so much fun...

 I started wearing glasses when I was seven years old.  The first pair I had had brown squarish frames.  I never minded wearing glasses, and yes, in case you're wondering, boys do make passes at girls who wear glasses. 

Over the years I've worn wire rimmed, cat's eye and various other styles.  I also wore contact lenses for about 20 years.  But there came a time when I needed reading glasses with my contacts.  That's when I decided it would be easier to just go back to wearing glasses.  

I'm bringing all this up because today I had my eyes examined and my new glasses will be ready in a week.  My wonder spouse wondered if I could just have new lenses put in my current frames, but I explained to him that there is really no fun in getting new glasses if you don't get new frames.  Interestingly, the new frames I picked out are squarish and brown (really more copper). My wonder spouse went with me to the appointment because we were going to lunch with friends right after.  He told me up front that he would not assist me in selecting frames but when the time came and I had narrowed my choices down to three he picked the one I liked best.  So we're both happy.

What I find interesting is how much new technology is involved in eye exams these days.  This morning the tech, who looked like such a sweet young thing, put a 'football helmet' on my head, then clamped a pair of goggles that rivaled anything I've seen on Olympic skiers to the helmet.  It was heavy but I did manage to hold my head up and follow directions.  A voice in my ear told me to watch the bouncing ball, keep my eyes wide open, blink when instructed and watch the orange target.  That AI voice kept telling me that I was doing very well which was nice to hear.  I have done visual field screening exercises in my ophthalmologist's office but he doesn't make me wear a football helmet.  Interestingly though, today my optometrist still took me through the very familiar slide show with the same old questions that eye doctors have been asking me since I was a child - which looks clearer, this one or 'click' this one?  Which line of print can you read?  And on and on it went.  It felt like a long time but the actual exam only took 25 minutes.  Then I got to pick out my new frames, the final reward.  I will enjoy having new glasses, (and I will be able to read small print more easily) even though I realize that most of my friends will never notice the difference.