I got 99 problems, and having 20/20 vision would solve all of them.
I’ve had terrible eyesight for almost as long as I can remember. It started when I was a teenager, when I gradually began to get regular headaches and struggled to see the blackboard (yep, back in the Dark Ages, before those magical smartboards took over).
I quickly realised I needed to get glasses. And boy did the novelty wear off quickly.
I did eventually grow to love them (and my contact lenses), but I’ve also experienced each of these 12 universal struggles of having terrible eyesight. At least once a day…
1. The world is a whole new place with the right glasses or contact lenses.
Rejoice – the world is no longer a fuzzy blur. Signs can actually be read and glass doors will not be run into. You never realised you could actually see individual blades of grass or leaves. It’s like seeing the world in high-definition, finally.
2. People ALWAYS ask to try on your glasses.
They exclaim about how blind you are, give them back and return to normality without quite getting that THIS IS OUR LIFE. But to be fair, they are probably just a little jealous, because everyone knows wearing glasses makes you look instantly cooler.
Just as an FYI, this post is sponsored by Specsavers. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100 per cent authentic and written in their own words.
3. Everyone points out how different you look with contact lenses in.
Yeah, duh.
4. Venturing out sans visual assistance can have embarrassing results.
Oh hey friends! Nope, on closer inspection that is definitely a small tree. Eeek.
Related: “I got naked with a shop assistant today. But it’s not what you think.”
On more than one occasion you’ve awkwardly waved at a stranger thinking you’d seen your mate.
5. There’s no such thing as a spontaneous nap.
If you have accidentally slept with your contacts in then you know what true, excruciating pain is really like. And trying to lay down comfortably with glasses on? Impossible.
6. Weather events can wreak havoc on your eyesight.
Warm weather means a sweaty, oily face and that results in your glasses sliding down your nose approximately every 30 seconds. Meanwhile, rain turns your specs into a wet, foggy mess and wind turns your contact lenses into the Sahara desert.
7. Kitchen-related activities are a struggle.
Opening up the dishwasher or oven or taking the lid off a hot saucepan will create a nice little sauna around your eyeballs. Every. Single. Time.
8. It can be an issue trying to fit things around your glasses.
3D glasses, sunglasses, hats and headbands can sometimes be instruments of torture when you wear specs.
Related: Why global eye health is a women’s issue.
Contact lenses are a godsend in these situations.
9. Late-night wanderings can be a nightmare.
Late night trips to the bathroom (or lets be honest, the fridge) can be dangerous. When you can’t find your glasses and attempt the mission anyway, you know you’re going to run into at least one door frame.
10. Sexy time can be awkward.
There’s nothing less sexy than going to mack on and having to pause mid-way to remove your glasses and place them on a nearby flat surface. Major mood killer.
11. You’ve been labelled every glasses-wearing stereotype possible.
When you wear glasses you’re automatically a “sexy librarian” (cringe), a”nerd” (real original) or nowadays a “hipster”(because vision problems are now “cool” apparently).
12. Choosing different styles and colours of frames is still genuinely exciting.
If you’re a glasses-wearer you’re officially “on trend”. Specs are IN and that means there are plenty of awesome styles, shapes and colours to choose from when it comes to frames. More options equals more happiness.
So despite the negatives, when it comes to bad eyesight, you’ve just got to embrace the good stuff. Because there is plenty of it. Right?
Proof you’re not alone; our fav celebs with their snazzy specs:
Are you a glasses or contact lens-wearer? What struggles have you experienced?
Specsavers is encouraging glasses wearers to “get naked” and experience the freedom that comes with wearing contact lenses. With free-shipping, in-store aftercare and all the world’s leading brands, buying contact lenses online with Specsavers is the best way to get “naked” for less.
Top Comments
It's actually quite strange when you stop and think about how many people are out there who need glasses, and how many would have had to suffer in the period before they were invented. You'd think we'd have evolved better.
I guess the invention of the lens happened before we could evolve! Evolution would have only removed poor eyesight if it caused the person's death before they passed the genes on, and quite often poor eyesight develops with age (my sister and I didn't need glasses until 16), so maybe that's why it has persisted through human history!
That's a good point. My sister had the most excellent eyesight as a child and from the age of 18 onward it went from bad to worse.
I wonder if other animals have the same problem.
Well, that koala on TV was very excited by the Specsavers ad in the paper...
I wear glasses and hate when say I can see with these on. I say can you see without them and there like yeah I can. Then I say well I can't. I can't see long sighted but perfect with short sighted. I can see at night as good as at day time even with my glasses on