Annual Exams

Of all the annual medical examinations I have each year the one I dread the most is my annual eye exam.  I've been wearing glasses since I was 6 years old, contacts since I was 17.  I hated going to the eye doctor then and I still do. 

Back then I think it was because I hated having to pick out new glasses. I never found a pair I really liked or thought I looked good in, hence the start of wearing contacts once I had an after school job and could pay for them myself.  Heck I would be happy to find a pair I look okay in. Now whenever I have to purchase new glasses, I drag my mother along so she can help me pick them out.  I always make sure I have my contacts in so I can actually see what the frames look like when I'm trying them on and try to pick the pair that look at least semi-okay. 

One of the reasons I hate going to the eye doctor is that I have terrible, terrible eyesight. I can literally only see eight inches in front of me clearly without glasses or contacts and as one gets older, one's vision almost always gets worse.  Well, this afternoon I have the dreaded eye appointment.  I'm always worried they'll tell me my vision has gotten worse.  I don't need bifocals yet, but my two older sisters, one in her mid forties and the other in her early fifties wear them and their eyesight is much better than mine.

Do I seem petty to be worried about wearing bifocals?  Maybe, but once I start needing them, I won't be able to wear contacts any longer.  Everyone I know who's worn contacts and then started needing bifocals cannot adjust to the multi-focal contact lens that is available for contact lens wearers and end up wearing glasses full time.  Because my eyesight is so bad, the lenses in my glasses are really thick, even after I pay extra to have them shaved/thinned out which really limits what frames I can choose from.  I hate to admit it but I'm the tiniest bit conceited when it comes to wearing my contacts.  In them, I feel I look pretty decent, in my glasses, I've always felt I look a bit like Frankenstein's bride without the white striped hair.

Whenever I bemoan having to wear my "ugly" glasses, I always try to tell myself to be grateful for the eyesight I do have, but I am human, and have small minded thoughts and still complain about it (like now.)