence that I am getting headache at the same time as getting the new glasses.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (16 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Need to look for other causes of headache.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thank you for the follow up question.

If the correction is right as indicated by good vision with glasses, then progressive lenses are not responsible for your headaches. And you need to wear the correction always as told by your optometrist as uncorrected refractive error can also cause headache.
If you continue to get headaches even after wearing glasses, other causes like migraine have to be ruled out.

Hope the information is helpful to you.

Thank you
With regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dadapeer K

Ophthalmologist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 5709 Questions

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Can Progressive Lenses Cause Headaches?

Brief Answer: Wrong prescription can cause headache. Detailed Answer: Hello Welcome to health care magic I am Dr. Dadapeer K, an ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye. Progressive lenses are given for correction of refractive errors affecting both distance vision and near vision. They are better alternative to bifocal glasses. They will not cause headache. Progressive lenses will in fact treat headache as refractive errors can cause headache. However under correction or over correction of refractive errors can cause headache. Hence if you are having headache you need to undergo refraction testing to see the correction is right or not. Hence progressive lenses by themselves will not cause headache, however if the correction given is wrong they can cause headache. Hope the information is helpful to you. Thank you With regards