I remember, in my twenties, a newbie at my job as a teacher, standing at the end of a row of thirty-five seats and looking up at the blackboard that I had just written on. It all looked fuzzy; so, I asked the young lady sitting in that last seat to read to me the last line on the board. She did. And then she asked why did I want her to read out loud? I told her to see if she could read at that distance.
How could I have missed the signs, I told myself driving home that evening. The next day, I checked with the school office to find out if an eye doctor was covered by our insurance. The secretary laughed. At that school, we had no health insurance at all. Ladies teaching in private schools did that until they got married. Until then, they were still living at home, and supported by their parents until they married.
The trip to the eye doctor and glasses set me back an entire paycheck.
Gulp!
Most seniors find out the hard way how difficult life can be without good eye glasses. I got my new set a year ago, and chose these great big ones because I have tri-vision. I need glasses for television and driving, glasses for computer work, and glasses for close reading. My husband has three different glasses, and is constantly analyzing if he has the right glasses on!
My previous glasses were smaller and I was constantly taking them on and off to adjust to close reading or computer work. These change with light; so, my entire eye is protected when and if the sun hits them. They also feel light on my face since they are no longer made of glass, but with a special plastic. I even have insurance for replacing them should they shutter, break, begin to scratch irreparably. My glasses sit by my bed side at exactly the same place every night just in case I need to wear them on my night errands.
A set of glasses can set you back financially. Think of them as the first robotics that help you navigate day and night, rain or shine. Is it time to update yours?
21 comments:
When I had cataract surgery last year I had the old lenses replaced with corrective lenses. Now not only is everything no longer cloudy, but I only need glasses for driving, and then I could do without if needed. I used to do the tri's as well.
Hopefully the new lenses will last for a while.
Ah, yes; changing eyes and changing glasses. I have "blended" glasses - I can use them for long distance or close up with a simple and minor adjustment of my neck, so I'm looking through a different portion of the glasses. There's technology for you! Actually, I can drive without glasses, but I just put them on my face in the morning and keep going.
It does, however, beg the question of whether I should still keep getting glasses. Is there anything really worth seeing or reading? Is it just more of the same old, bad news, day after day, with just a slight colour adjustment? Old Bears wonder about these things.
Blessings and Bear hugs, Rosaria!
I'm just waiting to get new ones when my cataract surgeon says I'm ready. :-)
My glasses are also tri-vision, but they are not large. And they also change lens color when outside in the sun which is a great protection from glare. I never needed glasses until age creeped in, but since I wear them all the time, my vision is fuzzy without them... so yes, they stay close by my bedside at night also. And yes, they cost a small fortune these days, but are definitely worth it.
Nice looking specs! You look great! I, too, wear lenses with 3 graduated (is that what it's called?) sections.... but have just the lower prescription part in a huge pair of reading glasses... great for computer and close work. Bill has tri-focals... lines and all. That would drive me nuts!
I agree....got new one a couple of months ago.
It's been about 5 years since I got new glasses. I'm quite nearsighted and of course also have the far sighted thing happening, so I'm constantly taking my glasses off to read... they're right beside me as I type. Maybe the next pair will be bi-focals.
i need to go..i have never needed glasses but i can tell that i will need them soon enough...just a little fuzz in one eye at times....so i wont be too far behind you.....
I was the only one in my nuclear family that did not wear glasses. But now I need reading glasses and the drug store magnifiers work fine for me for which I am very grateful.
Great Big Glasses are trending, didn't you know? You look great in them.
I bought a new pair of glasses last summer, because mine were quite old – they were French. The frame my husband and I picked has the name “Sophia Loren” as the brand – I thought that I could use some sophistication… plus this way I keep the European theme (lol.) I only wear them to drive and don’t need them to read or to use the computer, so I easily misplace them, but I like them, they are not heavy at all.
I just got new glasses a few weeks ago..and I hate them..I don't care how nice they may look..I hate wearing glasses. I never wore them until my 50's. I just need them for reading but I read a lot and I'm always losing them or breaking them! I hope I'll get used to them someday..it's been almost 10yrs so you'd think I would have it down by now! Yours look really nice on you!
Yes! I have "no-liners" obtained at a big box store. They work just fine but my eye doctor frowns when I tell them where I got them. They use lesser materials, he informed me so they're not as quality as they should be..."consider getting them upgraded," he said. OK.
Well. Now I realize I'm not alone. I need at least five different strengths of glasses for different uses. And anything beyond bifocals causes too much head twitching...:)
I have about 5 pair that I use--4 for reading(I leave them wherever I take the off) and 1 for driving. Of course I can get the reading glassed at Family Dollar for $6 but the driving glasses which are held together with tape? Too pricey for me to replace. *shrug*
I have this theory that the reason my eyes get fuzzy sometimes is because they have to work so hard behind my small glasses. Progressive lenses, I think they're called, and my eyes are called upon to find the little spots where they can focus at various distances. I've wondered if bigger glasses wouldn't help, but I bet there are all kinds of other improvements out there, too. Time to head back to the optometrist. I like yours, and you've said they're not heavy.
I love that line about "if" the sun comes out!
Actually, mine have needed to be replaced for two years. I qualify for cataract surgery (seems impossible to me, of course) but want the ones that correct astygmatism as long as I have to do the surgery. Those are not fully covered by our insurance, costing an additional $2000 per eye, a ghastly fee. I keep putting it off, while my glasses become less and less workable for me. ugh.
p.s. I think you look cute in your great big glasses!
I go for an eye test every year and up date glasses every other year. It is a great expense but you can't mess about with your eyes, can you?
Maggie x
Nuts in May
I used to check my glasses every two years but now in France......Hmmmm. Happy Christmas Diane
Hi Rosaria .. I'm so lucky I've got good eyesight and only need glasses to work on the machine and read, but can get away without (just!) ..
Cheers Hilary
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