Wednesday, February 16, 2011

If only seeing weren't so important...

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been suffering from severe eye pain. I wear contacts everyday so that I can, you know, see. I wear glasses basically in the morning before I get out of bed, and at night before I fall asleep. I've been wearing contacts since I was 17, and I think it's fair to say they changed how I exist in this world. It's also fair to say, that my recent bout of eye issues is probably caused by some bacteria in the contacts that is causing me to double over in pain while clutching at my eyes.

I've been headed down the road of blurriness since I was 11. Suddenly words were fuzzy on the black board at school. When I got glasses, I was amazed to see that trees had leaves and that walls met, not in blurry circles, but at right angels! Those builders, making square rooms, Crazy! Who would've thought.

But I still only wore glasses when I HAD to. So, movies with subtitles, school, and that's about it. Otherwise, I struggled through my day being totally vision impaired but ok with it, because well, glasses are annoying! But more importantly, I never felt like me when I wore glasses. It was like suddenly I was Clark Kent and the glasses were not only my disguise but my kryptonite. They robbed me of all my super powers to be me. Eventually I started to have to wear my glasses all the time because I learned to drive and the DMV frowns upon driving when you can't see a meter in front of you face - silly!

At first I had hesitations on getting contacts because well, I didn't like sticking my finger in my eye. But it's amazing how quickly I got over that once I started wearing contacts and not only could I see (bonus) but I felt confident and superhuman. I could look down WITH JUST MY EYES and see!! It was amazing.

And so my confidence grew, I was superman! I was brave. Things I did without glasses before were far less scary. Skiing lost it's completely terrifying aspect as I could suddenly see the contours of the trails as I skied them. Meeting someone somewhere was easier because I knew I'd be able to see them coming before they began hugging me! Imagine. A whole new world.

I've been taking a break this week from my contacts in hopes that my eyes will stop being so sensitive and I'll be able to go back to wearing a (new) pair of contacts soon. Yoga is a struggle as my glasses slide down my nose every time I foreward bend and I hate leaving the house because I feel like such a different person when I have to wear these things on my face. I've nearly fallen down stairs because my depth perception is so off when I wear them.

Is there anything that you've had to have on your person that has inhibited you from being you?


  1. nothing. but I can say that I also have had to wearing my contacts completely because they turn my eyes super red and they swell a little. I don't know why it's happening. I was wearing contacts for years and only til like a couple of months, I started getting that effect. It sucks because I hateeeeee wearing my glasses. Half the time I'm out without them and I can't see anything :/ oh well.

  2. I wear contacts ALL the time and often fall asleep in them (bad, I know). I find that glasses (while cute if you get the right frames) can be really restrictive for the reasons that you've described (if I run on the treadmill and sweat they will slide down my nose). Also, if I go outside in the cold/rain and enter a warm place they will steam up! Grr. That's the main reason I don't wear my glasses very often...

    Also (and this is probably stupid and very unrelated) without eyeliner I don't feel like myself. LOL

  3. Oh I understand so much of this - the revelations about how the world really looks when you finally got glasses and the reservations about putting your finger in your eye. Hope the pain's temporary and gone forever soon!

  4. I'm the same way - without glasses or contacts, I'm pretty blind. I love wearing contacts, but my eyes don't..especially on cold or windy days. My eyes always seem so bloodshot and dry when I keep them in too long.

    I really like my glasses though, so I don't mind wearing them. But they start to hurt after about 6 hours from pinching my nose and give me a headache. You should post a picture of you in your glasses so we can see you (and tell you how normal you look in them lol). Im considering laser eye surgery one day so I can be done with contacts and glasses...

  5. I lost my glasses over xmas - I've had a problem with my eyes since I was 4 and worn glasses ever since. I was supposed to wear them all the time, but when I got braces I didn't want to feel like a supernerd so did without them. I wore one contact, yes one, for awhile but doing outdoorsy stuff I always got dust in my eyes.

    Imagine my surprise when I visited the optometrist over xmas and they said "well, for the type of eye problem you have, glasses won't make any difference". So I'm glasses-less (my eyes do feel tired) after 20-odd years because they can't correct my vision. I think my prescription was +4.5 in one eye and +0.5 in the other.

    I feel not me without mascara on. I have blonde eyelashes and I just think I look not very nice without mascara on. If I don't wear it people always ask if I'm tired!

  6. The hideous weight that has plagued me since adolescence. It wasn't there before and now it's here for life!

    But I must say, in that lovely photo with the rose, you do look quite stunning with your glasses.

    I hope your eyes start feeling better soon!

  7. you know, i forget that you wear glasses. i, fortunately, do not have any accessories like that. though i am weird and superstitious and there is this necklace that i feel naked if i don't wear it. (you know the cat charm on a silver chain). it's silly but true.

  8. I'm lucky to have decent eyesight even though I wear contacts every day. At first I had reading glasses and I always felt so uncomfortable and not like myself in them! Hope your eyes stop being sensitive!

  9. Oh, and I loved The Help! I read it last April, you can check out my whole booklist here

  10. I am sorry to hear about the pain! That is no bueno at all =(

    I can't wear contacts anymore. I was able to wear them for about 4 years, but then my eye allergies got really bad.

    I learned to invest in good glasses (that don't fall off when I work out) and now I can't really imagine myself without glasses. I need to see clearly. It super pisses me off when I can't.

  11. Lily - Eek, well, I hope that your eyes stop being sensitive and you can start wearing them again.

    Oneika - foggy glasses are the worst. I might as well not be wearing anything...

    tattytiara - I know right! I mean who woulda thunk it that trees have leaves?

    Crystal - In the previous post there is a picture of me with glasses on - I think the frames are cute, and I am sure I look totally normal with them on, but I don't FEEL like me.

    Kiwi in France - Wow, that is interesting about the glasses thing. did your eyes feel tired when you wore glasses?

    Lenni - Aw, thank you! I wonder what made your metabolism switch?

    Rhea - I totally feel naked without my O necklace (you know the one!).

    Cole - I'd imagine reading glasses would be particularly difficult because you don't wear them all the time!

    Teacher Girl - seeing clearly is amazing...How do you go about diving and stuff? I haven't invested in good glasses for a long time because, well, I hardly wear them! Until now. Ugh!

  12. Hi!

    I'm still around, just super busy with school and work and don't have any time to either blog or do anything blog worthy! I still check on you every day though!

    I had a terrible time with my contacts when I was in high school. Finally it got so bad that I had to go to the turned out that I was allergic to the contact solution I was using! Try changing brands... it might make all the difference. I use 'sensitive-eye' solution now, and zero problems. Feel better!

  13. I've worn glasses since I was 9 years old, and at first I felt constricted by them, by I was also in awe of how clear the world looked. I tried contacts when I was 19, but I never could get used to how they felt in my eyes.

  14. Quite like you I've worn contacts since 17 and it really made me feel better about myself. Before it was glasses and my face obstructed since the age of 18 months! I feel weird when they're not in. Also earrings. I like to wear little gold hoops or other discreet styels all the time. Sleep with them often cause I'm too lazy to change them.

  15. Aura - great suggestion, thanks!

    Margaret - it does take a while to get used to!

    Mil - I have worn the same earrings since I was 13. I hardly ever take them out! DEFINITELY not when I am sleeping.

  16. So funny! My son got glasses this year and he LOVES them! I kept waiting for him to have some issues with them but it sounds like he is the opposite of you! : ) He feels better with them on : ) I hope you can wear your contacts again soon!