This story is based on something I suspected was happening in the 70’s. No real names or events are used. I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s with my best friend Adam Aarons and we were both in the same high school graduating class of 79. I started suspecting about age 11 I needed glasses and I was right. My first real eye exam revealed mild Hyperopia and Astigmatism. At first I only wore my glasses when reading but soon with my Optometrists ok at age 12 I started wearing them all the time. Adam I suspected needed glasses by age 14 for a couple of reasons. Adam used to hate sitting at the front of the class but when Jr. high school started and some teachers started letting us pick our seats he always picked the front row. The other thing I noticed is when the school held annual vision screening Adam always stood close to the kids with good eyes or who were wearing glasses. I suspected Adam was memorizing the letters read by other kids. I ran into Adam’s Mom who I had a good relationship with and asked if I could tell her something in confidence. Adam was not with her that day and I told her of my suspicion he needed glasses and was faking the school exam. Adam’s Mom said she would ask him but of course he denied it. I was reasonably sure Adam faked his drivers permit eye test by listening to me even though per my Optometrist my Hyperopia was so mild I would not need glasses to pass the exam and I didn’t get the restriction. We both took drivers education the first semester of our sophomore year and on the last day of school which was only a half day we were taken by our Moms to get our drivers license. Due to good grades in both parts of drivers education neither of was required to take an in car test. I was just ahead of Adam for the vision screening and as expected I passed without my glasses. The clerk was my first cousin and he was required by policy to let another clerk conduct the screening. My cousin who wore hearing aids covered by his long hair was also a lip reader unknown to Adam. While Adam silently mouthed something my cousin read his lip and realized he was mouthing the letters I had just read. Unknown to Adam my cousin changed the plate on the machine to different letters. Adam steps up to the machine and confidently he thinks reads the letters of course getting every one wrong. My cousin says nice try but you need glasses. Not only that my cousin is required by law to report Adam to the state BMV. The BMV comes down hard on Adam ruling he can’t get his license until age 18 and his appeal was denied. This happened to be my 16th birthday which at that time was the youngest you could get a license in our state. As I walk out of the BMV my 16th birthday was sitting in the parking lot, a 1969 Chevelle. The car had been brought by my Dad who had taken off work to do so. I was further surprised when my Dad got into my Mom’s car with her and said we’ll meet you at home. Have a nice first licensed drive which I did. Adam on the other hand walks out with his very angry Mom and is told to get in the car and shut up. Adam’s Mom comes over to where I’m sitting in my car and asked if she can get in and talk to me in private. Adam’s Mom had not believed me two years ago when I tried to tell her he may need glasses and have even seemed kind of angry after the whole deal broke down and said I’m sorry the way I’ve treated you the last two years. Adam’s Mom continued you as I only had his best interests in mind. I go thru the rest of high school driving my car with no tickets or accidents while Adam has to wait for his senior year is almost over to even get his learners permit because he had to be 18 to do so. Adam does finally get his license during the summer after his senior year and for the 2 or 3 years before I moved out of the area and lost contact with him only wore his glasses when driving. Adam’s deception made me realize if I ever had kids which I never did they would have regular Optometrist exams.
https://vision-and-spex.com/adam-s-scheme-revealed-t1327.html