A recent discussion with an ophthalmologist brought up a curious question. Thanks to the availability of many invasive and non-invasive procedures, presently we are able to do away with prescription glasses too if desired. There are quite a decent number of youngsters undergoing the procedure too, walking in during their lunch break for a 10 minute laser surgery and heading back home to wake up the next morning specs-free. We know that the surgery corrects vision anomalies. But we were wondering whether wearing glasses improved the personal confidence of the individual: did they feel more attractive/ sure of themselves?
So I decided to let you be the judge and have your say in the matter. For those of you who don't have glasses, I request you to try and consider it from the alternative point of view ('What if I had glasses and...')
I would also love to hear your personal opinions on the matter so feel free to share them in the comments column below.
P.S. Disclosure: After being specy for over two and a half decades, I underwent a Zyoptik procedure in 2012 and became sexy unspecy. It's been two years and I have no issues till date. And yes, I do feel more confident. Now if only there was a huge shawarma machine I could sit on which would burn away my fat!!
Hahaha. .. specy or unspecy! I have specs but I don't wear it often. I only wear when necessary. Sometimes it is cool to wear specs as they make you look intellectual. And frames these days are trendy so it is kinda cool. But on the other hand I would not like my friends calling me Chashmish and teacher all the time!
A very valid Q, this one. I have been wearing glasses for the past 20 years now. Initially, they reduced my confidence, but later I learnt that they had no bearing on my personality, except that they made me look different. But this became an issue with my marriage later. I got married into a family that wanted me to use contact lenses, which I accepted. So contact lenses, it has been , for the past 4 years, though I wear glasses at times :D :D I'm afraid of laser / Zyoptik / whatever.... :D :D :D
Zypotik isnt really as scary as you would imagine,, its literally a "lunchbreak" procedure taking all of 10 minutes in a surgeons hands. And I think what you mentioned is part of what I was seeing a lot of - people actually commenting on 'the girl having specs' and 'look for one without specs or else kids will have specs too' kind of comments from elders.
I've been wearing glasses since I was 9 and I just started wearing contacts when I do sports. They make life a lot better. The laser thing... it scares me. But having contacts on makes skiing and stuff SO much better.
For me, I was reluctant to go to the beach especially during high tide or so... the fear of losing my glasses and being rendered almost blind was scary to me.
I have reading glasses but I don't wear them regularly.Although I do like to wear them occasionally for a geeky look, I wouldn't want to be tied down to wearing them regularly.
Personality doesn't change with specs i feel... Currently there are many ways to impress and specs is definitely not one among them. Impression comes with the way you talk and handle things...
i totally agree.. yet as you a few comments above, there are still elders who insist that people give up glasses and wear contacts. Just wonder if such kind of comments causes an inferiority complex as the years go by...
I've been wearing glasses since 6 years now. They are such a pain yaar. And it seems this my growing age - the number keeps increasing. And so I can't undergo the surgery. More than looks, it is the inconvenience that glasses/lenses cause.
And yeah, glasses are sexy. I would definitely be attracted. Very attracted!! Lol!
haha.. loved your last lines too :D And are you sure about the "not being able to undergo surgery' bit.. have you consulted recently? I had mine for 25 plus years and got the procedure done two years back.. my number was increasing too with time.
Always hated Yes or No questions. Difficult to go with either one most of the times. I wear glasses but not all the time, don't have to, though I should some say, others say otherwise. So I don't know I suppose :) You see now why I can't answer simply yes or no to any of these questions. Ok the only one I could answer was Q 3 which I did. But as for the surgery option, isn't there an age limit by when you can have it done to get your vision corrected?
haha... yes, truly indecisive ! I'm glad I didnt give u a "None of the above" choice! :D And yes, I believe its around 35 though I think an eye surgeon can help you better..
glare is ok :) Sometime people feel insecure because of the presence of glasses itself. What the surgeon felt was that some people seemed to gain an inner confidence after the glasses were gone.. thats what resulted in this discussion.
Well, Mr. Unspecy :), My husband wears glasses and I find him very sexy ;) Never been a problem for me. Of course, I do understand that people choose corrective surgery to help their confidence and I am okay with that too. Come to think of it, I am okay with a lot of things. Maybe I should change my name to "Ms. Okay with it all" :D
I have specs I dont even know where it is...I just wear sunglasses without which people may go blind in middle east summers. :D By the way specs does not matter to be attracted to a person ...I guess weight matters :D LOL just pulling your leg ..in fact nothing matters :D So do you feel like sitting on a shewerma machine when you see one?
shavatilla kuttale.. dont poke the corpse!! And for your last question *looks philosophically towards the setting sun and says* "every time woman... every time."
I dont wear specs but my husband and son do! I dont think, specs has lowered their confidence, ever. But yes, it is cumbersome sometimes. And since our spectacles budget for the sonny boy is pretty high so corrective surgery will be our saviour :D
:) Unspecy :P I've never worn glasses till date- touchwood! But it's true that I've often wondered how it would be to wear specs all the time and look nerdy! The grass is always greener the other side!! Anyway, I'm okay with surgery and no-surgery! :)
I have worn glasses since I was 10. When I was in high school I got contacts, but never really liked them much. So I went back to wearing glasses full time. I like them.
I was okay with them for most of my life... finally decided I needed to make a change at a certain point. This was there at the back of my head so i went ahead with it.
I have been wearing glasses since i was 10 and contact lenses since I was 18. Been over 30 years. I am conscious of wearing glasses. Could be that old, old saying.."men don't make passes at gals wearing glasses'..probably it stuck with me. I know I look good without them. Nowadays almost all girls wear glasses, so poor men have no choice..And now I may as well wait for a cataract to develop & get rid of the glasses once & for all. ..why opt for lasix?
haha.. what a way to end that one :D Personally, I never would make the distinction between glasses n no glasses but yes, I know many who would.. and as you can see, some do have that experience even within the comments here.
My daughter has been prescribed glasses for astigmatism. She is 6. She is quite excited about it. But it worries me .. as to the what ifs.. during her outdoor play time. I believe there are no corrections for astigmatism.
Ha haa love the way you put it. I had specs since 9th class. When I joined college I shifted to contact lenses. But they did not suit me as I used to get dry eyes and red eyes... So, I went back to specs.
The only time I hate specs is when I am out in sun and can't wear googles, and when I am out in rains and can't wear specs. :P :P
Oh I had the same issues as you - used to always have photochromatic lenses because of the sun and similarly, during rainy season always had to clean glasses...
I'm the specky one and it's a part of my life that chucking it out makes me feel so incomplete. It got nothing to do with appearing intelligent or adding dash to persona..m happy being myself. It has become an inane and inseparable part of my life, much like we need heart and lungs as well as other body parts to function:)
I used to feel so incomplete without my specs while I had them because my vision would be so poor. Even if I gave it to someone to examine, I would be waiting impatiently for it to be returned back to me.. as you said, it felt like an essential part of the body.
I don't wear glasses but my family members do as well as many friends. I never thought about your question before. It makes no difference to me at all. Interesting points, however.
It ideally should not make a difference to how we perceive people but sadly certain misconceptions and mindsets persist. That is what I was looking to evaluate here too.
I have had specs since childhood. Hated the ugly things back then. Got lenses while doing MBA. But am back to specs since a few years. Am too lazy and wear lenses off and on with specs. Would love to do away with specs but don't want to explore any option of any surgery. I feel sexy both with and without specs :-P.
I never really thought I would ever be free of specs.. had worn it since the age of 5 or 6 I think. But being a medico helped because you get to see all these advances as they come - technically it isnt a surgery in the sense of an instrument touching your eye. Personally, I too was very fidgety about my eye and any manipulation by the doc but it was all over so quickly I didnt notice.
I had this craze during my school days of wearing specs even though there was no problem with my eyesight. I would put on my dad's high powered specs and act all smart. More than the specs it's the frame that I am more fascinated with, But no luck, Seems I will have to live with perfect eyesight :P
The doctor prescribes specs for me when I was a kid and I used it while reading and sometimes while watching TV. Never got used to it. But my elder siblings wore specs and after they did the laser treatment, they absolutely transformed. I could notice a HUGE difference. But then again, the surgery and the end of the 'awkward' teen years kind of coincided. Some people actually look more attractive with their glasses, for example, Superman :)
Thats exactly what the surgeon noticed as well with someone he knew.. there was a certain positive change in demeanour /personality following the operation and specs-free life. Superman looks more attractive with glasses? Really :p
How about a grill machine??? You wouldn't need anyone to rotate you around too!! Otherwise you know what happens with the Shawarma machine. Fat loss on one side! :P About the specs part, although i did vote, I'm not actually qualified since I haven't stepped into that phase yet. Maybe soon...
I wore specs for nearly 13 years and then underwent LASIK. Well, to some it does give a look of intelligence :) . It depends on what frame you choose and how you flaunt it :)
I guess so... for me, the frames were inversely proportional to my size.. when I was "leaner", the frames were huge. As I grew "less leaner", the glasses shrunk in size. :D
Hahaha. .. specy or unspecy! I have specs but I don't wear it often. I only wear when necessary. Sometimes it is cool to wear specs as they make you look intellectual. And frames these days are trendy so it is kinda cool. But on the other hand I would not like my friends calling me Chashmish and teacher all the time!
ReplyDeletehaha... I guess I've heard all the 'glassy nicknames' in my life.. you get used to it after awhile.
DeleteA very valid Q, this one.
ReplyDeleteI have been wearing glasses for the past 20 years now. Initially, they reduced my confidence, but later I learnt that they had no bearing on my personality, except that they made me look different. But this became an issue with my marriage later. I got married into a family that wanted me to use contact lenses, which I accepted. So contact lenses, it has been , for the past 4 years, though I wear glasses at times :D :D
I'm afraid of laser / Zyoptik / whatever.... :D :D :D
Zypotik isnt really as scary as you would imagine,, its literally a "lunchbreak" procedure taking all of 10 minutes in a surgeons hands. And I think what you mentioned is part of what I was seeing a lot of - people actually commenting on 'the girl having specs' and 'look for one without specs or else kids will have specs too' kind of comments from elders.
DeleteI've been wearing glasses since I was 9 and I just started wearing contacts when I do sports. They make life a lot better. The laser thing... it scares me. But having contacts on makes skiing and stuff SO much better.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I was reluctant to go to the beach especially during high tide or so... the fear of losing my glasses and being rendered almost blind was scary to me.
DeleteI have reading glasses but I don't wear them regularly.Although I do like to wear them occasionally for a geeky look, I wouldn't want to be tied down to wearing them regularly.
ReplyDeleteThats a perfectly valid stand.. thats exactly what we sensed too as docs...
DeletePersonality doesn't change with specs i feel... Currently there are many ways to impress and specs is definitely not one among them. Impression comes with the way you talk and handle things...
ReplyDeletei totally agree.. yet as you a few comments above, there are still elders who insist that people give up glasses and wear contacts. Just wonder if such kind of comments causes an inferiority complex as the years go by...
DeleteWorking on that shawarma machine bud!
ReplyDeleteYou're my last hope!! Ab ki bar Sandy Sarkar!
DeleteHaha.. the last line is too good!!!
ReplyDeleteI've been wearing glasses since 6 years now. They are such a pain yaar. And it seems this my growing age - the number keeps increasing. And so I can't undergo the surgery. More than looks, it is the inconvenience that glasses/lenses cause.
And yeah, glasses are sexy. I would definitely be attracted. Very attracted!! Lol!
haha.. loved your last lines too :D
DeleteAnd are you sure about the "not being able to undergo surgery' bit.. have you consulted recently?
I had mine for 25 plus years and got the procedure done two years back.. my number was increasing too with time.
Always hated Yes or No questions. Difficult to go with either one most of the times. I wear glasses but not all the time, don't have to, though I should some say, others say otherwise. So I don't know I suppose :) You see now why I can't answer simply yes or no to any of these questions. Ok the only one I could answer was Q 3 which I did. But as for the surgery option, isn't there an age limit by when you can have it done to get your vision corrected?
ReplyDeletehaha... yes, truly indecisive ! I'm glad I didnt give u a "None of the above" choice! :D
DeleteAnd yes, I believe its around 35 though I think an eye surgeon can help you better..
Naa.... My glasses have nothing to do with how confident i am or not!! :) But i dont like wearing them in pics coz of the glare ;)
ReplyDeleteglare is ok :) Sometime people feel insecure because of the presence of glasses itself. What the surgeon felt was that some people seemed to gain an inner confidence after the glasses were gone.. thats what resulted in this discussion.
DeleteWell, Mr. Unspecy :), My husband wears glasses and I find him very sexy ;) Never been a problem for me. Of course, I do understand that people choose corrective surgery to help their confidence and I am okay with that too. Come to think of it, I am okay with a lot of things. Maybe I should change my name to "Ms. Okay with it all" :D
ReplyDeleteHaha... you and I are similar that way.. I'm okay with most things too.. not really a good attitude sometimes though, as I learned!!
DeleteI have specs I dont even know where it is...I just wear sunglasses without which people may go blind in middle east summers. :D By the way specs does not matter to be attracted to a person ...I guess weight matters :D LOL just pulling your leg ..in fact nothing matters :D
ReplyDeleteSo do you feel like sitting on a shewerma machine when you see one?
shavatilla kuttale.. dont poke the corpse!!
DeleteAnd for your last question *looks philosophically towards the setting sun and says* "every time woman... every time."
I dont wear specs but my husband and son do! I dont think, specs has lowered their confidence, ever. But yes, it is cumbersome sometimes. And since our spectacles budget for the sonny boy is pretty high so corrective surgery will be our saviour :D
ReplyDeleteif and when the time seems right, do consider it. I would recommend it.
Delete:) Unspecy :P I've never worn glasses till date- touchwood! But it's true that I've often wondered how it would be to wear specs all the time and look nerdy! The grass is always greener the other side!! Anyway, I'm okay with surgery and no-surgery! :)
ReplyDeletehaha.. true. The first few nights after the operation, I kept hitting my face trying to take off the imaginary glasses during my sleepy phase
DeleteI have worn glasses since I was 10. When I was in high school I got contacts, but never really liked them much. So I went back to wearing glasses full time. I like them.
ReplyDeleteI was okay with them for most of my life... finally decided I needed to make a change at a certain point. This was there at the back of my head so i went ahead with it.
DeleteI have been wearing glasses since i was 10 and contact lenses since I was 18. Been over 30 years. I am conscious of wearing glasses. Could be that old, old saying.."men don't make passes at gals wearing glasses'..probably it stuck with me. I know I look good without them. Nowadays almost all girls wear glasses, so poor men have no choice..And now I may as well wait for a cataract to develop & get rid of the glasses once & for all. ..why opt for lasix?
ReplyDeletehaha.. what a way to end that one :D
DeletePersonally, I never would make the distinction between glasses n no glasses but yes, I know many who would.. and as you can see, some do have that experience even within the comments here.
My daughter has been prescribed glasses for astigmatism. She is 6. She is quite excited about it. But it worries me .. as to the what ifs.. during her outdoor play time.
ReplyDeleteI believe there are no corrections for astigmatism.
i had myopia and astigmatism... trust me. There is a correction when the time and age is right.
DeleteI am pretty comfortable with my specs and do not think of any other way to my present life....
ReplyDeleteOk. How many years have you had them?
DeleteHa haa love the way you put it.
ReplyDeleteI had specs since 9th class.
When I joined college I shifted to contact lenses. But they did not suit me as I used to get dry eyes and red eyes...
So, I went back to specs.
The only time I hate specs is when I am out in sun and can't wear googles, and when I am out in rains and can't wear specs. :P :P
Oh I had the same issues as you - used to always have photochromatic lenses because of the sun and similarly, during rainy season always had to clean glasses...
DeleteI think, specs adds on matured n intelligent looks t the personality :P
ReplyDeleteI had too much maturity and intelligence. That's why I got rid of the specs :D
DeleteI'm the specky one and it's a part of my life that chucking it out makes me feel so incomplete. It got nothing to do with appearing intelligent or adding dash to persona..m happy being myself. It has become an inane and inseparable part of my life, much like we need heart and lungs as well as other body parts to function:)
ReplyDeleteI used to feel so incomplete without my specs while I had them because my vision would be so poor. Even if I gave it to someone to examine, I would be waiting impatiently for it to be returned back to me.. as you said, it felt like an essential part of the body.
DeleteI don't wear glasses but my family members do as well as many friends. I never thought about your question before. It makes no difference to me at all. Interesting points, however.
ReplyDeleteIt ideally should not make a difference to how we perceive people but sadly certain misconceptions and mindsets persist. That is what I was looking to evaluate here too.
DeleteI have had specs since childhood. Hated the ugly things back then. Got lenses while doing MBA. But am back to specs since a few years. Am too lazy and wear lenses off and on with specs. Would love to do away with specs but don't want to explore any option of any surgery. I feel sexy both with and without specs :-P.
ReplyDeleteI never really thought I would ever be free of specs.. had worn it since the age of 5 or 6 I think. But being a medico helped because you get to see all these advances as they come - technically it isnt a surgery in the sense of an instrument touching your eye. Personally, I too was very fidgety about my eye and any manipulation by the doc but it was all over so quickly I didnt notice.
DeleteI had this craze during my school days of wearing specs even though there was no problem with my eyesight. I would put on my dad's high powered specs and act all smart. More than the specs it's the frame that I am more fascinated with, But no luck, Seems I will have to live with perfect eyesight :P
ReplyDeleteHaha... you poor girl! Such a tough life with perfect eyesight :D
DeleteThe doctor prescribes specs for me when I was a kid and I used it while reading and sometimes while watching TV. Never got used to it. But my elder siblings wore specs and after they did the laser treatment, they absolutely transformed. I could notice a HUGE difference. But then again, the surgery and the end of the 'awkward' teen years kind of coincided. Some people actually look more attractive with their glasses, for example, Superman :)
ReplyDeleteThats exactly what the surgeon noticed as well with someone he knew.. there was a certain positive change in demeanour /personality following the operation and specs-free life.
DeleteSuperman looks more attractive with glasses? Really :p
How about a grill machine??? You wouldn't need anyone to rotate you around too!! Otherwise you know what happens with the Shawarma machine. Fat loss on one side! :P
ReplyDeleteAbout the specs part, although i did vote, I'm not actually qualified since I haven't stepped into that phase yet. Maybe soon...
Grill sounds fine but then wont I have striated loss of fat... some lines more than others? :D
DeleteI wore specs for nearly 13 years and then underwent LASIK. Well, to some it does give a look of intelligence :) . It depends on what frame you choose and how you flaunt it :)
ReplyDeleteI guess so... for me, the frames were inversely proportional to my size.. when I was "leaner", the frames were huge. As I grew "less leaner", the glasses shrunk in size. :D
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
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