My second grade teacher told my Mom that I was having trouble reading in class. “I think she needs glasses,” Miss Mathis said.
My mom took me to the eye doctor to have my eyes checked and low and behold the optometrist confirmed my teacher’s diagnosis.
I picked out frames and a cute case that featured the character, Lucy from the syndicated comic strip Peanuts. It had a long strap allowing me to wear it like a purse. The case also kept my new specs safe from getting crushed.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for them to break. My friend Raeanne and I decided to switch glasses on our way to the bathroom one day. I was curious to try on her coke bottle frames and she was just as interested in trying on my much less powerful prescription.
My eyes were no match for her bifocals. To make matters worse, my new glasses somehow broke during our exchange. Needless to say, I did a makeshift repair with tape hoping that my mom wouldn’t notice. I eventually ditched the glasses all together soon after. But, my handy work left the specs lopsided whenever I put them on.
I somehow convinced myself that I didn’t want them anyway; at least that’s the excuse I gave my Mom. However, my eyes became more and more sensitive over the years.
As a former model and TV meteorologist, I’ve become a makeup artist’s worse nightmare. It’s hard to keep my eyes from fluttering during eyeshadow and eyeliner application.
I wanted to test my vision again. But my last experience with an optometrist didn’t go over well. Long story short, he got frustrated because I couldn’t do the glaucoma test. The test involved having a machine poke me in the eye and I just couldn’t go through with it.
Fast forward years later and I’ve been having blurred vision again. Reading the prompter during chat segments became an issue, which ultimately led to conquering my fear of getting an eye exam. As it turns out, I have problems seeing near and far. I also suffer from astigmatism.
5 Signs You Need Glasses
Blurred vision
The doctor said that my blurred vision was a telltale sign that I needed glasses. I noticed it while reading, driving and sitting at the computer.
Squinting
This is a classic problem. I was one of those kids who squinted to see the chalkboard. According to the Mayo Clinic, squinting could be related to lazy eye, which is decreased vision that results from abnormal vision development in infancy and early childhood.
Headaches
Squinting led to headaches. Both close and distant objects would appear blurry. Even though I don’t read from a teleprompter during my weather forecasts, I’d get headaches while squinting to look at details on the maps and TV screens.
Tired eyes
I thought my tired eyes resulted from not getting enough sleep. I was averaging around five hours most weeknights because of my work schedule. But, it also happened on weekends after longer hours of sleep.
Losing your place while reading
I noticed this while reading a book or computer. My eyes weren’t aligned properly to printed words. As I child, pointing at words while reading was an easy fix. Miss Mathis also mentioned that problem to my mom.
Final Thoughts
If you suffer from any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to get advice from a health care professional. It also wouldn’t hurt to schedule an eye exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. You should also make regular yearly appointments like you would a general practitioner and gynecologist to make sure everything is ok.
