Deborah Corrao / L’Observateur / February 26, 2000

For almost as long as I can remember I’ve had to wear glasses for driving and things like that. I’ve been a little near-sighted most of my life, but it’s never beenbad enough that I have to wear glasses all the time.

I’ve just had another eye exam and, for the first time in my life, I have to wear bifocals. Nobody paved the way for this. Since the invention of the no-line bifocal,no one can tell, so my friends were not telling.

Added to that humiliation my children convinced me I had to trade in my huge lenses that my son said made me look like “Mrs. Doubtfire” for the new millenniumedition of the 60s granny glasses. I tried to tell them I had been there and donethat and liked my big frames because I could see everything. They argued that thebig frames made me look old. Enough said.My daughter went with me to pick out frames, and we settled on a little wire framed number with lenses about the size of quarters that came with these nifty clip-on sunglasses.

Then came the biggest decision – to stay with single vision lenses or try the new progressive bifocals.

With the assurance of the salesperson who was assisting me that I could come back if not happy and exchange them a few weeks from now, I decided to try out the new lenses.

I’ve had them for five days now, and if I wouldn’t be so pitiful it would be funny.

Unlike with regular bifocals you have to move your whole face to adjust to see far away or to read. To see at a distance you have to sort of look down and out. Mostof the time I can manage that. The trouble starts when I try to read. It seems younot only have to look up to read, you also have to move your face from side to side.

My trouble is that my new lenses are so small that when I look down to read, I run out of lens. I either see my cheekbones or the still blurred pages of what I’m tryingto read.

Now I’m sure there’s some kind of lesson in this. My metaphysical friend tells methat when you’re having trouble with your vision, you’re refusing to see something.

I’ve spent a few hours nightly trying to figure out what it is I’m refusing to see. Butevery morning I get up and have to reconnect with my new glasses.

Until I receive a revelation I’ll wear the reading glasses I got from Sam’s if I have to read anything important. And when I have to drive, at least I’ll look “cool.”Back to Top

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