We see people wearing glasses all the time -- we almost take it for granted that some people will have terrible eyesight, but rarely do we think about how said person discovered the need for glasses and the ordeal that follows after.
Yours truly discovered her vision was lacking in clarity one fine day when she decided to be adventurous and apply eye liner for the first time. The moment I had to focus with my right eye, I knew something was wrong. The whole world was a blur. With both eyes open though, everything seemed clear. I went to see a doctor soon afterwards who said if I did not start wearing glasses immediately I would go blind in my right eye. And thus the four-eyed years began. Also, did I mention I was 19 years old when I made this discovery?
While most people are significantly younger when they start wearing glasses, some are not aware they need glasses until they are well into their teens. Since the practice of going for full-body check-ups is not quite there in our country, most people have to discover their faulty vision by themselves.
Wearing glasses for the first time is not a pleasant experience. It takes a while to find the right frame, and even then the weight of the glasses is very frustrating to get used to. On top of that your peers are sure to make matters worse by dedicating at least a month to coming up with ridiculous nicknames and pointing out how much better you looked without your glasses. They'll also insist on trying it out themselves, during which a tussle will ensue and your new glasses will end up in fragments.
People will continually ask you what your “power” is and you might have to resort to making bad puns out of sheer boredom -- “Power? Super power! Hyuk hyuk hyuk!” You will also find other bespectacled people sizing you up based on how bad your eyesight is. You will never please them; it will either be “Your eyes are not that bad, why do you even wear glasses? Wannabe, pfft,” or “Your eyesight sucks.”
There will also be the constant matter of people demanding you hand over your frames while they inspect it from every angle possible and then return it to you with a look of satisfaction claiming it to be a duplicate; this will happen regardless of whether you stated your frames to be original or not. Other people who wear glasses will also notice your frames, compare prices and model, and tell you that you've been duped; you could've gotten the frames plus a plateful of chotpoti for half the price if you'd taken their advice. Silly you.
Having to wear glasses also renders you powerless. It's as if the glasses siphon off whatever ability you had to see clearly, so that without your glasses you are a blind (wo)man prone to headaches and discomfort, unable to go a day without your trusty specs on your nose. Wearing eye makeup becomes redundant and taking pictures seem pointless; your glasses catch the light and glare in every photo like a cat possessed by Satan.
Wearing glasses does come with some benefits. They help you see better, duh. They're also handy during windy weather with dust kicking up on all sides. But frankly, sunglasses do the same job. And that's another thing, with poor eyesight, wearing sunglasses is a pleasure one must forgo, unless one is willing to make customized sunglass-lenses with the suitable power.
The point of this, then, is to start wearing eyeliner if you don't already; it might just save your sight. Take it from someone who knows.