It was a lesson in First World problems this morning – I left my reading glasses in the pocket of yesterday’s shirt and didn’t want to go upstairs again, as I had cereal in my hand and a computer in front of me. I have spares in my work bag, but couldn’t be bothered to put my cereal down and get up from the computer. It was a combination of shortage of time, creaking knees and laziness.
Fortunately I came up with an ideas, and raised the magnification on the screen until I could read properly. It didn’t quite solve the typing problem, as all the letters are blurred without glasses, but a combination of reasonable accuracy and a spell-checker managed to keep me looking literate. Even with my glasses my typing is often poor, so it was a question of magnitude rather than a whole new problem.
I’m sure there are many people in the world who lack glasses, or computers, or even electricity. I really should be happy, instead of muttering about a lack of glasses. It’s quite frightening though, without reading glasses I can’t actually function. As if to compensate, my long-range vision seems to have improved over the years. The teenager who needed glasses to read the blackboard could read remarkably small print. Now, as I approach the term “elderly” I can see for miles (the sun is quite clear and that is 93 million miles away), but I can’t see much once it gets within three feet of my face.
As my memory is also fading, I don’t always remember my glasses. Fortunately I have a Plan B. The jeweller’s glass I always carry in my pocket came in very useful last week when I needed to read some cooking instructions.
Pingback: Day 40 | quercuscommunity
I’ve decided that bifocals are not for me. Like you, Simon, I barely need the glasses for far away. But I can’t bear to use them for reading close up. I often end up with the bifocals on my head as a headband and a pair of reading glasses on my face. (A very cute look.)
I did just learn that I can enlarge the print on my phone, so if I am in the garden sans reading glasses, I can read a text if it comes in.
I will have to see if I can do that. I am vaguely aware it can be done – texts are a nightmare as my arms simply aren’t long enough these days. 🙂
They say that you always have to read the small print but that has become an impossibly even with my glasses on. I can’t function without my glasses for computing and music buty even woth the rigtht glasses on my typing has become aooskking.
Ha! My typing needs considerable attention before it is good enough to go, and even then I go back to old posts and find some dreadful typos.
That’s my system. I bought a five pack last year, and can only find three of them now. 🙂
My husband bought a 3 pair value pack of inexpensive readers yesterday to leave in various locations
I have never needed reading glasses. I began using varifocals for a life-drawing group about a dozen years ago, because I needed specs to see the model clearly, but had to take them off to see the texture of the paper. Mostly I get by without any, but I have begun to need a fixed focus pair for the computer and the others for TV and photography. My main problem now is keeping the wrong ones on for the next activity. Sometimes I can’t be bothered to go and find those I need either.
As an antique dealer I need something to peer over the top of when dealing with customers. If I wasn’t short-sighted I would have to get some with plain glass.
Are varifocals the same as bifocals? (Distance vision on the top and reading on the bottom.) I have never been able to get used to them, either.
I believe that varifocals are like bifocals but the lenses change from one to the other more gradually, rather than with a straight edge. Of course, we may be calling the same thungs by different names as so often happens as words cross the Atlantic. 🙂 I refused them when I was offered them, and now don’t need them anyway.
Varifocals are not limited to top and bottom. They do work well for me.
I didn’t know that. I’m a simple man, I like my glasses clearly defined, and Ilike the ability to peer over the top. 🙂
I’m sure it gives you gravitas
I like to think so. 🙂
Ah – I know there’s a thing (more expensive) where it all blurs together without the line. That’s probably the varifocals. I’m just going to get distance glasses next time and put on readers when I need them.
I Last time I bought distance glasses I lost them almost immediately and was very annoyed. I’d hate to do that with a really expensive set. Fortunately my eys changed. It’s amazing what my body will do if my wallet is threatened! 🙂
I keep reading glasses in multiple rooms. 🙂
Me too, but I got it badly wrong this time and breakfast and idleness kicked in. 🙂