What It's Like Being The Friend Without Perfect Vision
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

What It's Like Being The Friend Without Perfect Vision

It's not your fault you bump into things.

66
What It's Like Being The Friend Without Perfect Vision
Amanda Jayne Sankey

When I was in the first grade, I got my very first pair of glasses. All of my friends were jealous.

When I was in the seventh grade, I got my seventh pair of glasses. None of my friends were jealous.

Having bad vision is both a blessing and a curse. I am jealous of those that have the ability to just wake up in the morning and see. Meanwhile, I have to stumble around and bump into things, stubbing my toe as I walk, hands outstretched, to the bathroom where I put my contacts in. But at the same time, I wouldn’t trade it.

Not having 20/20 vision is like being in a club. It’s fun, because you don’t know who’s in it until the day their contacts betray them. As soon as you see someone that you’ve known for a while wearing glasses for the first time, you have to run up to them, exclaiming that you, too, have glasses.

It then becomes a slight competition; “What’s your vision? I bet mine’s worse. I can’t see anything.”

No one wants to have to wear contacts, but if you do, you want to at least win the worst vision contest. If you need them, it’s best to really need them.

“Oh, well, my vision is in the negatives, so I win.”

Then you try to continue beating them by seeing who has needed glasses the longest: “I’ve had glasses since elementary school.” “Oh, yeah? Well I got them in kindergarten.” “Please, I had to have them as a toddler.”

I’ve actually had glasses since I was in the womb, so I win. There are sonogram pictures; I can prove it.

Once the winner has been realized, you must trade glasses. It’s inevitable. “I bet I can see out of yours.” You will spend the next few minutes trying to read things, before the headache starts and you trade back.

Headaches are just a part of having bad vision. You get them for wearing your contacts too long. You get them from going too long without wearing your glasses and then trying to wear them for a whole day. You get them if it has been too long since you last saw the eye doctor. You just get headaches. It happens.

So do dry eyes. Dry eyes happen. There just comes a point in the day where your eyes are just like, nope. I’m done. I quit. I refuse to see anymore. And there is nothing you can do about it.

The worst is when you fall asleep with your contacts in. You wake up with a desert for eyes. Your contacts are glued to your eyeballs. You have to pry them out, if not have them surgically removed.

Wearing contacts is cool because you can be Superman by day, when you have to interact with people, and Clark Kent by night, when you come home and are free to be the four-eyed geek you really are.

If you want to feel smarter one day (you know, if you have a test you didn’t study for, you really could use all the help you can get), all you have to do is wear your glasses. Your IQ immediately goes up. It’s a proven fact. They’ve done studies.

People with perfect vision just can’t understand. They aren’t in the club. But one day, we’ll all be old and everyone will need glasses because all old people have glasses, it’s a requirement to be in the club (of cool people at the retirement home, not the club of being old, just if you want to sit at the cool table, you know, the one with the view of the water aerobics doing hottie you have your eye on). When that day comes, we will all join hand in unity with our glasses.

Until then, use whatever eyesight you have left to see the wonders of this world (or the water aerobics doing hottie).

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

57909
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37306
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

958991
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

192233
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments