I Have Seen The Light

Since I was about 5 I’ve worn glasses. I can remember having my eyes tested in school and the indignity of pointing out the letter shapes rather than saying “A” “B” “C.”

It was discovered I had a lazy left eye and with hindsight I should have been mortified about wearing blue NHS specs with a patch over my lazy eye I really couldn’t have cared less.

I only needed the glasses for reading or close work and often they would remain in my bag until I got a headache.

When my Mum started wearing glasses permanently I asked “How do you know when you’re sight’s deteriorating?”

Pretty soon after I can recall watching the end of some TV programme or another and thinking “Those credits look a bit blurred.”

At the grand old age of 41 when I was pregnant wit Morgan I realised I needed to get things checked out. Expecting the optician to say that it was a side effect of being pregnant I was quite shocked to learn that it was “an occupational hazard” of being over 40 and “Things would go downhill from here.” I comforted myself with yet more reading glasses and soldiered on.

By the time of my next examination I could no longer avoid the obvious. I needed glasses all the time. I was suitably despatched with a pair of variofocals with a stern warning to watch out for steps and pavements.

On leaving the opticians I asked my husband was it particularly sunny on this crisp October morning. “Nope” I was told “It’s just that you can actually see now.”

So that was it. Glasses became as much of my everyday routine as brushing my teeth or getting dressed. If I sneaked downstairs without them on the odd occasion to make the coffee Morgan would soon remind me to “put your glasses on Mummy.” In reality he can not remember seeing me without them.

All was well until I got my reminder last October. I had the feeling things had deteriorated somewhat. I couldn’t read texts without my glasses and things became quite acute when I couldn’t read the private registration advert s in the paper without taking off my glasses and using the bad eye as a magnifying glass.

I realised I was on a slippery slope after starting this new job and having to do the same with invoices and reports.

I had my eyes tested last week and it was confirmed – my distance vision had improved but my reading had worsened.

I no longer needed variofocals but readers were essential. Fine except that I had no intention of not being able to read my phone or popping into Tesco and having no idea of what I was buying.

I opted for a pair of readers and a pair of variofocals. I picked up the readers yesterday and once again the sunshine has been switched on. I’ve read 2 books and completed the crossword. Good people out there. Don’t suffer. Vanity is a terrible affliction. Look after your eyes.