All the time I was at primary school it really didn't bother me that I had to wear glasses and I had no idea what an "astigmatism" was, I just knew that I had one, and only really wore my glasses for reading, writing and watching television as a small child, but as I went on to middle school aged nine, followed four years later by my entrance into the local comprehensive, I became acutely aware of the stigma attached to girls who wore glasses and rarely put them on at all for many, many years.
I dreamed of being old enough to buy and wear contact lenses and as I have always envied my younger brothers beautiful big brown eyes, I was always set upon the idea of having coloured contact lenses, I just needed a job to support the cost of contacts and I would be happy.
I finally ventured from school into the world of employment, I just never seemed to get round to sorting such matters out and then time flew by and I continued to wear glasses just for computer or close work and then before I knew it, black framed "geeky" looking glasses became all the rage a few years back and suddenly glasses were in fashion and nobody had a problem wearing them. In fact it completely upped your "cool factor" and I even had a few friends who bought glasses with clear lenses more suited to their perfect vision.
I now find myself in my late forties and in the most annoying situation of putting my glasses on when I get up in the morning and rarely taking them off! I felt particularly awful when my 11 year old son told me a few months back that a younger child at school had chanted at him "your mum wears glasses" but I was actually quite relieved, it could have been much worse and I wondered how he would have felt if the stupid little child had said your mum is fat or ugly!
I wonder how many of our "style icons" actually have appalling eyesight but because they wear contacts, we would never know!
I love to think that Anna Wintour wouldn't know her Gucci from her Prada without a pair of contact lenses!
So how do you feel about contact lenses v glasses?
If you have bad eyesight, do you wear a combination of both, or always stick with one or the other? Do you feel that glasses are still fashionable and enjoy adding a "geeky" edge to your outfits?Is it cost that affects your decision whether to wear contact lenses or not?
I wear both, contacts if I go somewhere special and I dont fancy wearing my glasses but then Ihave to put glasses on my contacts to read any small print in a restaurant lol. Otherwise glasses and I can look over the top or under to read stuff, I have a few pairs so can swap them around with outfits. I think most pairs now are very fashionable and chic xx
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I hate my glasses but I can't tolerate lenses more than a couple of days a week so have to wear the specs. Would definitely have surgery if money was no object.
ReplyDeleteI think glasses can look great, and there is a fab range to choose from nowadays!I have been putting off getting my eyes tested, but really need to go about it now:)
ReplyDelete~Anne
I'm WAY too squeamish about my eyes to wear contacts. I choose to think of my glasses as part of my signature style. ;-p
ReplyDeleteI wore glasses since I was about 10. Started wearing lenses in my late 20s. I preferred lenses of course, but they take some getting used to. I loved two of the "side effects" - you never cry while chopping onions if you wear contacts and your eyes get much less sensitive to dust specks, it doesn't hurt as much.
ReplyDeleteAbout five years ago I had laser surgery. The happiest day of my life.
Now my son started wearing glasses last month. He has dark square frames and he looks like a professor (he's 12 so he doesn't look cool yet).
Contact lenses have transformed my life. I wear them every day. Before I had reading glasses, driving glasses plus prescription sunglasses in both. I spent my life trying to find the relevant pair. Now I am back to normal with sunglasses and thank heaven for print enlargement on the iPhone.
ReplyDeleteThankfully I don't need either just yet, but I have always fancied trying out the colored contacts (ever since I read that's what Naomi Campbell uses, and in fact her eyes are not that gorgeous smokey grey we all think they are ;-)
ReplyDeleteI've NEEDED glasses since the 3rd grade (as in, I had no choice - I couldn't see at all without them). I wore them all through school and hated them. After I got my first job I bought contacts and haven't looked back. I would probably occasionally wear glasses - but my insurance will get one or the other so I always get contacts. I have a really old pair of glasses for when I get up and before I go to bed but otherwise, I'm in contacts all the time. Once you get past the learning curve it's really easy and relatively hassle free. I understand that they even have contacts you can wear (and sleep in!) for up to month at a time now. I may go for those next time.
ReplyDeleteI only needed glasses at 15 and luckily for me I really enjoy wearing them - they are a part of my outfit and people like them on me. It's only in the hot weather that they bother me but really how often do we get that? I've used contacts as well but find they more time consuming than I'm prepared to give. If I could have correction surgery I would choose the lens insertion not lasik.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. Most of the people I know who wear glasses, I don't even notice it most of the time. Children can be cruel though and I can definitely understand why some people might hate wearing them, funnily enough when I was younger I really wanted to wear glasses.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of statement reading glasses myself. I say it's good to have a bit of both depending on the wardrobe:) x LZ
ReplyDeleteI remember when I had my first eye test I was told I had 20/20 vision and that it was quite rare, but you needed it to be a pilot! I always fancied myself as a pilot after that LOL! I think glasses look cool, kids are rotten though aren't they, somethings never change!
ReplyDeleteI have both glasses, and contacts. My eye sight is not too bad really, I am only mildly short sighted. I would describe my eyesight as the difference between normal television, and high definition. The only thing I struggle with is writing in the distance really. I get really self conscious wearing my glasses - I don't tend to wear them out, but occasionally I do. I prefer contacts personally, however I think I might try, and work my 'sight' to my advantage as I have seen a gorgeous pair of Tom Ford glasses... x
ReplyDeleteI can wear contacts for all of three hours so I save them up for nights out.
ReplyDeleteMust buy new specs but ugh, my quote came in at £645!
Interesting topic - I don't wear my glasses as much as I should, and I try to wear contacts either in the day OR for the evening and not both. I think the key to wearing glasses is to find the perfect pair for your shape. I have an Oliver People's pair I LOVE! I think intelligence is sexy, and specs give you that edge :-)
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