Monday, April 8, 2013

I Can See Clearly Now

The other day I discovered that the trees had leaves.  And no, it wasn't because spring had sprung and everything was turning green again...rather, it was because I got my head examined (well, my eyes) and got a much-needed new pair of glasses.  Holy moly, had my vision changed - my right eye, which has always been the good one, has turned on me.  The doctor was mystified as to why the change was so drastic "at your age" (how lovely to hear that sentence...NOT), but nothing out of the ordinary appears wrong, so we'll just go with his "your right eye is doing what it should have when you were a teenager" - well alrighty, then.

I wanted something different from what I'd worn for the last three years.  While I like the hipster bold glasses look, most of the styles that I tried on made me look like I was trying too hard to lose a couple decades.  I ended up with these - they were enough of a change to make me happy, but hopefully my kids won't be embarrassed to be seen with me when I'm wearing them:
My new specs - I love the fun pop of lime green, I love the tortoise-shell frames, I love the case that came with them!  Now remind me of all this in three years when I'm sick to death of them...
You an just slightly see the lime green when I turn my head - too fun!
 
 A partial history of my glasses - wish I'd saved my ginormous Dorothy Hamill pair from when I was a teenager!  

The other fun thing I did is to get contacts.  I haven't worn them in over 25 years - coincidentally, when I became a mother (that whole "nap when the baby naps" meant that I didn't wear them just in case I might get that nap opportunity) - and then I just got out of the routine with contacts, and glasses were easier.  But, and this is such a vanity thing, I wanted to wear fun sunglasses.  Fashion ones, kooky ones - I don't know...I just wanted to have that option.  I forgot about all the other awesome things that come with wearing contacts:  for example, I can walk in the rain and not see spots!  Plus, trying on clothes is so easy - no taking off the glasses (because the second you don't, you end up pulling a shirt over your head and smashing them against your face), putting on the top, then putting on the glasses so you can see what you just tried on.  It's the little things, I'm telling ya - but after so long with glasses, it's a fun change.
New sunglasses - I got these for a steal of a deal (OK, I stole Jeff's $25 gift certificate that he won recently)(marriage is community property, right?) plus I had a $10 off coupon from the local running store.  My "sporty" pair - they are great to wear while running.  Still on the lookout for a "fashion" pair...

I got lucky with my contacts - because my eyes are so wonky (one is drastically near-sighted while the other is far-sighted), we went with mono-vision, which means that one eye sees clearly close up while the other sees clearly far away...to do that, my prescription is exactly the same for each eye, so I don't have to worry about mixing up the right lens from the left one.  I tried out a pair for a week and went back to the doctor for one slight adjustment, as I was having a hard time seeing up close while I knitted.  One little tweak and I was set!
What I look like most of the time now - no glasses!

I can't believe how comfortable the contacts are - the brand I'm wearing is Acuvue Oasys, which are a silicone-based lens that you replace after two weeks of wear.  (since it seems that so many bloggers are shilling for everything they're gushing over, I feel compelled to say that I'm not getting any compensation for mentioning the brand...I just wanted to put it out there in case you might be considering trying contacts)  I am amazed at how far the contact lens technology has come in the last 25 years - once in, I don't feel these in my eyes at all.  I'm definitely a contact convert!

The only bad thing that has come with getting contacts is that I can see clearly now...and what I can see is that I have major bags under my eyes.  Glasses hid those a bit better, plus when I took off my glasses, everything was pleasantly fuzzy and I didn't notice them!  Yikes.  I shall start researching some under-eye-bag remedies, but I suspect it's a little too late for that.  Oh well.  Now I understand why aging actresses wear huge sunglasses at night!

33 comments:

  1. Great new glasses. I haven't worn contacts in years either. I think I am basically too lazy now to take care of them. My kids laugh at pictures of me from the 80's with the huge glasses, and I thought I looked cool!

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    1. Honestly, these are so easy to deal with - much more so than 25 years ago. And I seriously don't feel them in my eyes at all!

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  2. Love the new glasses. I wear contacts too. Mono vision ....same ones as you. Love them. But yes when I am tired I wear my glasses to hide the dark circles. I also find that I wear them when I knit cause I see closer better ... I take them off.

    For. Running I prefer contacts,

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    1. Interesting that you wear mono vision as well - I'd never heard of it until my doctor recommended it.

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  3. I love your new glasses and although it's weird to see you without glasses, you look great without them too.

    My mom had eye surgery 2 years ago and doesn't wear glasses since then, she was 68 at the time and I had never seen her without glasses. I had to get used to it over a year. Think I won't have to get used to you without glasses that long :)

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    1. You and I will both be adjusting to my new look! How nice that your mom doesn't have to wear glasses anymore. I would do the surgery, but it's not recommended for my eyes (I have a permanently swollen optic nerve).

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  4. ok NO JOKE AT ALL? thats why Im not getting contacts again.
    I tried em on at the eye doc's and had an AH HA! moment about my bags!

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    1. Hate to tell you this, but the bags are visible through the glasses...a little more disguised, but they're there. :(

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  5. Your history of glasses actually looks pretty hip. I won't even show mine LOL! Big round frames in the 80s. I love the new ones as well. You look stylish.

    I *hate* wearing my glasses. I got contacts when I was in junior high - back when soft lenses first came out (not interested in hard lenses), and never looked back. Glasses are an emergency only for me. Last time I got new ones, they were trying to upsell me on the scratch coating and all that. I said "I wear them from the bathroom to the bedroom and that's it".

    Anyway, just in case you wanted to know *my* history of glasses/contacts :D

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    1. Somehow I managed to donate all of my 80s-style big framed glasses. Those were bad...and so heavy! I saw a picture of a hipster (knitting, of course) wearing an old-style pair, and all I could think was "aren't they hurting her nose?"

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  6. My last glasses, that I loved so much, were Kate Spade's! I recognized the glasses case, which is so cool! I really like your new pair.

    You are making me want to try contacts again... I have some in the drawer, maybe I'll give them another try. They are probably an old prescription, so maybe I won't be able to see my bags LOL!

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    1. LOL - do contacts, but not super strong so you don't notice the bags. Good idea!

      There were several Kate Spade frames that I loved.

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  7. I love your new glasses! They're so cute, and they look great on you!

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  8. So cute! I just got a similar pair of Coach frames with pink on the inside. LOVE!! I also have the same contacts for the same reason (cool sunglasses) and they changed my life. I had never been able to wear them before the Oasys came out. Have a great week my friend. You look fabulous!!!!!

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    1. Thanks - and I'm glad to hear I'm not the only sunglass-coveting person out there! :)

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  9. Very cute glasses. I finally replaced my 10 year old frames because they weren't big enough for the new bifocal prescription. Yuck!

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    1. Yeah, I had that experience three years ago when I was picking out new glasses - they told me the cute tiny frames were too small for my trifocals. :(

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  10. LOVE the new specs! Do you get distracted by the green? I'd be looking sideways all the time! LOL

    I need to get my eyes examined this month (insurance only pays for an exam every two years). I know mine have changed a LOT, too. At "our" age, things seem to...ahem...fall apart more easily?

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    1. Surprisingly, I don't notice the green...thought I might, especially at first. I have managed to do a double-take at the person in the mirror when I darted into the bathroom...the frames are definitely different for me!

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  11. I like the pop of color with the new glasses. I only wear my glasses first thing in the morning on weekends. I've never liked the feel of glasses on my face. I've been wearing contacts for over 25 years. Now, that I am past 40 and having trouble with the close-ups, reading glasses can be found around the house. :(

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    1. Apparently if I didn't do mono vision with the contact, I would have had to deal with reading glasses too.

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  12. Oooh, love your glasses! It's time for me to choose new ones. Perhaps I could text you photos of me while I try them on and you can help me choose cool glasses like yours?

    I've been wearing the monovision for about 6-7 years now, and I love them. I'm trying out a new prescription/type now (Air Optix) and my left eye (the close up) has changed fairly dramatically. I forgot about that adjustment period. :)

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    1. Cammy, I seriously considered taking pictures and texting them to my best friend for her opinion when I was trying on the glasses! If I didn't think I'd be disturbing her at work, I would have.

      For the record, I don't work, so you can disturb me - it would be fun!

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  13. I love your glasses Shelley!! You look studiously chic!

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  14. I have the same brand of contacts and I agree, they are super comfortable. Except I still wear my glasses all the time because I'm lazy. It's no fun putting contacts into tired puffy eyes early in the morning! I'll probably wear them more often during the summer (I love me some fun sunglasses too!). :)

    BTW, your glasses are super cute!!

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    1. I still reserve the option to wear my glasses when I'm bleary-eyed at 5:30 am and about to go for a run. ;)

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  15. Love the glasses! Love the pictures! I Use to wear Acuvew Oasys too. THey are great contacts. I had lasik so don't need them anymore but when I wore them they were good contacts!

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  16. I really like your new glasses! You look great in them... I feel the same way about glasses helping to hide the bags. I have luggage that I'd like to hide, too!I haven't found anything that work well to minimize them. If you find something good, let us know!

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  17. Ooooh, love them! I am about to start shopping for new specs, and like you I am underwhelmed by the hipster look. But I am ready to get rid of the blues, as distinctive as they are.

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