When I was young and foolish, I passed by a Reading Glasses To Go store. Snickering, I wondered how on earth such a store could survive. Now I know better, and I’m wondering if I should cash in on the franchise.
We all think that we’re never going to need them, and when I started to struggle to read, I thought that something was horribly wrong with my eyes. We’re a bit paranoid about these things in my family, since my father has macular degeneration and lost his sight while only in his 60s, so I can be forgiven for a few moments of panic. Soon I learned that no, I wasn’t going blind, I was just. getting. old.
I visited my eye doctor, who fitted me for bifocals and also explained how I could continue to wear contact lenses, plopping a pair of reading glasses on when needed. I should note that the very same week that I was fitted for bifocals, I also found a gray hair — in my eyebrow. Why does that happen?
Anyway, if I had to wear readers, I would wear them boldly. I found a pair loaded with vivid colors: red, purple, green, yellow. Instead of downplaying them, I advertised. Those were great glasses, just the right size and strength, and I kept them with me for a couple of years. Again, I couldn’t understand the need for an entire store devoted to reading glasses.
With age, though, comes wisdom, and often the hard way. This past weekend I lost yet another pair. I had them in my purse, but somewhere between home and the restaurant that we walked to on Saturday night, they disappeared. Fortunately, I know the menu well, so a brief squint at the wine list assured me that I was ordering a wine that the store still carried.
I didn’t worry, because I have spare readers that I bought the last time I thought I had lost said pair. Unfortunately, I don’t know where they are, either. I have looked everywhere I can think of, and no luck.
My eye doctor, wise man that he is, has tried to adjust my contacts so that I don’t need readers at all. I tried bifocal contacts a couple of years ago, but my eyes weren’t happy with them at all. So now he does weird things with the correction and tells me I can live without my glasses.
Problem is, it never quite works. Oh, I’m doing fine on the computer this morning. Lots of natural light is flooding in, and I see the text just fine. But what about the fine print on the back of a can at the supermarket, when I’m looking to see what poisons the food manufacturer has decided to throw in?
All I know is, whenever I laugh at someone or something, the laugh always comes back to haunt me. Sometime today, I’ll head over to the drugstore to buy yet another pair of readers. Or maybe two or three. Or maybe a whole store.
They are like a dollar. Get a pair to match all your favorite outfits!
I’ve never had luck finding dollar glasses that are cute. Other women have done so, but for some reason when I go, the dollar ones are ugly as sin, or in the wrong strength. It’s weird.
hahaha!!!
That’s why I have one pair in the car, on the kitchen table, on my desk, in my purse, and on and on … and there are times I STILL CAN’T FIND A PAIR!
You may be on to something with buying “a whole store” …
Stay warm!
Yeah, I feel your pain!
Plenty warm here in Houston! We hit 81 a few days ago…cooler tomorrow, high of 68, but still a balmy January!
A dollar? Mine cost $20! Ok, then I found cheaper ones for about $5 at Michael’s. I have the same issues about losing them and misplacing them and needing them all over the house and in my purse. It’s actually kind of fun right now, but bifocals are right around the corner (I wear contact lenses too). Ugh.
I lose mine all the time. For 3 months. Found them after buying another pair, as life happens. I just get them online. I’ve never picked them off a rack. Not quite sure how that works either. Do you keep trying on a pair until you find a fit? A country girl I am but I’m, well, too bourgeois for that. Either Zenni Optical or 99dollareyeglasses.com it is for me.
I usually get mine at Walgreen’s. I used to get cute ones at Border’s, but they’re gone…ugh. I should check out the online sources! I don’t enjoy making a special trip to buy them over and over and over again. Thanks for the tip.
When I was younger, I actually wished that needed readers. I thought they made people look so “intellectual.” Well, now that I need them, they are a pain! I had Lasik surgery to correct my nearsightedness, but a couple of years later, I needed the readers. I lose mine so easily. I keep a pair at work, several pair at home, two pair in my purse. It’s ridiculous! Once I lost my favorite pair. Searched everywhere. My husband found them in the dryer. They were very clean and very dry. I buy three pair for something like $7.99 at Walmart.… Read more »
Well, I’ve always had trouble keeping my glasses clean, so there’s a new tip! 🙂
I have a lazy eye, and when the age thing hit me I had to wear glasses. I have several pairs and even my sunglasses come with magic lens. You’re right about making fun of something or someone, fate comes back to bite us if we do. I think of my glasses as fashion accessories to compliment my fashionsta look.
LOL I do know that feeling! For years I wore a distance vision contact in one eye and close up in the other. I tried bifocals and kept tripping over the line (they were invisible lines too!). This year I had to give up my contacts for trifocals! I’ll lift my foot in three different areas of my vision. Finally, I went with regular distance glasses only. I have SIX pair of reading glasses. One pair at my desk, one beside my bed, one in the car, one kept in the kitchen and one kept in the library…the last pair… Read more »
Bead stringers are a great idea! I can’t use the metal ones because I’m allergic to everything (the only jewelry I can wear is rings)…but glass beads would work! Thanks for the great idea!
I’ve had to wear distance glasses since the early ’90s, so they’re like another limb. I’ve never lost a pair. I have momentarily misplaced them, and back when those frameless ones were in vogue it was even harder to find them. Contacts and I just never got along. I even tried colored ones, thinking vanity would be a good incentive. Nope. This year I went with vintage cat-eyes, since they’ll be my first-ever bifocals. Can’t wait for the call to pick them up at the eye doc’s. I’ll look like Dame Edna! And I’ll have fun laughing at myself whenever… Read more »
Awesome! Love it! We might as well have a good time along the way!
I’m with ya. Just ranted about reading glasses myself!
So glad you shared your blog with me! Your post was SO funny!