Getting a new pair of glasses can be exciting, but it can also be a nuisance if you're getting a new prescription. Adjusting to a new prescription can be a frustrating process, and it can make you doubt whether or not your doctor measured your eyes accurately. If you're going through this process right now, read on to learn more about how it works and what you can do to make it easier on yourself.

Why It Takes a While

When your eye doctor chooses a new glasses prescription for you, they're basing it upon what your eyes need in order to see as clearly as possible. Unfortunately, your brain can get in the way when it comes to getting used to this new prescription.

Your brain plays a big part in adapting what enters your eyes into what you actually perceive. For example, the images that hit your retina of the outside world are actually upside down, and it's up to your brain to switch them back to right-side up.

When you wear a prescription that's out of date and doesn't correct your vision properly, your brain does the best it can to work with the images it's receiving. In short, it over-compensates for what it's seeing in order to give you the clearest image possible. When you switch to a new prescription that takes the strain off the brain, it takes a while for the brain to realize it no longer needs to put in all that extra work for you to see.

Don't Switch Back

To make it easier on yourself, never put on your old pair of eyeglasses when you're trying to adjust to a new pair. It can be tempting to go back to the old pair because initially it may seem like you're seeing better out of them. However, you're just prolonging the time it takes for your mind to adjust to your new lenses.

Avoid Straining Your Eyes

While you adjust to your new prescription, try to avoid straining your eyes. Take regular breaks from reading and computer work, and avoid reading anything where you actively have to struggle to make it out. While it won't slow down your adapting process any, these behaviors can give you a literal headache, making you all the more likely to switch back to your old glasses.

Consult with Doctor

If you don't see an improvement in a few days, talk to your eye doctor. Most eye doctors can check the lens in your glasses to confirm whether or not you received the correct prescription. If the prescription matches the one they ordered and you still can't see clearly out of them, it may indicate an underlying problem with your eyes. In this case, an exam may be in order to make sure that your eyes are healthy.

Rest assured, seeing through your new glasses should be second nature soon enough. Give your eyes plenty of rest and stick with it to see results as quickly as possible.