The day I discovered I needed glasses, I was in my 6th grade math class. The teacher had us take out pencils and paper, and then placed a printed math test up on the overhead. I could not read it. I raised my hand and told Mr. C that I couldn't read the test and he let me move up to the front. Even at the very front, as close as I could get, I could not read the test on the overhead.
At this point, I just cried. I tried to hide it, buried my head in my arms. So many thoughts went through my mind, just adding to the tears. I had studied for this test; I was going to get an A. But now I couldn't read it, so I was going to get an F. Everyone else seemed to be able to read the test just fine. What was wrong with me? Well, then it dawned on me that I needed glasses.
Good news: I asked my teacher at the end of class if I could come back after school and take the test. I explained to him about my problem and he understood. So I went back after school and took the test, laid out on a white sheet of paper (for contrast) on the desk right in front of me so I could read it.
As soon as I got home from school, I told my mom I needed to see an eye doctor; she took me in right away (idk, maybe a day or two later) and I got my first pair of glasses.
I was amazed on the drive home that day. Everything was so clear through my new glasses! I could read street signs! I could see the detail of the trees in the distance. The mountains were no longer just a big gray blur on the horizon.
The most incredible thing for me was later, I went with my family to see a movie at the theatre. Before I'd gotten my glasses, I had always complained about how blurry the picture was, but I thought it was just because our theatre had bad equipment. Now I discovered that I was the one who'd had the "bad equipment."
My first pair of glasses, and my second pair as well, were pink plastic rims. I was of the mistaken idea at the time that I would need large frames to preserve my peripheral vision. I looked like a nerd, I'm sure. Though I didn't care; I was just happy to be able to see like a normal person!
When I was maybe a Sophmore in high school, I finally decided to go for wire frames that were a good deal smaller than my old plastic ones. I'll never forget the comment I received from one very blunt friend, "Wow, you don't look like a nerd anymore!" Thanks, Laura... But, it was true, and I felt a little less "nerdy," too.
In college, I even tried contacts for a while. But, those turned out to be more of a nuissance than they were worth, so I switched back to my good old glasses.
I feel naked without my glasses. They are a part of me. I even look at pictures of myself where I have taken off my glasses for the picture, and I just look too different. So I only take them off for really special pictures now.
I was at the glasses store getting the nose piece fixed the other day, and I took a look at the glasses for kids...they sure looked a lot more stylish than the ones I had as a kid...
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