Losing

“The worst part about losing your glasses is that you don’t have your glasses to help you find your glasses.” (Mt Eliza Optical)

 It is believed that approximately 64 percent of the adult population in America wears glasses while 20.5 million adults age 60 and over have cataracts. This history of eyeglasses begins with the Roman Stoic philosopher, Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger (4 BC -65AD). He is said to have used a glass globe of water as a magnifier to read ''all the books of Rome''. It's been reported that monks in the middle ages used glass spheres as magnifying glasses to read.

The first eyeglass frame temples were made by Spanish craftsmen in 1600's. They affixed ribbons of silk or strings to the frame and loop them over the user's ears. The new types of eyeglasses carried out to China by Spanish and Italian missionaries. Instead of making loops, the Chinese attached small metal weights to the strings. In 1730 Optician Edward Scarlett designed rigid temples that rest atop the wearer's ears.

As for my history of eyeglasses, I got my first pair of prescription eyeglasses when I was a teenager. I was excited about them becoming medically necessary to wear them. The “in” crowd at school was wearing them, and I hoped I would look as sophisticated as they did. I had a brief venture into electric-blue hard contact lenses in my thirties. That didn’t last because of the work to keep them sanitized, and all the dust in the old building I worked in at the time kept my eyes bloodshot as I constantly rubbed at them with my knuckles (and not my fingers).

Eyeglasses are convenient and easy to wear (on and off), which is what I want in my life right now. I adore my oval sun-darkening transition lenses (since I never have sunglasses with me when I need them). I treat my eyeglasses like the precious commodity they are because without them my vision is blurry. This means I never accidentally fall to sleep where I could roll over and break them or drop them on the floor and step on them, which would damage them horribly. They are always put away on my nightstand or nearby credenza.

I also have a pair of rectangular computer glasses that I use whenever I am reading or working on my computer. When they are not in use they are safely placed in a black case. If you are considering getting new glasses in the near future, below are helpful tips you will need to consider when choosing the right pair of eyeglasses for the life you live:  

Decide how big of an impact you want to make: If you want your glasses to pack a punch and stand out, select thicker frames. Likewise, if you want relatively discreet glasses, try thin frames. You can also adjust the boldness of your glasses by selecting wider or narrower sides.

Focus on comfort: The frames you choose should feel comfortable on your face. Both the bridge and the arms should be neither too tight nor too loose. Try leaning your head down (as if reading) to see if the glasses fall down your nose. Make sure the glasses are aligned so that each eye is looking through the center of its lens. Misalignment may cause eye strain or even amplify an optometric defect.

Highlight your best features: When possible, use your glasses to highlight your favorite facial features. If you love your blue eyes, why not emphasize their color with blue glasses? In addition, don’t be afraid to use your eyeglass frames to showcase your personality. You could choose frames in your favorite color, frames with interesting embellishments, or perhaps a two-tone or cat-eye style.

Look for frames in scale with your face size: Generally, people with smaller faces choose smaller frames and people with larger faces choose larger frames. The frames should cover about 80 to 90 percent of your field of vision, and you should not be able to see the sides of the frames without straining. In addition, check that the top of the frames doesn’t go above your eyebrows and that the bottom of the frames doesn’t touch your cheeks.

Select a frame color that complements your skin tone: If you have a warm complexion (with undertones of yellow, bronze, or gold), try brown shades, gold, beige, honey, olive green, or light tortoise. If you have a cool complexion (with undertones of pink or blue), try silver, black, pink, purple, mauve, gray, or dark tortoise.

Select frames that contrast with your face shape: Although faces vary in form and angle, there are five basic shapes: round, oval, square, diamond, and heart-shaped. Look for frames that work well with your face shape, typically by contrasting with its form. Here are a few guidelines:

If you have a round face, try square or rectangular frames that are wider than your face, but avoid round, small, or rimless frames.

 If you have an oval face, try most styles, but especially frames with a strong bridge and geometric shapes.  Avoid overlarge frames that cover up the natural symmetry of your oval face.

If you have a square face, try oval or round frames, or frames that sit high on the nose as well as dark-colored frames. Avoid angular, boxy, or light-colored frames.

If you have a diamond face, try frames that sweep up (like cat-eye frames) or are wider than the cheekbones (oval frames). Avoid boxy or narrow frames.

If you have a heart-shaped face, try round or oval frames with low-set temples, or bottom-heavy frame lines. Avoid frames that draw attention to the forehead (such as those with decorative temples or colorful tops).

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” (Max Planck/Wayne Dyer)[i]

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[i] Adapted from:

·        “History of Eyeglasses and Sunglasses” by Glasses History

·        “How to Choose Eyeglass Frames” by Heffington's

·              “Seneca the Younger” by Wikipedia

 

 

 

The eyes (and eyeglasses) of my beautiful daughter, Allena