April 29, 2010

My "Second" Eyes.

When I was fourteen, I started to squint when watching television. The Swedes subtitle all the foreign films and I found it difficult to read the small text below each scene.
Very shortly after that I got my first eyeglasses.

Although I did not directly hated those things, I still wore them only when absolutely necessary, such as during classes in school and at home. Thus I spend my teenage years in a constant state of squinting and quiet oblivious to my surroundings. I appeared most likely rude in my interactions with people, as I simply did not see anyone until they were in my very proximity. In a certain way I got used to be living in a world of my own, where I felt almost invisible; I could not see, thus I felt unseen too.

When I was twenty, I got contact lenses and have been wearing those ever since. Even today, I only wear glasses in the evenings and on weekends. I still have all my old frames stowed away in a drawer. When I took the pictures below I was laughing when seeing my very first ones; they look so large and almost ancient. As the years passed, the frames got smaller. Luckily, the prescription never changed.

All eyeglasses I ever owned have survived all my moves and relocations. In contrast to all my other possessions, I always knew where they could be found, no matter where I lived.
My second eyes. I guess I must care for them more than I think.

27 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Started to laugh when I saw the glasses because they look exactly as the glasses I had. I didn't safe mine and unfortunately my eyes did deteriorate a lot as you already know. Oh well, still can make fun of it and laugh so it isn't that bad.

Have a lovely day.

Elizabeth

Avo said...

It must be interesting to have such strong physical ties to your past. Very little of my past survives outside of my head...

I have a friend who described having had the same experience in her youth: squinting her way around in a world of her own. I wonder how many people go through that...

Brian Miller said...

have never had to have them...but my dad collected old glasses for lions club to recycle them to those that could not afford them...so we often had bags of glasses around the house...

Anonymous said...

I agree, glasses have gotten smaller over the years. I wore contacts for many years, but have gone back to glasses. I am seriously considering having laser surgery to correct my vision.
It's amazing that your prescription hasn't changed over the years. Mine keep getting worse : )

United Studies said...

I have been wearing glasses to see distances since I was 15....so I can laugh at some of your later models because they look so much like mine! The glasses I have now look like your 2005 model. I think that's the last time I have had new glasses. :-)

Donna said...

It's funny how glasses become so dated. You can almost tell the year by looking at the frames. I'm fortunate that I only need to wear readers. I like choosing from all the different colors and styles.

Hugs,
Donna

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

you lucky,
my 12 years old got contact lenses now...
very awesome collections of glasses..

Happy Thursday!
;)

Anonymous said...

Oh, we were so fashionable! :) I wonder if 10 years from now, my current glasses will look as odd?

Happy day to you, sweet Zuzana!

Liz Fulcher, The Fragrant Muse said...

I am totally impressed that you 1) have saved your glasses 2) haven't broken them or dropped them or lost them 3) can identify when you wore them. I still lose the ones I wear on my face everyday. Great post!

Claus said...

Ohh those 1982 frames are one of a kind! ;-) I wear glasses occasionally, and only if I'm on the computer and my eyes get tired (not for reading purposes, but with a filter to protect my eyes from some sort of rays). Curiously, my dad needs glasses, my mom does to, and my brother...but not me!
have a lovely day!

Keera Ann Fox said...

I didn't start with glasses as young as you. I was 21 after a co-worker said my constant headaches at the end of the day could be due to astigmatism. She was right and I have since always worn glasses whenever using my eyes a lot (including sight-seeing from a bus). I have never wanted to try contact lenses, though.

Reading Tea Leaves said...

That's so funny Zuzana - all your glasses are exactly like mine - I guess it's what was in fashion at the time! Mine are all long since gone and in fact I can identify with The Fragrant Muse in that respect!! I sometimes wear disposable contact lenses but most of the time I wear glasses, I have separate prescriptions for reading, vision and the computer - and a fourth pair - sunglasses! I would never consider laser treatment - would you?

Have a great evening Zuzana

Jeanne
xx

Kath said...

Oh I must tell you about an amazing mobile/hanging I saw once. The artist had drilled a tiny hole in every glasses lens.She strung them one by one with invisible thread, from a thin tree branch. The effect was big raindrops falling from the branch. It was quite enchanting!

Sandy said...

I have a dresser drawer filled with old eye cases and glasses. I was lucky I didn't need glasses as a child or a teenager but during college I discovered when I sat in the back of a lecture hall I couldn't read the writing on the blackboard. That's when I got glasses. I have never had or tried contacts. The thought of putting somethng in and out of my eyes doesn't appeal to me. It's fun to see the changes in eyewear over the years looking at your glasses.

Hugs,
Teacup Lane (Sandy)

sprinkles said...

A childhood friend of mine had glasses that she hated and I loved so I used to wear hers all the time. I have no doubt it ruined my eyes and now I have to wear glasses.

I'm impressed that you still have your first pair and that none of them got lost or broken, etc!

My eyes have deteriorated a lot. I need to get them checked again but since I'm unemployed, I can't afford to go back.

I used to wear contacts and would like to again. Someday!

steviewren said...

I've got a collection of glasses that looks just like that. I got my first pair when I was eleven and I didn't begin wearing contacts until I was 43. Last year I tore my last contact and had to wear my glasses to work for a few days, it was odd but I came to realize that I was experiencing a feeling of being invisible. I don't feel like that when I wear my contacts.

Jeannette StG said...

With my last move I did away with my old glasses -but I have a similar story that I hated my glasses I needed to wear since 11 y. old. When I became an adult I finally got contact lenses - still have my last pair, but lately I have worn my glasses more, because my eyes water when I'm painting with oil. Since I'm painting a lot more now...

young-eclectic-encounters said...

I loved seeing your collection of glasses. I've been wearing glasses since I was in 4th grade and they were pink hornrims, I was real cool when I got metal frames in high school. I loved the large lens then and love them even more now that I wear bi-focals much more space to look out of but now very hard to find. I just went out today and bought 3 different pairs of reading glasses. I have found that my reg glasses while great for most of the time but for reading and computer work reading glasses keep me from getting a creak in my neck. I figure if I need to wear them I might as well have fun with them and for a buck a piece I can do that. I bought leopard print ones and pink and purple. In about a month or so when they should be getting moe in I'll go look again.
I also like the idea of drilling holes in the old lens and string them, kind of reminds me of Pollyanna hanging the crystal in the window to catch the light

Laura said...

Zuzana this is so weird...I was just at the eye doctors today! Apparently my arms are no longer long enough to support my reading habit...I need reading glasses. I cannot believe you have photos of all your glasses!!!!

Paul C said...

I just had my eyes tested and he said I can continue buying the 175's. I've collected a number of vintage pairs too. Entertaining post.

Absolutely Ladylike said...

Dearest Zuzana!

We have so many similar details in hour life...I've got my glasses when I was around 10...I didn't hate it but I was only wearing them at school or for watching TV. My eyes didn't got worst and I still have my glasses /and still wearing them just when I drive or watching TV/.

And I've never lost a glass...I always know where are they and never go anywhere without them...you are right they are like second eyes. And I also feel that I'm pretty dangerous without them /for example in the car/ :-)

Also I can't recognize ppl from far, I kind of living in my own little blurry world LOL...but I do love it this way...there are so many ugly things going on out there LOL.

Hope you're having a great /almost/weekend...

This post really made me smile!

Much, much love: Evi

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Unknown said...

this is a cute post! very cool you have saved your glasses through the years. I wear glasses, progressive lenses. my present glasses have no frame around the lens and are tinted pink!

Rajesh said...

Great, you managed to keep them intact. I am wearing glasses from 1978. None if my old glasses are with me.

Hilary said...

Oh that's so funny to see them all. I had big ones too. I stopped wearing contact lenses last summer.. they were just too uncomfy most of the time or I'd get something in my eye and have to remove one. Fun post, my friend.

Cheryl Kohan said...

I was a squinter, too!! Eventually, though, I had to wear the dreaded glasses. I got contact lenses as soon as they were invented, I think...they were HARD lenses and it took me forever to adjust to them. "Vanity thy name is Woman", you know.

So I wear my glasses in the morning when I first get up and before I go to bed. That's it.

Zuzana said...

Elizabeth, Alesa, Brian, LadyCat, Jacki, Donna, Jingle, Zuzu, The Fragrant Muse (welcome), Claudia, Keera, Radka, Jeanne, Kath, Sandy, sprinkles, Stevie, jeannette, Johnina, Laura, Paul, Evi, Doreen, Rajesh, Hilary and Cheryl, thank you so much for sharing with me your own experiences with eyeglasses, how delightful to read your comments.;) I guess we all have a certain relationship with our glasses.;) At least those of us who wear them.;)

As always, thank you so much for your time and kind words.

Xoxo
Zuzana