Eyeglasses (Glasses) ~ The Greatest Invention Ever

A Blurry World Without Glasses

Without my glasses, the world has no shape, no face, no definition.  I would be lost in a world of blending color which to an abstract art enthusiast might sound interesting, but to someone who is legally blind, the blended mass is not beautiful.

I have no idea when I first started wearing glasses.  It seems like I have worn them my whole life.  However, I do remember I was 13 years old when I was first fitted for contact lenses.

Since I went to school with mostly neighborhood kids who I had known all of my life, I was not often ridiculed for wearing glasses.  However, I do know it only takes one 4-eyed joke to make you feel inferior.

It is not fun to be visually impaired.  Even though there are problems associated with my contacts or my glasses, I maintain, corrective lenses are the greatest invention in the world, in spite of any disparaging words from ignorant people.

 

Would I Recognize Danger Without My Glasses

Growing up, I always hated swimming parties because I could not see.  At skating parties I was fearful of falling and breaking my glasses.  I was always protected by members of my family when we went on vacations, so I was free to water ski, snorkel or even swim in the ocean.  Someone was always watching out for me.  I would have never seen a fin approaching much less be able to tell if it was a dolphin or shark coming by to greet or eat me.

I am an avid reader.  I always have a book that I am either starting or finishing.  Sometimes I will be so engrossed in a book, that I totally forget to eat or sleep and I never finish one book that I do not have another one waiting for me to begin.

One of my greatest fears was the subject of an old Twilight Zone show, “Time Enough At Last”.  While most people watching this show would just find it entertaining and containing an ironic twist, I was horrified by the idea of being the last person on earth, surrounded by books, all the time in the world to read, just to have my glasses break.  I think I would be screaming a lot worse than “that’s not fair.”

 

Twilight Zone ~ Time Enough at Last Video

You Might As Well Laugh

I am frequently a source of humor for my family. Not intentionally, mind you, but sometimes things just happen.

Growing up, all of our bedrooms were upstairs and there was only one bathroom shared by all 8 of us.  It was not unusual for me to bump into things if for some reason I had to get up in the night.  I walked into door frames, I tripped over shoes, books, sleeping dogs, you name it. If it was in the floor, I would not see it.  I hate to recount the many times I literally stepped in a dog’s “gift” and woke at least one family member who raced to my side just to be grossed out.

None of the nighttime adventures can equal the time when we were at the fair.  I was in absolute awe of all of the twinkling lights, music and rides.  Unfortunately, I was so excited when I reached out and grabbed my father’s hand and said “look Dad”!  I was immediately surrounded by laughter and I didn’t realize until the young man spoke to me that I was not holding my father’s hand.  I was momentarily terrified. Fortunately, my father can see and he was just behind me.  He picked me up and carried me to the next ride.  My brother told me later that the reason it was so funny was because the young man I mistook for my dad was actually a teenager with his date.  Well, shucks, my Dad still looks young for his age!

What Would Be Lost

I enjoy several different crafts, but my favorites are sewing and cross stitch.  Without my glasses, it would be impossible for me to thread a needle, read a pattern, or cut along the printed line.  It would all just look like a big blob to me.

Frankly, I couldn’t even see a thin needle much less the eye of the needle.

Conclusion

For me the greatest invention would have to be my glasses.  So many of the things I enjoy most would be beyond my ability to pursue if I did not have corrective lenses.

Without my glasses, I wouldn’t even be able to read the screen of this computer.

 

 

 

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL PHOTOS ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF SYLVESTERMOUSE

This article was originally published by me in 2009 on a different site that no longer exists.

© 2010 Cynthia Sylvestermouse