Why do I experience dizziness when switching between glasses and contacts?
MAY 29, 2024
Question:
I have two very different eye prescriptions (-8 and -4) which makes me very dizzy to switch between glasses and contacts. Is there any way to fix this? Also, what is this condition called?
Answer:
Assuming that the numbers you provide are correct, there is a significant difference in refractive power between your eyes. This is known as anisometropia. Fortunately, you have preserved good corrected vision in each eye. Contacts compensate for this difference in power by making the two image sizes (one from each eye) match better, but when you switch to eyeglasses, that difference is more evident and the brain struggles to adapt.
Depending how bothersome this is for you, LASIK or other refractive surgery could help resolve this issue for you, assuming your are a candidate for surgery.
This question was originally answered on Dec. 4, 2013.