Growing up I had the nickname "coke bottles" because I had some of the thickest glasses anyone had seen. When you're a girl, a 12- to 15-year-old girl at that, any kind of derogatory nickname will make you feel like a clump of dirt stuck in between tire treads. My parents said that I had to wait until I was 16 to get contacts, and 16 couldn't come soon enough. I still don't share the yearbook pictures of me in Junior High or High School because, frankly, "coke bottles" still bothers me.
For a year in college I wore glasses full time, but now I almost exclusively wear contacts (at least until I can afford laser eye surgery). But I hadn't been to an eye doctor in a long time until the end of last year, so not only was my prescription wildly insufficient, but I was wearing contacts that were at least a couple of months old.
I knew it was going to be a lot of trial and error trying to get me fitted for contacts. I have a very odd prescription with an astigmatism to boot. And I have a nightmare schedule, making it even harder for me to get into the eye doctors office, which happens to be closed or the doctor is unavailable on days that work best for me. Logistical nightmare, much?
My first visit was in December for an exam and contacts consult, and because my prescription is "challenging" they ordered a trial pair. That pair took two weeks to come in and it didn't work out. Next pair, another two weeks, no dice. Once more (with feeling), another two weeks, and it's better, so let's order 12 mo. and give it a go. But shortly after the contacts came in I had a problem with focusing at a distance. No dice, I say, but the office said that it might be a defective lens, so let's order another trial pair with the same script. OK, I say. A week goes by (we're in July now, for those of you following the timeline) and still, no dice.
I called yesterday to set up an appointment ASAP to get re-evaluated, and they say that because 8 months have passed that I'm going to have to count this as my annual visit, and charge it to my insurance. But I have already planned my annual appointment to get glasses with their office, too. I think to myself, "This is ridiculous! It's not my fault that they are having a hard time getting my prescription right!"
But I can't help but feel bad for being "coke bottles."
11 comments:
Poor you! It's funny how those childhood insecurities can stick around even after we're old enough to know better.
Please,contacts are so last century! I know people who don't need glasses who wear glasses! Glasses are both cool and funky, I currently have about 5 pairs (3 of which I don't use because they are currently out of fashion) and have been tempted by at least another 2!
Glasses look funky as hell, so get those coke bottles back on and laugh at those unfortunate enough not to wear the face props! :D
I hate contacts, I have an astygmatism too but have no intention of jabbing myself in the eye everyday and lasers are for Death Robots - any fool knows that! :D
Matt has apparently never attempted to do any activity that requires sweating or turning yourself upside down in glasses. Then he would be extolling the virtues of going face-propless.
Still got love for you, Matt, but you didn't come visit while you were in North America, so poo on you.
lol! I've had so much abuse for not staying longer and visiting peoples :S Sadly time and monies didn't allow it, next year i am intending coming back for an NFL game/maria visit and a visit to the South though!
I did used to do a lot of Karate which was not good for my spectamacles but at the time it would have cost me about £35 (about 65 bucks) every month to have contacts, it would have been cheaper to replace my glasses every 6 months lol! Now I am a layabout slob, they last longer :D
Oh hey! I may have asked this before but you are all Texan and from Texan stock right? Do you or your family have an awesome chili recipe i can try? I feel I am missing out making it the way i do and you simply can't get good chili over here :(
You are missing out on good chili. The best chili recipes come from firemen, and I know I have one, two or twenty of them. I'll make sure to e-mail you one.
I've had contacts since I was 12. :-( I had the dreaded National Health Turtle shell glasses for a couple of months before the contacts arrived and that was hell.
My sister is a qualified opthamologist (or something equally difficult to pronounce and spell) and she finally says that it is a good idea to have the laser eye work done. So I will be saving up too, just as soon as my other debts go...
Aw, poor Jo. LOL I love the way you yelled at Matt. "Poo on you" :)
I'm pretty sure it won't be long before I need my eyes tested. Sometimes I go a bit blurry but most of the time I see too much.
Now on to the question I ask EVERYONE with glasses, and tell me if I have asked you before, but what does 20/40 mean? That's what they told me I was in high school.
I think this is to do with liek a baseline expression - so 20/20 would be 'normal'. 20/40 would be that you see from 20 feet away the kind of detail a 'normal' person would see from 40 feet away?
I think that's it anyway, I could be wrong, all I get on my eye test card is random decimal figures :p
I don't think so, as I usually see from 40 feet away what a normal person sees from 20. My friends are always asking me to peer into the distance to read signs and things.
I didn't know what the whole 20/20 thing meant, so I looked it up! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20/20_vision#Visual_acuity_expression
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