Why don't I see well? Axis is off by 5 from Rx & perhaps wrong PD?
TLDR: Edit: I think I've got the answers now.
- Can an axis that's off by x5 (compared to the Rx) mess with vision? Or is that within the expected tolerance?
- Edit: I figured out that's outside the tolerance. With a cylinder of -1.50, the tolerance is only 2 or 3 degrees
- Is it reasonable for someone's computer/reading progressives to be given monocular PDs that are each 1 mm less than those used for full (distance/middle/reading) progressives?
- Edit: Yes, I learned that this is called "near PD" and is measured when one's focusing close up.
- Could that difference in PD explain why, with my computer glasses, I see best
- with my right eye if I turn my head a little to the right and
- with my left eye if I turn my head a little to the left?
- Edit: I now think that the optician probably overdid the difference between PD and Near PD.
THE LONG VERSION:
The glasses I got 7 months ago have never seemed right, and I'd appreciate help figuring out what needs changing. While I realize part of the problem is low-set ears (and "pantascopic tilt"), that's not all. My suspicions are that the PD might not be right, and/or that the left axis being 5 degrees off of the Rx is causing a problem.
April 2025: I got the following prescription:
- OD -3.25, -2.25, x100, +2.00
- OS -3.25, -1.50, x50, +2.00
September 2025: I finally bought glasses -- one pair of full progressives and one of computer/reading progressives.
- For the full progressives, the optician used the following Monocular PDs:
- OD 29.00
- OS 28.50
- BI 0.0
- For the computer glasses, the optician modified the Rx to be
- OD Sphere -2.25, Monocular PD 28.00
- OS Sphere -2.25, Monocular PD 27.50
- For comparison, my previous glasses, with which I could see well, had a combined PD of 57, which is a lot more than the combined computer glasses' PD of 55.50.
Last week (May 2026): I had a checkup and got the exact same Rx as before. The optometrist didn't measure the lenses of my computer glasses, but she measured my full progressives, and they matched the Rx except for the axis:
- OD Axis x101 (off by 1) <- I don't think I notice this
- OS Axis x55 (off by 5) <-- I do think I notice this in my left eye.
Optional reading -- way too much detail:
I see much better if I tilt my glasses -- my ears are a full centimeter below where these glasses expect them to be! I'll get foam pads to fix that.
I got these glasses at a brick-and-mortar Warby Parker store. If I can't get Warby Parker to replacde mine for free because they messed up, then I'll get my replacement lenses (and all future glasses) from an independent optometrist.
Also, I *now* know that this specific location of Warby Parker has a reputation on Yelp for making mistakes, such as writing down the Rx incorrectly. I checked and they wrote it down right, but it makes me suspicious of the PD.
(I should've taken the glasses back right away, but I had a family crisis, and then I figured I'd wait til I got my new Rx, assuming it would've changed.)