Could My Glasses Be Causing Me Neck Pain?
Updated: Mar 20
Repositioning your head and neck for optimal sight is a very common way to develop pressure in the middle of the neck, especially when tipping the chin while using bifocals or trifocals.
This Compensation Pattern is VERY Common
The pattern is tipping the chin up so that the eyes are looking through the lower part of the lense followed by generally slouching posture or reaching forward with the head and neck to position just so to be able to read at a specific distance.
The main effect of this pattern that I see with clients that complain of pain in the neck are
1. Shortness and stiffness in the suboccipital muscles. Sub means under and occiput is the back of the head or skull. The suboccipital muscles are the thick muscles you can feel when you run your fingers off the back of your skull where your head is balancing on the start of your cervical (neck) bones.
2. Extension and compression in the back of the disk joints and the facet joints in the middle of the neck where we tend to move the most. Hanging out in that extended position can pinch off the circulation in those joints and reduce the space available for fluid to move and for the joints to "breathe".
Consider what you spend MOST of you time looking at and use lenses specific for that task. For example, if you spend most of your hours looking at computer screen, consider a specific pair of glasses just for the screen to reduce the amount of eye and neck adjustments you need to make.
Consider your selection of eyewear an investment in your long-term health. After all, you spend all your waking hours using your eyesight so why not make sure that you have the best eyewear to keep your spine safe and healthy.
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