New Glasses!

When we got back off our holiday my new glasses had arrived in the post. I had been into Barnsley a couple of weeks previously to get tested. It was a bit of a nightmare actually because I had to go by myself, of course, and I really struggle getting tested anyway. Then, because I'm so shortsighted (I'm around -10 in both eyes) the optician couldn't get a decent look at the back of my eyes, so he dilated my pupils in order to see them better. Fortunately Lee had driven me into town and although I'd said I would get a bus home, once I knew my pupils had to be dilated I asked him to wait for me and fortunately he was able to. 

I found the sensation really weird and felt disorientated and dizzy for the rest of the day. I had planned to do work at home but couldn't see the computer well enough to do that, so I couldn't. But my eyes looked healthy so that was good, and the main thing. 

I tried on a few frames. Because of Covid, you then had to put the ones you'd touched into a box so they could be sanitised before going back on the shelf. So I didn't want to try on loads. I needed a pair of ordinary glasses and a pair of sunglasses. I chose two frames and spoke to the sales assistant. I pay for the lenses thinning on my ordinary glasses, but I'm not bothered about my sunglasses. That did mean that the lenses would be about a centimetre thick in my sunglasses, but I decided that was fine. In all, my glasses cost just under £200. And that's including a little bit of help from the government! It really annoys me because I don't CHOOSE to have such bad eyesight, and if I didn't have glasses I wouldn't be able to live an independent life. We were able to use some of my self-employment grant to pay for my glasses, thankfully. 

Anyway, also because of Covid, you don't go and pick up your glasses but they post them to you. You can still go in if they need adjusting but of course it does cut down on the number of people in the shop. My ordinary glasses haven't needed adjusting so that's good. 

So my ordinary ones are Converse ones, not that I was bothered about the brand, I just liked the blue colour on the front of the frames. The sides are leopard print, which I also like. My sunglasses are a nice blue colour, but unfortunately one of the lenses had been chipped in transit. I rang Specsavers and they immediately ordered some more for me, which came direct to me and arrived about a fortnight later. They're okay - I don't love them but I won't be wearing them loads over the next few months, so I'll put up with them for a while and see when we can afford some more for me. 

It took me ages to get used to my new glasses and my eyes kept going in and out of focus, but they seem to be okay now. 

New glasses! I love the blue, and there's a bit of turquoise too

New sunglasses, they're sort of a grey and blue mottled effect

Look how thick the lenses are though. Ridiculous. They're seriously about a centimetre thick

The leopard print sides of my ordinary glasses

And a closer look at the blue - they're nice aren't they

Girls in Glasses!

Well, me in glasses. I saw this on Linnet's blog and thought I'd steal it for my own. 

1. How long have you been wearing glasses?

Since I was five years old! I actually don't remember NOT wearing glasses. Apparently I started school and kept complaining I couldn't see the board, so my parents took me to the optician.

2. What were your first pair of glasses like?

They were mint green and they had little Minnie Mouses on the sides, so cute. I'd totally wear mint green glasses now. 

3. How often do you wear your glasses?

All day every day. They are the last thing I take off at night and the first thing I put on in the morning. I can just about manage to go to the loo without them on. If I drop them off my bedside table or when I get out of the shower I majorly panic as I just can't see them and I'm terrified of breaking them. I often shout for help when I lose them - don't mock me!

4. How many pairs of glasses do you have?

Three.  I usually have a pair of ordinary ones and a pair of sunglasses. I replaced the ordinary ones last October and when I went to buy sunglasses a few weeks ago it was easier to buy two pairs than one, so I got another pair of ordinary glasses. So I've got my usual ones - purple, a bit retro in style, that I wear 24/7. Then my new sunglasses, shown above, with a gorgeous tortoiseshell thick frame. They're perfect for sunnies and I enjoyed wearing them on holiday. My new pair of ordinary glasses are shown below. They're also tortoiseshell and they've got a funky pattern on the arms too. I like how square and retro they are.

5. Where did you get your glasses?

I used to go to Specsavers but last autumn when I broke my previous pair they treated me like utter crap so I'm determined to never go back there. I went to Boots this time, and was pretty pleased with them. My eyes are too bad for me to be able to buy online, although I have bought prescription goggles from Glasses Direct. I have to spend a LOT on glasses, these three pairs cost me the best part of £500. 

6. How long sighted or short sighted are you?

Incredibly short-sighted. I literally can barely see past the end of my nose. I can't even read without my glasses on. 

7. What prescription are your glasses?

One is -9.5, the other is -9. I'm also horribly astigmatic (meaning my eyeballs are rugby ball shaped not round) meaning my prescription is even more complex. I get help from the NHS because of my terrible prescription, although it was less than £20 this time, which is barely anything. Like, thanks lads, very helpful. 

8. Do your family members wear glasses?

Yes, my dad had bad eyesight too and always wore contact lenses. My mum wears glasses. It's no wonder my eyes are bad with those genes!

9. What do you think about wearing glasses?

I used to be bulled for it so it took me a long time to accept my glasses. I still really dislike being teased over them, or being teased when I need help finding them (so please never do that), but I don't care any more, I wear them because I have to and I like to choose colourful glasses as part of my style. 

10. Do you wear contact lenses?

I tried them when I was a teenager, but due to the astigmatism they were never very comfortable. I certainly couldn't wear them and use a computer, for example. I would like to try them again just so I could wear cute sunglasses and stuff. Maybe in the future!

11. How much can you see without your glasses?

Very, very little. I can't even read without them on. I really fear going totally blind and losing my independence, to be honest. 

12. Do you have advice for young people that are not comfortable with wearing glasses?

You will get used to them, and you can get so many cute styles now. Keep trying until you find some! And if someone teases you, ignore them. 

New glasses!

I last had some glasses over three years ago so I've needed some for a while, but the cost is so prohibitive that I've been waiting probably a year to replace them. Then I had the choice taken from me because I got up a couple of weeks ago, put my glasses on, and the right arm dropped off. Whoops.

I went to work with them sellotaped together like Jack Duckworth, That afternoon Lee and I went into Specsavers with me wearing my sunglasses inside. I bought my glasses from Specsavers originally, and have been a customer there for about ten years. The sales assistants told me that the spring had broken in the hinge of my glasses, and made me an appointment for more than two weeks hence.

And... that was it... I was like, so what do I do in the meantime??? And they just sort of shrugged. And then said "Don't you have any other glasses???" Well, no, not when they cost me almost £200 per pair I don't. (I have a very complex lens, due to extreme shortsightedness and non-spherical eyeballs). I felt they were rude for no reason and made me feel worthless.

So I had my eyes tested at Boots and ordered a new pair of glasses there. They would have been ready earlier than the Specsavers ones, but due to being on holiday I had to pick them up two weeks later.

I'm not used to them yet - they feel really huge on my face! My other ones were a lot smaller but it seems like the fashion now is for bigger frames. I love the colour. The prescription is stronger so everything looks a bit weird, but I know I will get used to them eventually!

New glasses

I've been wearing glasses for almost 25 years - ever since I started school in 1989! I couldn't see the board so my sight was tested. My first glasses were mint green and they had Minnie Mouse on the sides! Since then I've had glasses galore, including some real Deirdre Barlow type ones. I tried contact lenses for a while when I was a teenager and since, but find that I can't sit at a screen all day with them in. I have seriously bad eyesight - one of my eyes is -10 and the other isn't far behind. I can't see a foot in front of me without them so my glasses are an absolute necessity.

I guess I was about 20 when I got prescription sunglasses and I couldn't live without them now either as I have incredibly sensitive eyes and need to wear sunglasses for driving. I have to spend a LOT of money on my glasses and I have to pay for the lenses thinning. It's annoying, but I have to do it. Recently, my lenses were so scratched that I needed new glasses.

These are my regular ones, I chose red because they're bright. 

And these are my sunglasses. They're pink and chocolate brown and I liked the 50s vibe to them.