When I was starting senior high school, my dad and I went to get ourselves new glasses (my first pair). I had trouble seeing far and I was supposed to wear the glasses to school. I never did. I ended up wearing them only for driving after my driving instructor asked if I had glasses when I had had trouble seeing a road sign in time at an intersection. Then in university I had to start wearing the glasses because the lecture rooms were big and a lot happened through the overhead projectors or on the chalkboard.

I’ve never worn the glasses outside so my world’s been slightly blurry. I have trouble seeing faces clearly and recognising people until they start waving at me. I luckily can catch a bus in time so I’ve been content. I sort of like the gentle blurry outlines of things.

A week ago I went and got new glasses because my old ones had burrowed a groove on my temples. (Although I don’t wear glasses all the time, I’ve got used to wearing them in front of the TV — which is quite often.) I had my eyes checked and was shocked when I heard the optometrist say “that’s bad.” I think — and certainly hope, because I don’t think my new numbers for correction are really that bad — he meant my eyesight had got worse (compared to 12–13 years ago!). It probably has but I think my first checkup might not have been as accurate as it could’ve and should’ve been: As crazy as it sounds, I had wanted to do well in the exam. I don’t know if it’s even possible to cheat in an eye exam because I don’t know what kind of things they really pay attention to, but I remember having to determine which way an E symbol was pointing and since I was able to see whether it was turned horizontally or vertically (albeit not seeing it clearly), there was a 50-50 chance I guessed correctly. Not once did I say that I didn’t see it properly.

This time the exam made more sense to me because I had to tell which lens out of two possibilities made texts clearer, and only once or twice did we check the board with alphabet to see whether I could read the bottom line (and boy, could I!).

Now I have brand new glasses. I tested them at home right away and for a while felt like I couldn’t walk a straight line (probably due to the slight astigmatism correction in my right eye which made everything wobble as I turned my head side-to-side) but luckily I soon got used to them. It’s weird to be able to read the backs of my books from far away and see the several digital clocks around the apartment without squinting.

Yesterday I took the glasses out for a spin — once I was pretty confident I would pass a test of walking in a straight line. And jeez how I was freaking out: I can see each individual spruce needle on the ground! I can see the faces of people standing far far away! I can see the bus’s number as soon as it appears from behind the trees! I can read small street signs! And at home, my god the standard definition channels look crappy and pixelated on my lovely HD TV! (Luckily, I found out that the DVR is to blame so I just have to get a new HD box which doesn’t cost much. Phew.)

The TV is a nice segway here: I had told the optometrist that I rarely wear my glasses, and he said that once I experience what it’s like to see clearly, I may change my mind about wearing them. He may’ve been right. Just like nowadays I can’t really stand watching an old tube TV (like the one my parents have), I think I may prefer the world in HD, too.

(Also, the frames are really cute :) )