It was August 1999 and just a few days after my 17th birthday, my longtime dream was about to happen. Whole year studying at high school in the USA was not a small deal for kid from Central European country that only 10 years earlier was communist stronghold. Since I spent my whole life in our capital city and saw New York in countless of movies, I obviously hoped to be assigned to NYC or maybe Chicago, even LA. Since the whole programme was not commercial, schools and guest families were mostly volunteers, I had no such luck. I guess, it was the first time I have ever heard about state called Idaho, when I received details about my year in the USA, but still, it was supposed to by experience to change my life forever. And it did… After long flight with two changes, I was finally landed at Boise Airport and was warmly welcome by a big men in his late forties who resembled John Goodman in Big Lebowski. During the long drive to his home he told me all about himself and his family. His name was Jack, his wife’s Melissa and they had daughter Karen, pretty much the same age as me. Jack was eye doctor and Melissa stayed at home. He wore big aviator framed eyeglasses, with normal looking lenses, at least to me. I really didn’t spend any time thinking about them, everything was new and intense. After two weeks the school began and even if I struggled at first with English and different accents then was taught in my school, everyone was really nice and helpful. Karen introduced me to all her friends. And since she was really popular cheerleader, they accepted me even with my weird accent. The only problem was my constant headache. It had started already when I was at home, but with all the preparations I ignored it. Now it was worse than ever and after longer reading I experienced even some double vision. Finally I mentioned my issue during a family dinner. Jack offered to do an examination next day, he even mentioned “Most likely it’s just that you are bit tired from all the reading at school, but why not to be absolutely sure that everything is OK with your eyes.” Why not, sure, I was able to watch TV from the the other side of the room and that was enough of a proof that there is nothing wrong with my eyes. Next day, after school, I went to Jack’s office and he really took his time with all the instruments. He even put some drops in my eyes and than did another round of exams. Why all that fuss when my eyes are all right, I thought? Than he sat down, looked into his papers and started talking. “Well, it seems, you have an issue called latent hyperopia. It’s a little bit surprising that you were never diagnosed before, but happens sometimes. Up until now, your ciliary muscles did all the hard work, but as you grow older, they just can’t cope. I can see, that you have troubles with accommodation up close and also some convergence issues.” I understood barely half of what he said, but I knew it’s not good news. “OK, by what does it mean?” “You will have to start wearing glasses obviously. We will start with weaker prescription to let your eyes get accustomed and during the year that you are supposed to stay with us, it will be gradually increased and you leave, you will have just the prescription that you need.” I was flabbergasted. I don’t need glasses, I see perfectly well, no problem at all! But Jake had different opinion and I was in no position do argue with him. We went to eyeglasses store next door and I picked plain black rectangular plastic frame. It was actually my third choice, but two pairs that I preferred were vetoed by Jack. They wouldn’t fit your prescription well, he said. Next three days I was pissed pretty much all the time. Glasses! But at least I found comfort in the fact that as well as most of my friends back home, I could easily switch to contact lenses and everything will be all right. On the fourth day Jack took me back to the optical store. When I saw my (MY!) new glasses, I thought I would faint. Not only that they looked like two glasses, but they had a line across both lenses. None of my schoolmates wore glasses like that, only very old people! I was unable to speak… After some adjustment I wanted to put the glasses back in their case, but Jack smiled and said “Absolutely not, you will have to wear them all the time from now on.” My heart sank. Back in the car I started asking Jack countless questions, which he patiently answered. Yes, I will have to wear them full time. Yes, they will get significantly stronger during my year in Idaho. The line is there, because I need additional help with reading and closeup work. Yes, it could be possible to have some other type of lenses without the line, but it will wait after I have my full prescription. And than the worst one. No, there is no chance that I could replace the glasses with contact lenses, my prescription simply wouldn’t allow it. I had a chance to look on the slip of paper, where my prescription was. R: sph +1.25 cyl -1.0x45 add +1.5 prism 3BO L: +1.5 -1.25x55 add +1.5 prism 3BO. But it could be written in Chinese, I understood absolutely nothing. When we were turning on the driveway Jack mentioned “Don’t worry, you won’t be the only one with new glasses at school tomorrow. Karen picked hers yesterday.” It lifted my mood a bit, but since I never saw her in glasses, I assumed that they would probably be weak and normal looking, not like those monstrosities that were stuck on my face. In barely thirty minutes I saw how mistaken I was. Karen came down from her room for the dinner and on her face were the strangest looking glasses. Obviously very strong, the lenses had little circles in them and their front vere completely flat and creating massive reflections. She didn’t say a word during the dinner and immediately after returned to her room. At 9pm I heard silent knocking on the door. It was Karen. “I see you got glasses as well” she said. “Yeah, but I don’t believe I really need them” I replied. “Well, if my father said you need glasses, you definitely need them. He is really good, you know.” “What is with your glasses, they look real strong?” “I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 6. For the 12th birthday I got contact lenses and was never seen in glasses again. Last week I went for the annual checkup and dad told me that not only my prescription increased significantly, but my corneas are scratched from all the time with contacts and I will have to stop wearing them for at least 6 months.” “That sucks! What about the cheerleading?” “It’s out of the question, I would lose my glasses like 5 seconds into the set. And you know… No one likes ugly cheerleaders.” She started crying. “Come on, you are very attractive, if I may say that, with or without your glasses.” “No way, I feel ugly every time I look in the mirror. I don’t even see that well, there is zero peripherial vision. I should say you look good in your glasses, but it’s not like as if they improved your appearance.” TBC
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