To See with Eyes Unclouded

One of my most heartbreaking days in Grade 4 was the day I was told I need glasses. My teacher suspected something was up as I kept moving my desk closer and closer to the blackboard. Finally, she sent me down to the school nurse to have my eyes checked. I broke down in tears when I admitted that I couldn't read the eye chart at all.

A few weeks later, I was back in class, sporting a pair of prescription lenses. By that time, I had gotten used to the idea that I would forever have this blemish on my face.

Time passed, and my glasses just became...there. No different than anyone else, if only for the fact that I had to reach to my nightstand and put them on every morning.

I had the same pair of glasses for, according to my best estimate, 17 years. I know I got them in junior high for certain. For the past few years, my family had been on my case pretty seriously to get a new pair. But my constant response was, "Why? I can see just fine." The truth was, I couldn't. I knew that it had also been 17 years since my last eye exam, and I was probably due for something a little stronger.

Of course, chatting about this with my friends, they'd occasionally ask questions like, "So, have you ever considered contacts?" To which I say, no, I haven't. Contacts were an option that was never really presented to me, so it's one I've never really considered. Besides, I still have the image of a person cupping their hand over their eye in a panic and screaming, "NO ONE MOVE! I lost a contact!" and everyone crawling around on the floor looking for them. Contacts just seem to be too much bother. Besides, in this day and age of corrective laser surgery, contacts just seem like a halfway solution.

In answer to your next question, I would have the corrective laser surgery in a heartbeat. Too bad it's not covered by a lot health plans yet, so it'll be many heartbeats until I've got the money saved up.

So that meant a new pair of glasses. I started the process back in the fall, by heading to the doctor and getting a new perscription. I finally went to the shop the other day to get my new pair.

It's weird. As I said, I had that same pair for at least 17 years. With them, I saw the shimmering northern lights, the sun rise on Mt. Fuji, and the complete, original runs of 3 Star Trek series. They were constant companions. But now, I have a new companion.

And the world has never looked better.