This is one of the biggest hesitations people have about ordering prescription glasses online, and it's a fair one: what if you wait weeks for your glasses, and when they arrive, something's wrong? Here's an honest look at why this happens, how to tell the difference between a real prescription problem and a normal adjustment period, and exactly what to do next.
First: Is It Actually the Prescription, or Is It Adjustment?
Not every discomfort with new glasses means something went wrong. It's normal to need a short adjustment period with any new pair, especially if your prescription has changed meaningfully from your last one, or if this is your first time wearing progressives. Common, normal adjustment symptoms include:
- Mild dizziness or spatial disorientation for the first day or two
- Slight peripheral blur when looking side to side (especially with progressives)
- A feeling that things are "too sharp" or oddly close, if your prescription strength increased significantly
These typically resolve within a few days to two weeks as your eyes and brain adjust to the new correction.
Signs that suggest an actual problem, not just adjustment:
- Vision is blurry at the distance your prescription is supposed to correct for (not just peripheral or transitional blur)
- Discomfort or headaches that don't improve or get worse after two weeks
- The glasses don't match the specific numbers on your submitted prescription (if you're able to compare)
- Double vision, or vision that seems worse than before you got the glasses
Why Prescription Errors Happen at All
Even with careful production, errors can occur at a few points in the process:
- Submission errors — an unclear photo of a written prescription, or a transcription mistake when entering values
- Measurement issues — an inaccurate self-measured PD, especially if it wasn't rechecked against your prescription needs
- Lab fabrication errors — rare, but possible, since lens grinding is a precise manufacturing process
- Frame fit issues — even a mathematically correct prescription can feel "off" if the frame doesn't sit correctly on your face, since lens positioning relative to your eyes matters as much as the prescription itself
What To Do If You Think Something's Wrong
- Don't try to "push through" for weeks hoping it'll resolve — if something feels clearly wrong (not just an adjustment), reach out sooner rather than later
- Email hello@aldermiller.com with your order number and a specific description of what's wrong — blurry at distance, blurry up close, headaches, double vision, etc. The more specific you can be, the faster we can diagnose whether it's a fit issue, a fabrication issue, or something else
- If possible, note exactly when the problem started — immediately upon wearing them, or did it develop after a few days
- Our team, including our reviewing optometrist, will look at your original submitted prescription against what was produced to identify where the discrepancy is, if any
What We Do About It
If a genuine prescription or fabrication error is confirmed, we address it directly — this isn't something we handle as a blanket policy statement, but case by case, since the right fix depends on what actually went wrong (a lens remake, a frame adjustment, or something else entirely). We'd rather have an honest, specific conversation with you about what happened than promise a generic guarantee that doesn't match your actual situation.
For the full details on returns, refunds, and our prescription accuracy commitments, read our Prescription Policy and Return & Refund Policy directly — we'd rather you see the actual written terms than take a summary's word for it.
The Honest Bottom Line
Prescription errors are uncommon, but they're not impossible, and we'd rather be upfront about that than pretend otherwise. What matters most is what happens if it does go wrong: clear communication, someone with actual clinical training reviewing what happened, and a resolution based on your specific situation rather than a scripted response.
Have a concern about glasses you've already received? Email hello@aldermiller.com with your order number — we read every message personally.