[Excessive tearing due to decentred progessive eyeglasses]

The eye and the progressive lenses in eyeglasses form a three-dimensional optical system, which must be well matched.

A 71-year-old man complained about a new and unusual tearing and scratching sensation in his eyes. The work-up revealed subnormal values of the Schirmer test, from the eye refraction of different eyeglass powers and strongly decentred progressive lenses in his, just a few-months-old, eyeglasses.

A lubricating therapy remained without success. However, the use of new and correct eyeglasses eliminated the symptoms.

Tearing and the sensation of scratching in the eyes in this case are symptoms of an eyeglasses-induced asthenopia. Consequently, it may pay to control the eyeglasses and the centration of progressive lenses in cases with unclear, unspecific eye symptoms even without dissatisfaction with eyeglasses.