New Glasses, New Look

They're on your face. You wear 'em every day. You have to wear them, or else you can't see. Hey, there, four eyes. You need an extra pair of eyes to make it through the day, and you are not alone. A lot of people wear glasses. Just look around you. How many people are wearing glasses? For those people who don't wear glasses, you can probably bet on the fact that they have corrective lenses or have had Lasik! We use and abuse our eyes--too much screen time, for one thing. We need to treat ourselves as we think about the way our second set of eyes can complement our faces.

Glasses are practically a part of your face even though you can remove them. They become a part of your look. Nose, eyes, glasses: this represents a defining part of your face. It's the place where you make eye contact and connect with people. Don't lose sight of the fact that your glasses are not shields. They are tools, and they are accessories. You don't wear the same lipstick, necklace, earrings, pin, tie, or other items of accentuation every day. Yet, somehow you do this with your glasses. It's time to make sure this major accessory is giving you the look you want, and probably if you need an eyeglass update.

For over a year I have felt that I needed to make a facial change. I also could feel my eyesight worsening. Suddenly, my clear frames seemed to look too small on my face. Suddenly, I had a hard time reading things up close. Doh! Turning 40 corresponded with my near sight beginning to fail. I put off making a change for about eight months. I knew that I wanted to update my look, and I knew that I needed the dreaded bifocals, or progressive lenses. Finally, in January, I got vision insurance and began looking for new glasses.

Pro-tip: if you are new to progressive lenses, you might want to get them at a store rather than online so that someone can fit the frames to your nose and measure your eyes in the frames as to make sure you get the lens differentiation you need at its appropriate place in the exact frame you purchase.

I thought I wanted to get some new plastic frames with a keyhole bridge:

As it turns out, every pair I tried on just didn't feel right. So I opted for something unexpected--wire frames, big wire frames a la 1990s look. Oh, and they're round. I haven't had round glasses since the '90s.

The pair I purchased is made by Ray Ban. They are light, comfortable, and kind of mauvish. (I love the color mauve.) They are exactly what I was not looking for, so naturally they were exactly what I needed. This brings me to my next pro-tip: try on all kinds of shapes. You never know what will fit well and feel right.

I simply love these glasses! Oh, and I'm loving the progressive lenses. Thank God for progressive lenses! Wanna see me in them? Of course you do!

At the mall:

At school:

When I posted pictures online, people "liked" them. When I wore the glasses and met up with people only one person asked if I got new glasses. Sometimes change does not mean people are like, "OMG, you got new glasses. I love them!" Sometimes change means that you feel good, your glasses draw less attention to themselves, and you can see better.

In the end, get a new pair of glasses that feel right on your face. I really wanted a big pair. I got it. I like the way they look, and I can see a heck of a lot better than two weeks ago. 8-)