Hi, I am kind of new here. Last month I posted on another topic about a question I had. I was blown away by how kind, helpful, and welcoming everyone was. While on the site, I found my way to this topic filled with great stories. I read and enjoyed so many of them. There are many talented writers in our midst. As I read more and more of them, I kept getting the urge to write one too. I am no writer, and this is the the first story I have written since grade school. However, I hope even one person enjoys it half as much as I enjoyed the wonderful stories I read.
Disclaimer: I do not know much about glasses or vision. If I made any technical errors that is why, please forgive me.
My name is Heaven, and this is my story. I have a twin sister named Angel. Even though we look a lot alike, we are not identical twins. This is most evident in our eyesight.
I first noticed my eyesight was not exactly as good as it should be when I was 5 years old. This was the first secret I would keep. I even kept it from Angel. During my time in kindergarten, I gradually moved closer and closer to the front of the classroom to make it easier to see. It worked, and no one knew I could not see well. I was happy when Summer Break started because it would be easier to keep my secret.
Secrets are infamous for finding a way out. My secret was no different, and it too would eventually came out.
THE BIG SECRET
When first grade started, things were still going well on the secret front. After a few weeks, my teacher decided we needed assigned seating. I got lucky, and was sat near the front. It was a little hard to see, but livable. The seats changed a few more times. Once I was moved even closer, then I was moved back to about the same distance. Then, came the horror. My teacher reformatted the classroom desks in a ‘U," and I was seated in the back.
Suddenly, first grade got a lot harder. Then, soon after my worst nightmare came true. One day we had to copy a few sentences from the board, and the teacher did not read it out while she wrote it. I tried my best, but it was a black blur of vague letter-like shapes. I copied what I thought I was seeing. I thought I was doing well, but then the teacher came around and check our progress. I WAS CAUGHT.
My teacher took a look at my notebook and first she thought I was being careless and disrespecting the assignment and her. When I said, I was not and was just writing what I saw, she reluctantly believed me and had me move up to a reading table right in front of the board. While it made the assignment a lot easier, I was terrified about what would happen. I was sure she was going to tell my parents. To my surprise, she did not. My secret, was still somewhat of a secret. My parents and sister had no idea.
Once again, the summer was easy and carefree other than our move and having to push books closer to read. Summer was a relief. However, soon after second grade started, a hurdle I had not anticipated came my way. Our new school was doing a health screening for all of the students. Part of the screening was a vision test.
We got notified about the screenings about a month before they happened. I used that month to build up the courage to tell Angel. Turns out she had been keeping a secret too. She felt like she could not hear too well. Both of us did not want our secrets to come out to our parents. We decided I would take the hearing screening for both of us and she would take the vision screening for both of us. That way, we could both pass both screenings! It was a solid plan, and it worked.
INTRODUCTION TO GLASSES
By second grade I had become a pro at maneuvering around my weakening vision. I took on the class chore of caring for the assignment turn in trays. This way, when I could not see what I was supposed to on the board, I could go to the trays and look at my classmates’ work. We also did not have assigned seating, so I always tried not to be in the back, but thanks to my class chore, I had a failsafe in place to help me through.
It was also in second grade that I first saw a kid wearing glasses. The kid was one of my classmate’s cousin that was visiting from Australia. She came to school with him for a couple days, and was sat near me. I was fascinated by the glasses and asked her why she wore them. She explained that they helped her see better and for example that without them, she could not see everything on the board, but with them, she could see everything perfectly. I was very much amused because until then, I had only seen my grandparents wearing glasses sometimes to read, so I had no idea they could help me see better for distance.
The next day a couple other kids were also asking her about her glasses. She asked us if we wanted to try them on, but her cousin warned us her eyes were bad and we will not be able to see. I was third, and her cousin’s warning seemed to be holding up because the other two kids complained they could not see anything when they walked around with them. When I put them on, I was surprised I could actually see pretty well. With them on, I could see the board better, but still had to walk to about the halfway point to see everything on the board. I did not want anyone to know I could see with them, so I pretended I could not just like the other two kids.
Now, I knew glasses could help me see a little better. They did not help me all they way, and I did not want them, so I kept it to myself and did not even tell Angel. I managed to get through second grade without ever getting caught for not seeing well even though by the end of second grade I could not read anything on the board from the back half of the classroom.
MYOPIC HEAVEN
That summer was the end of my secret. We moved again that summer because of Dad’s job. One of our neighbor hosted a block party, and had some of their family there too. My dad met the neighbor’s brother that was visiting from another state. He happened to be an optometrist, and I guess he told my dad about the importance of eye exams because later that week Angel and I were told we were getting eye exams the following week.
I knew I was getting glasses, and was super nervous. I had never had an eye exam before, and had no idea how they would know that I needed glasses. When we got there, and it was our turn, they called Angel and me back together. I convinced Angel to go first because I was scared and wanted to see what happens. The first step was easy. All I had to do was stare into a box and watch a hot air balloon.
The next part would bring my secret out to the surface. When the doctor came in the room, she put a chart of letters on the wall. Angel was sitting on the big black exam chair. I was sitting on the side next to Mom. Angel did very well, so I thought it could not be very hard. I was wrong.
When it was my turn, I was shocked that I could not see any of the letters. I knew there was a big E there, so I said I could see the E. I also horribly attempted the second line, but was told not to squint. Without being able to squint, I had to admit defeat. Mom and Angel gasped when I said, that without squinting all I could see was the E. I felt so blind, but then the doctor put the big black funny binocular looking glasses in front of me. Suddenly everything was so much clearer. I could see. I read most of the chart with them. Then, the doctor closed my left eye, and switched around between different lenses. Some made it easier to see, and some made it harder. Eventually, I was able to read the whole chart with both eyes individually and together. At the end when I was done reading the charts and the doctor was done looking at my eyes, she said my eyes were healthy, but I was myopic or nearsighted and need glasses. She also said she wanted to see me again in six months to see how my vision changes, and wants to see Angel again in a year for an annual check.
I had to pick out frames. I must admit it was fun trying on so many different frames. Angel and Mom helped. I had decided I was not going to wear the glasses, so while I was having fun, I did not care what frame I ended up with. I knew where it was going, and where it was going to stay, in my dresser. Two weeks later, the whole family went to go pick up my glasses. When the optician put them on me, I was amazed. Everything in the room was so clear. I could see details I never noticed before about my parents and sister. Then, I looked in the mirror, and remembered, it did not matter how things looked because I was never going to wear them after I got home.
When we got home, I got the case from my dad and went straight to my room. I opened the case to put the glasses in there. There was a little card in the case. The front side had the doctor’s name and the office’s name, but the back side had a two lines with numbers. It read,
R: -3.00 L: -3.50.
Six months came and went. My glasses stayed in their case, and the case stayed in my dresser drawer only to come out for my six month appointment. At the six month appointment, we did all the same things again except this time I did not have to try to read the chart without my glasses which was great. However, I did have to read it with them. To my surprise, I could not see all of it. The doctor said it was okay, all it meant was I needed an adjustment to my prescription. Again, she wanted to see me in six months. Again, I picked out glasses, and came back in two weeks to pick them up. Again, I wore them out the office and took them straight to my room to be put in their case in my dresser drawer next to the old ones. Again, there was a card in the case. The front read the same and the back was formatted the same, but had different numbers. The new numbers were,
R:-3.75 L: -4.25.
At this point, I was about halfway through third grade, and still finding ways to hide the fact that I need glasses. Angel was also a great help because she did not tell any of our friends or anyone from school that I had glasses. Probably because if she did, I would tell that she has trouble hearing. Somehow, I managed to successfully finish third grade without anyone knowing I needed glasses.
That summer, Angel and I had to get our eyes tested again. Once again, Angel did perfectly and I needed new glasses. My eyesight changed again, but this time I was told I did not need to come back in six months but just like Angel I needed to in a year. I picked out a new pair. After picking them up two weeks later, I did the same thing as the last two times when I got home. Just like the last two times, there was a card in the case. This time it read,
R:-4.00 L:-4.25.
Although I planned to never wear the glasses, I could not help it. Watching TV was impossible without them, so I started wearing them at home sometimes. I still never wore them outside. When school started, I quickly realized no amount of squinting even from the front row was helping, so I was completely relying on copying off my tablemates when they were not looking.
At this point I was 9 years old. I was pretty much wearing my glasses all the time at home, but still not outside the house. All good things come to an end, and soon enough I was going to have to wear my glasses more often.
HEAVEN IN GLASSES
Towards the end of fourth grade my nightmare came true again. Except, this time I was called on to do a math problem on the projector from my seat. My heart sunk. I could not see any of it. The boy sitting next to me did not have it written down, and the teacher had not read it aloud. I decided it was better to play dumb, so I told the teacher I did not know how to do it. That did not help me because the teacher wanted me to work though it out loud. We were doing division, so she asked me what the first number was. I had to admit defeat by saying I did not know. At this point the teacher was kind of mad at my lack of trying, so I then clarified my earlier statement by saying I could not see it.
At the end of the school day the teacher sent me home with a note in an envelope and said I need to get my parents to sign it. Apparently the note said I should get my eyes checked because I most likely need glasses. My mom called the teacher that evening and clarified that I already have glasses and agreed that I would wear them starting the next day.
Now, my secret was out. Everyone knew I needed glasses. I was wearing them during classes, but was still too ashamed to wear them unless I was being told I had, so I was only wearing them during class time. Even in class, I took them off during reading time.
That summer, I turned 10. My next eye exam was coming up, and I knew I was going to need new glasses because I was having trouble seeing well with my current ones even when reading. Just as I anticipated, my eyes had gotten worse, and I needed new glasses. This time the doctor told Dad my prescription increased again and I now also have something called astigmatism, so the new glasses may take some getting used to. I was still not wearing my glasses all of the time, so when I got home the day I went to pick up the glasses I did the same thing I had in the past. This time the card in the glasses case had the following numbers,
R: -5.00 and -0.75 L: -5.75 and -1.00.
That was also the summer I had my first double date. Angel and I were asked out by a couple friends we met at the pool. We were going to go over to one of their houses to watch a movie, then to get ice cream down the street. That made me nervous because I did not think I would be able to see well without my glasses and I did not want to wear my glasses. Turns out I was not the only one nervous about the date. Angel was afraid they might not turn up the volume enough to where she can hear it well. She said she can only hear the TV well when the volume is up high. Given my issue would be seeing the TV and her’s would be hearing it, we decided afterwards if there was talk about the movie, we could just work as a team. I could talk about what I heard and Angel could focus on what she saw.
Our plan did not go too well. My date noticed me squinting, and asked if I could see okay. Once again, I had to admit I could hardly see. However, turns out, he also had glasses. Since we were at his house, he said he could grab his glasses and I could wear them because he was not having trouble seeing the TV. I agreed, but they did not help much at all. After the movies, he insisted I keep them on when we went for ice cream. At the end of the date, after ice cream, we all decided to do it again the following week. As I was giving Aaron his glasses back he said I could use them on our next date too. I then told him that I actually already had glasses, and asked if it was okay if I wore them next time because his glasses did not help that much. He said he would like that because he thought I looked good with glasses. He also said he would join me and wear his too. Then, he told me I should have told him I could not see well in his glasses. He said he would have let me try his brother’s old glasses because he has worse eyesight than him.
The next week, I was super nervous about wearing my glasses. They had gotten so thick, and my eyes looked smaller when I wore them. I was sure he would think he got stuck with the uglier twin. To my surprise, though he said he liked them and as promised wore his glasses too. Also to my surprise, I ended up keeping the glasses on when we went out for ice cream and on the walk home with Angel afterwards. Just like that, I suddenly became a full-time glasses wearer. It was a good thing too because my eyesight kept getting worse. So much so that by 8th grade I was realizing another vision issue too. I was getting occasional double vison which made gym class very difficult. By the time I went in for my appointment after 8th grade when I was 13, my doctor said my eyes are changing so much that I should come in in six months instead of a year.
At that year’s appointment, I told my doctor about the issues I was having with double vision and headaches even with my glasses. The doctor said it was no problem and my new glasses could help me out with that too. By then, I had a little bit of an understanding for the numbers on the card in my glasses case every year. I knew that the bigger the number was, the worse my eyes were, and by then my eyesight was terrible. I had also realized that my glasses were always getting thicker, and my eyes were looking smaller and smaller with every new glasses. At this point my glasses were already flat on the fronts and sticking out on both sides of the frames. I was nervous about how the new glasses would look.
By the end of the appointment, the doctor said I had another large jump, and that I would be getting prescribed prisms to help with the double vision. The doctor also said I should come in in six months instead of a year for next time because of how fast my eyes were changing and because she wanted to check in to see how I was doing with the prisms. The new numbers that year were,
R; -13.5, -1.25, and 2 BO L: -15.0, -1.75, and 2 BO.
I had gotten these cute small little frames rectangular frames, but the lenses looked super thick. Suddenly, I was ashamed of them again after all these years. Not knowing what to do, I decided to hide away the new glasses in my trusty old dresser drawer, and keep wearing my old pair. I figured dealing with a little double vison, the occasional headaches, and slightly less than perfect eyesight was better than wearing the ice cubes on a frame.
HEAVEN’S ACCEPTANCE
I spent almost the whole of high school wearing those same old glasses I got when I turned 12. While the glasses I wore did not change, my prescription kept changing. Eventually near the end of 11th grade the glasses were no good. I was once again caught for not being able to see well in school. I was sent to the nurse’s office where she tested my vision with the classic eye chart. Needless to say, I did awful. It was so embarrassing because I already had on such thick glasses. The nurse called my mom and told her I need to get a new eye exam because my vision with my current glasses was poor. Then, I had no choice but to start wearing my newest glasses again.
The summer before college at my appointment, much to my surprise I was asked to read small small chart with big black glasses after the doctor finished up the normal stuff. When asked to read it I had a hard time because the last few lines just looked like little fuzzy black dots and I could not read them. However, after a few clicks the doctor was able to bring the whole small chart into focus. I was then told I will now need two pairs of glasses. One for everyday distance use and one for close work such as reading. I was also told that while my new glasses will help me see better, I was no longer going to be able to see 20/20. My new prescriptions were,
Distance: R: -18.50, -1.50, 12 BO L: -20.75, -1.75, 12 BO
Near: R: -17.00, -1.50, 14 BO L: -19.25, -1.75, 14 BO.
After months of discussion, Angel and I decided to go to different universities. Both of us were moving away and going to be apart from each other for the first time. That first year of college turned out to be great for both of us in terms of personal development.
In the first few weeks of college I met a wonderful group of friends. Unlike in high school, most of them wore glasses. One guy named Hunter even wore these magnificent pair that had these circles in them. They were the perfect glasses for on the perfect boy.
When he asked me out for the first time, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. On our date, he was super understanding about my vision, and made sure we were not seated in a dim part of the restaurant.
At the restaurant, I finally asked him about his unique looking glasses. He told me they were what are called myodiscs. They are made for people with very high myopia. He told me he first started wearing glasses when he was 3 years old, and got his first myodiscs when he was 12 years old. His current prescription was -24.5 and -26.75. He also had separate reading glasses. He complimented me and my glasses. That was the first someone had complimented my glasses other than Angel since Aaron.
For the first time in my life I was with someone that had worse vision than me. Also, for the first time in my life I felt beautiful in my own skin and with my glasses. I no longer felt like the ugly twin or the blind twin. I was Heaven the beautiful girl with the beautiful glasses.
Turns out Hunter’s mom lived in the same town as me, so we went home together. Much to my surprise, Hunter was my first date, Aaron’s twin brother. However, that was not the only surprise I was getting that thanksgiving.
When Angel came home. She told me she wanted to show me something. After so many years of hiding her hearing loss, Angel finally got her hearing tested and got herself a pair of hearing aids.
Hunter and I continued to date. We loved that we had so much in common. We also loved each other’s glasses. He loved the prism correction in mine and I loved the strength of his. Sometimes we would try on each other’s glasses. After seeing how much I loved his glasses, he ordered a spare pair and let me have them. He also told me that he had heard if I wore them enough I could get my prescription up to his if I wanted to, and I did. I loved the idea of having the same prescription and being able to wear each other’s glasses.
Turns out he did too, so at his next appointment he complained of double vision and asked if he could get prims in his glasses help. His doctor agreed and prescribed him 1 BO prism diopter. However, he changed the 1 to a 4 on his prescription card before going to the optical shop. He looked amazing in his new glasses even though they were no longer myodiscs.
By junior year of college we had almost the same prescriptions. We were just a couple of thick glasses wearers and lovers madly in love with each other! That year when we went home for Thanksgiving break, he proposed to me. Of course I said yes!
That summer, we found ourselves back home. Hunter, Angel, Aaron and I spent a lot of time together. Also, that summer Angel got prescribed her first pair of glasses. Turns out the college years had taken their toll, and she needed readers. Also, turns out Aaron still had a thing for pretty girls in glasses because shortly after a romance began to blossom between Angel and Aaron and they soon began dating.
That summer after college was a busy one. We were getting ready for our wedding and graduate school. I was going into optometry and Hunter was going to get his MBA. Together we planned to open and run our own optometry practice one day!
The wedding was beautiful. Hunter and I even helped Aaron propose to Angel that summer. We decided to wait to go on our honeymoon, so all of us could have a joint honeymoon. The next year after Angel and Aaron’s wedding we all went to Hawaii for a wonderful honeymoon. Everything was great, except a little accident that caused my glasses to break. Thankfully, Hunter and I basically have the same prescription, so I wore his spare pair.
When we got back, Hunter booked us both eye exams. My prescriptions changed a little, and was now,
Distance: R: -25 25, -2.00, 17 BO L: -28.00, -1.75, 17 BO
Near: R: -23.25, -2.00, 19 BO L: -26.00, -2.00, 19 BO.
After the eye exams, Hunter told me there was one other place he wanted us to stop. I was surprised when we pulled into the parking lot of an audiologist. I asked Hunter if he was having trouble with his hearing, but he said no. He told me he had been noticing I was having trouble. I was missing a lot more calls, missing what people were saying more often, asking people to repeat themselves a lot, I was turning up the volume for things al the time, and because Angel has hearing loss it might run in the family. He said he had scheduled me an appointment, but it was up to me if I wanted to go in or not. I had not noticed any hearing issues, but when he told me all of that I realized he may be right and onto something.
The appointment confirmed his suspicions. Turns out, I did have some hearing loss. The day I got my hearing aids, I went to pick them up without Hunter. When he came home, I had two surprises for him. Not only did I get the hearing aids, but that night I told Hunter we were expecting our first child! To celebrate we went out with Angel and Aaron. They were both happy for us and happy I finally got hearing aids. The boys commented how lucky they were to have found such a beautiful set of twins. They also said they loved our glasses and hearing aids. Then Angel commented, who would have thought back when we had that health screening in second grade where we pulled a twin switch that both of us would end up in glasses and hearing aids.
I smiled and thought, look at us now: two young beautiful and confident girls with glasses and hearing aids and amazing husbands. I then realized how much I had grown to love my glasses. If it were not for them, I do not think I would have ended up marrying the love of my life. I realized how many wonderful things came from me wearing glasses. How lucky was I to have been the myopic twin!