"O" is for Optical Assistance
I have worn "optical assistance," otherwise known as glasses, eyeglasses or spectacles, since I was in my mid-2o's, almost 50 years. My mother told me I wore out my eyes by reading so much, but that diagnosis was not confirmed by the optician. My first glasses were "single vision" lenses, meant only to sharpen and enlarge figures and print, and I did not have to wear them except when doing close work. My eyes were otherwise fine; I could spot a hair on a fly at 100 paces!
As I grew older, that changed, and by the time I was in my late 30's I required bi-focals; optical assistance for both close work and distance clarity. Flies at 100 paces were now completely safe; not only could I not see the hairs on them, I couldn't even see the post they were sitting on. Sigh!
Getting used to wearing bi-focals took some time. For a few days, my eye-brain connection thought that I was walking on a surface that had a lot of holes in it. I did a lot of high-stepping and swerving; I'm sure I must have been comical to observe, and probably was thought to be under the influence of an intoxicant. Those feelings passed, and I happily wore my bifocals for several years. Then...
... "Tri-focals? What do you mean, I need tri-focals? Just because I can't read your silly chart, nor see the speedometer clearly, I need tri-focals?"
And, so it was, in my 50's (entirely too young) that my eyeglasses were ground with corrections for close, mid-range and distance vision.
Over the intervening years, the corrections have become stronger and stronger. I now have not only pretty strong tri-focal lenses, but also a pair of glasses especially ground for viewing the computer screen, and some cute (hah!) little reading glasses. The prescription for all of these changes (gets stronger) about every two years, and I am temporarily financially distressed when I have to get new glasses, because I generally have to replace all three.
Did I already say that I am very, very thankful to be able to see to drive, and read, and blog? No? Well... I am!
ABC Wednesday was created by Mrs. Nesbitt. Please visit the ABC Wednesday site to view others' interpretations of this week's letter, "O."
