I didn’t start to wear glasses until I was about 20 years old and that was only for distance. As the years went by, my nearsightedness increased and I joined the ranks of contact lens wearers. But then my vision got to a point where contacts were no longer effective for reading and I had to either wear reading glasses with my contacts, which defeats the purpose, or wear bifocal contact lenses, which I found uncomfortable. Reluctantly, I succumbed to wearing glasses again, but was convinced I looked like an ugly bookworm. Determined not to feel diminished for the rest of my life, here’s what I did.
I enrolled in a vision plan offered at work and splurged on designer eye glasses. Not just any designer: Prada! I justified it to myself with the fact that the vision plan afforded me a discount, though not nearly enough, and that it had been so many years since the last time I purchased glasses, which I may never do again.
My boss said my glasses made me look smart. OK, I won’t argue – who doesn’t want their boss to think they look smart? I hope she thought I was smart before then, but let’s not over-think it. Then I went into a meeting and someone remarked, “Cool glasses!” But here’s the icing on the cake. I decided to have a professional photo taken for the Web. Selfies make me look like I’m in a fish bowl. The photographer asked me if I wanted the photo taken with my glasses on or off and I boldly said, “On.” This was a big step for someone who wore contacts for most of her adult life. The good news is that the photo came out so well that the photographer uploaded it to her online gallery. So what’s the moral of the story? If you want to feel confident in glasses, wear Prada? Hardly.
I think we look our best when we feel our best. People as well as cameras pick up how we feel about ourselves regardless of our attire or demeanor. Cosmetic changes are futile until we become comfortable with who lies within. I didn’t look better with contacts. I just thought I did – and that confidence is what people saw. Once you acknowledge, accept and applaud who you are, the image you project to the world will shine – glasses or not.
Gail's Blog 
I might be in the same boat myself soon. I wear progressive eye glasses, but I also still wear contacts. But given my need for bifocals (trifocals?), the contacts aren’t perfect. I have to give up some far away vision and some near vision to be able to wear them. But like you, if I end up permanently in glasses, I’ll try to embrace it. They have pretty fabulous frames nowadays. And you know what they say: eyeglasses are jewelry for the face. 🙂
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Go for the top of the line, Carrie, and it will feel like jewelry!
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I do have a pair of Coach frames that I think are pretty snazzy. 🙂
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Post a picture. You can take a poll – guaranteed to increase your stats 🙂
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Wow I wish someone told me this when I was eight when I got my first pair of glasses and then when I was 14 struggling to get use to hard lenses contacts back in the dark ages. Thank you – sometimes it’s hard feeling pretty with glasses.
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Thank you for your comment. Yes, I wish someone had told me this when I was young too. As they say, if only we knew then what we know now. Something to pass on to the next generation…though they won’t listen 🙂
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Great lesson Gail. I’ve never worn glasses but suspect that I should go for an eye test soon…
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Yes, go, and not just for a vision test. Eye health is important. If you do need glasses, don’t despair. As another blogger commented, eye glasses are jewelry for the face.
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I was one of those people who always wanted to wear glasses, so when I found out I needed them I was able to embrace my new look from day one and I have always considered myself fortunate to be able to wear glasses. As I got older I also found that being nearsighted had one huge advantage in that i could and can still see things with great detail without my glasses by holding it up close to my eyes, that friends my age with so called “perfect eyesight” can only see with reading glasses and still not as well as I can with my naked eye. I don’t use this method to read or see things up close very often but it’s nice to know I can if I have to. Mostly I rely on my glasses with progressives lenses and love them.
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I’m nearsighted as well and generally don’t even bother wearing glasses at home unless I’m watching TV. I find the computer screen easier on my eyes without glasses.
Thanks for pointing out the positive 🙂
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I can’t do that because I also have astigmatism and when looking at a newspaper, computer screen, etc. the letters go from black to gray and some are black and gray and I have trouble focusing on them without my glasses.
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