High index lenses will not make your vision worse. High index lenses are made for people with strong prescriptions. If your optician makes your lenses in regular plastic, your lenses would be really thick because of your strong prescription. High index also called 1.60, 1.67, and newer technology has resulted in 1.71 and 1.74 is beneficial if you want your lenses to appear thinner. They look better and can even have BETTER optics than polycarbonate (a popular choice for children under 18 and those with medium-strength prescriptions). My opinion is that keep your glasses and stick with high-index lenses. Wear them for 1 to 2 weeks continuously so that your eyes can adjust to the new prescription and the new material. If after several weeks of continuous wear of your new glasses you feel like you are straining, go back to your optician and eye doctor and have them recheck your lenses.