Why do you get headaches when you wear sunglasses or safety glasses?

Answer 1

Your eyes are so used to not wearing sunglasses that when you do wear them, your eyes feel weird. They are not used to being shaded, so you may get headaches the first couple of times you wear them. It doesn't mean the sunglasses are bad, although sometimes, knock-off sunglasses will harm your eyes because they are not of good quality.

Because of the shade vs. light, you may not notice that you are squinting your eyes to see through the shade. You are used to seeing all that sunlight and your eyes have adjusted to that. Your pupils have to dilate some to adjust accordingly to the level of the shade. This doesn't seem to make much sense, because the initial thought is that your eyes would be squinting to help protect them from the immense sunlight. While this is true, so is the opposite for those who might have more trouble seeing through "darkness" or shade, in this case. The squinting causes strain and tension which will in turn cause a headache.

Also, the sunglasses may not make the world you see through them as clear (match up with the power of your vision) and thus cause you to squint. You may not notice this squinting either.

Should your headaches continue, try out a variety of sunglasses. If none seem to make it better, consult an eye doctor. They can offer prescription sunglasses. It could be something as simple as the brand of sunglasses (quality) or something more complex like the dilation of your pupils, etc.

Answer 2

IF YOU GET A HEADACHE FROM WEARING GLASSES THIS MAY MEAN THAT YOUR PERSCRIPTION IS EITHER TOO WEAK OR TOO STRONG. THIS MAY BE A LITTLE FAR FETCHED BUT IT MAY EVEN MEAN THAT THE GLASSES ARE TOO TIGHT.

Answer 3

I agree with Ellen's points and would like to add it could also be caused by an incorrect prescription. Also, you may even want to look into getting a pair of tinted (make SURE it is FL-41 tinted..Axon Optics does a good write up about why) and they can help you out if you have photophobia or blepharospasm.

Answer 4

Headache while wearing glasses may be caused by pressure of the glasses on the muscles and nerves of the head. It may also trigger headaches because your eyes are not used to the different strain with corrected vision. These are only a couple of possibilities. For appropriate diagnosis and treatment of headache disorder and disease, please seek the help of a board certified headache specialist.

Answer 5

puts strain on your eyes. puts strain on your eyes.

Answer 6

Heat from the sun can cause blood vessels in your brain to dilate and can raise your skin temperature. Glare can also irritate your eyes, and all of these effects can lead to a headache.