For as long as I remember, I have had to wear glasses. I believe I was about 3 years old when I got my first pair. Some of my earliest memories are of trips to the hospital to see the eye specialist. I will need to clarify this with my mother, but in those early days I think I used to make that trip every 6 months. I have many memories of coming home wearing rather unattractive patches over my left eyes in an attempt to make my lazy right eye work harder. I also remember times where I had to have drops in my eyes. I remember having to follow the woodpecker on the stick and look at the pictures on the flip chart on the wall. Many times I wanted to have a change and read the letters instead, after all I could read at an early age and was more than capable of doing this. Now at 31, it would make a nice change to have pictures again!
After the hospital visit came the dreaded visit to the opticians to pick out new glasses. Children who need glasses today don't realise how lucky they are to have the wonderful choice of NHS frames. Unfortunately, my parents couldn't afford to pay for my glasses and the NHS choice consisted of thick plastic frames in beige, blue & pink. These were the frames that caused some very miserable days at school. I know other kids with glasses got teased too, but it still didn't make it easier. Deep down I know that nicer frames, probably wouldn't have stopped being called speccy 4 eyes, although it might have stopped me from spending years taking my glasses off on the way to school so that I'd get a break. Maybe if I'd just worn them I'd have better eye sight now.
These days I only have to go to the options every two years as my eyes haven't improved since I was about 10. Regrettably I haven't been for 4 years, due to lack of funds for glasses. It may be vanity, but I can't bring myself to get cheap frames as it's a painful reminder of my childhood, and unfortunately I worry about what other people think too much. For the last couple of years I've been desperate to change my glasses as I feel they are out of date and other people will see that too. So tomorrow, I'm really excited about visiting the opticians, getting my eyes tested, and then picking out some new fancy glasses, that will probably cost an arm and a leg, but will improve my image, in the same way a new hairstyle does.
Now I'm older and wiser, I'm no longer ashamed of how I looked as a child, even if my glasses do make my husband giggle. So here it is, the first time I've shared it so publicly.........
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