Help! What has happened to my eyes? I have five pair of reading glasses, two that are hiding from me (guess I need my glasses on to find them) and three that I have either on my desk, in my purse, or on my nightstand. I'm far sighted - I can see the very top of the roof across the street and tell you if there's a dime or a nickel on the third shingle from the right. But close up - please!My granddaughter actually reads the price tags for me when we shop - how sad/cute is that? Now, I am glad to have my eyes and my sight and I'm happy to be able to see at all, far away especially - I don't need glasses when I drive, so yes, I am blessed. I love my eyes. Don't get me wrong.
I just can't help but to wonder if I would need to rummage through the dollar store eyeglass section (1.75 to 2.00) as often (and yes, I have gone to the eye doctor for prescription glasses, I lose those, too) if I weren't a writer. Also, these days we all use computers so much and the strain we put on our eyes is worse than ever.
I watched a report on CNN that said young children are in need of glasses at a younger age now because they're playing games on small screens and using computers. We use our cell phones and that adds to the problem. And yes, we're reading books on devices, many on screens that are smaller than actual books themselves.
After four to six hours of writing (sometimes more) I force myself to stop and give my eyes a rest. My eyes can get red and dry, so I use eye drops often, but my eye doctor told me that our eyes can get addicted to the drops and we shouldn't use them too often. If we do use drops, the artificial tears type brands are better.
So, this post is a way of checking in with my fellow writers to see if I'm in the minority on this or not. I've had great 20/20 vision for years - this just started about six years ago, though it is also true that I'm no spring chicken so maybe this would've happened anyway.
All of you young folks who laugh when grandma pulls out her spectacles, beware! You, too, could one day have five pair, three that you can find and two that are hiding from you! I'm just saying!
Authors, don't sit too long, stand up and stretch out those legs, and don't stare too long, give those precious eyes a rest!
Ciao
7 comments:
For many years I wore a rubber helmet and my family thought I was "simple." Then someone suggested checking my eyes and they discovered I was nearsighted to the point of blindness. My mother used to tear up when telling the story of taking "forever" to get me from the office to the car with my first set of glasses -- I was transfixed by the sight of leaves on a tree moving in the breeze.
As I've aged my lenses have stopped focusing and I now wear progressives. For long periods at the computer, however, I have cheap single-focus lenses that focus sharpest at the 2-3ft range. Saves me from having to bob my head up and down trying to find the right zone on my regular glasses. (And, yes, I do lose them from time to time.)
I'm going to stretch and go run around the coffee shop now.
I had to get a pair for just computer work too. And another pair for driving and watching TV. It's a pain but better than not being able to see.
I have a pair of reading glasses that I use at work, but I really need to tweak the script since they're basically useless for me.
When I do have to use the computer, or anything else for that matter, it's done sans glasses.
I skipped past reading glasses in high school, got specs then though I hated it at the time. You know, back then when looking cute was more important than being able to see anything farther than 2 ft away!
No glasses yet, thank God, but with the amount of staring at screens, I won't doubt I'll need them someday.
Yes we writers definitely need to take care of our eyes like we take care of the rest of our bodies. They are part of our essential tools of the trade.
KeVin, very good, do that stretch and run - and LOL "simple" LOL helmet, you got me truly LMAO!!
Charles, I guess eyeglass makers won't go broke, thanks to us authors, huh?
G - sans glasses, are those 3D?
Lynn, girl - I hear you. Looking cute yet all is a blur is very doable! LOL
Jewel, lucky you - yes, we must take care and be thankful for our sight. Kind of like out feet, we walk on them but don't take time to pamper them. Gotta back away from the screen and moisten those amazing eyeballs!
I've been squinting a lot lately... Think I see glasses on the horizon but they look a bit blurry from here.
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