Ol' Fourteen Eyes

I first realized my vision was failing when I got to college. I couldn't see what the professors were writing on the white boards. I got my eyes examined, obtained my first pair of glasses, walked outside and saw that trees are not a green blob but instead are made up of individual branches and leaves. I must have been nearsighted for years without realizing it.

My vision is "okay bad," which means I can't see much without corrective lenses but I'm in no danger of going blind.

I'm reluctant to permit an eye doctor to fix my nearsightedness, my astigmatism and my prematurely hardened lenses by burning holes in my eyeball with a laser. Call me squeamish, call me a coward, but you'll never call me blind.

This means I've surrounded myself with lenses of all descriptions. If a kid with glasses gets called "four eyes," I suppose you can call me "fourteen eyes." My lens collection includes:

• Glasses with progressive lenses, permitting me to see far and near.
• Prescription sunglasses, to wear on days when I'm wearing my glasses.
• Contact lenses, for sports, weekends and days I feel like a dork wearing my coke bottle glasses.
• Two pair of reading glasses, for wearing when I'm reading while I'm wearing contact lenses. I keep one pair at work and another at home.
• Regular sunglasses, to wear on days when I'm wearing my contacts.
• My eyes, when I want to experience life in a blurry haze. Other people have to take drugs, huff glue or drink excessive amounts of alcohol to achieve this effect.

Comments

[jlb]

I had the very same "tree epiphany" when I was in first grade. I only wear RGP contacts now. I have a set of coke bottles, but the frames broke awhile ago, and I haven't replaced them. Never could see too well out of them anyway, they give me tunnel vision, and everything around the edges is so distorted that they give me a headache (the weight of them too!). I don't think your squeemish or a coward, I would never let anyone laser my eyes either. Good common sense if you ask me!
jan

[Bernie Goldbach]

In most of Europe, eyeglasses are the ultimate fashion accessory. Both the glasses and their swish cases are middle-aged bling for the executive class. So I guess that means you're still wearing a logo when you're looking through the frames.

[Elise]

No laser surgery here either! I'd rather have to wear corrective lenses than risk not being able to see at all! I can't see clearly more than a foot in front of my face and have been wearing glasses since the age of 9 and contacts since 12. There are problems in life one could have that are a helluva a lot worse.

[Rana]

Add another one to the list of people who had "tree ephiphanies." I remember thinking something like, "Dang, I can see the leaves!" Grass was pretty nifty too.

I have a clear focal range of 6 inches from my nose. But no lasers for me! (I am very grateful to live in the age of high-index plastic.)