Are there things that you can't live without? I'm not talking about the pageant answer things, although those are important too. I'm talking about things -- material things or experiences that make up an important part of your lives. What among those things are most important to you? Why do you think you cannot live without them? In this post, I will share something that I cannot live without and the benefits I get from it. I hope that by sharing this story you can think about the things you can't live without too! Share your stories with me!
In an earlier episode of the Fandesals Podcast, the things that we can't live without were one of the topics. One of the things mentioned there was eyeglasses. That is one of those things that I cannot live without. I have been wearing glasses almost all my life, and I have a feeling it will always be a must-have for me. From early childhood to the present, prescription lenses have been a staple for me. I can't remember a part of my life that I did not have them.
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| Photo by Maksim Goncharenok |
Prescription lenses have many benefits. Without these benefits, I would not even have the patience to keep wearing them all these years. Here are a few examples of those benefits:
Benefits of Wearing Prescription Lenses
Improved Vision
It's a given that improved vision is a benefit of wearing glasses. This is the reason we have them and why we need to wear them as much as possible.
Enhanced Comfort
Having glasses that fit well not only with how you wear them but also with the right prescription. It helps you reduce eye strain. This can help lessen headaches that result from straining your vision without them.
Safety
Wearing glasses to help your vision is important. If your vision is important for doing your daily activities, this is crucial.
Fashion and Style
I used to hate glasses because they made me look nerdy and lacked style. Today there are many stylish frames available to choose from. They help to make them not only functional but fashionable.
UV Protection
Some lenses come with UV and blue light protection these days. These help to protect your eyes from the sun and the light from our electronic devices.
Eye Health
Wearing the right prescription means that you help your eye health. It can help to prevent your vision from getting worse.
Confidence
Wearing the right glasses can help you see things better and give you more confidence. It also helps you be more self-assured and gives you a better quality of life.
My Glasses Story
I was in elementary school when I started wearing glasses. It was embarrassing, to be honest. I had to wear thick ones that reminded people of the bottoms of Coca-Cola bottles. The doctor told me that I had astigmatism. Aside from that, I was also near-sighted. I still remember hearing my grandmother and mother blaming me for the poor vision. They believed it came from my habit of reading too much even when it was already too dark to do so.
As I got older, I went through the stage where I would have glasses, but I would only wear them when they were necessary. I felt that wearing them made me look nerdy and unattractive so I tried to find ways to work around the situation. I asked my doctor if I could wear contacts, but my doctor said it was not possible. He thought my astigmatism meant I could not wear contacts.
There was a time when I had a habit of only wearing my glasses when things were too blurry for me. If I needed to see things clearly, that was the only time I would put them on. Most of the time though I tried to get used to the blur. I had gotten so used to it for a time because I was too stubborn to wear glasses. I had started to learn to recognize people who were far away from the way they walked so that I wouldn’t need my glasses. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t – which means that if I know you and didn’t say hi, it might not be what you think. It's possible I was not wearing my glasses and did not recognize you from a distance!
I put off updating my glasses during the pandemic because of the excuse that I was still too scared to go out. But recently I decided to have my eyes checked again because my glasses did not fit me anymore. Either it got worse with age or it was because I have not been using my prescribed glasses as often as I should. I’m guessing it was a little of both.
These days, I have not been able to live without my glasses. I need them to read and use my phone. As a friend of mine said, it is a sure sign that I am getting older. It does feel that way sometimes. If I don’t have them on, I tend to type the wrong letters on the phone and take blurry photos. The most embarrassing thing about not having glasses around to read is using my phone as a magnifier. I sometimes take photos of text and zoom in to read something too small if I am not wearing glasses!
After several experiences of doing that in public, my glasses are often with me now. I have one for regular things and another for reading. The doctor suggested getting bifocals, but I’ve heard that they can sometimes make you dizzy. I decided to have two kinds instead. It’s a bit of a hassle to keep switching glasses depending on what I need them for. Then again, it’s better than getting dizzy with the bifocals.
I still have stubborn days when I don’t wear my glasses. This usually happens during the weekends when I am at home and hanging out with the family. I still need them to read, but sometimes I opt to use the zoom feature of the phone camera to do that if it’s not a long read. It’s annoying when I have those marks on my nose from the glasses so I give myself a rest from them during the weekends.
Who Should You Go To For Glasses: Optometrist or Ophthalmologists?
First, let's discuss the difference between the two.
Optometrists have the training to give comprehensive eye exams. They also determine your vision prescription and prescribe glasses or contact lenses. They help to correct issues such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. They can also discuss with you the best frame selection and lens options.
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors with a focus on eye diseases. They diagnose and treat eye issues and perform surgeries. They can also prescribe glasses. People consult them for eye conditions and treatment of eye disease or if they need surgery.
Most of my family and friends trust ophthalmologists more for prescription glasses. This is more of a traditional way of thinking than about which one is better at it. I have been getting my glasses from optometrists for years and for the most part, they have been OK. Some prescriptions felt off, but once I found the right place and person to do it, I stuck with it. It's a matter of what works for you the best than anything else. It doesn't matter what other people think or say. It's up to you to decide where to get the glasses that would suit you the best.
Would I Get Laser Eye Surgery?
There is a part of me that wonders if I should get laser eye surgery to correct my vision. The thing is, I am too scared to undergo the process. I don’t want to wear glasses anymore but I also don’t like the idea of being awake with my eyes open as a laser zaps into them. I keep having Final Destination thoughts (you need to have seen the scene I am talking about to get it). It makes me panic thinking about it!
I have seen websites that discuss another option, ortho-K lenses. These are glasses that you wear overnight to correct your vision. It's a bit expensive and it is not a permanent solution. You wear it overnight for clear vision the following day. That means that you need to wear it daily to get the regular results you want. It's expensive and too much work, but it still seems better than invasive surgery to me.
I would love to see the day when I can completely go without my glasses. But for now, it is something that I cannot live without.
For more on the Fandesals episode that I mentioned earlier, I have embedded the video here. If you can understand Tagalog, this is a show that I recommend to you. Let me know what you think and share what you cannot live without in the comments below!
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