Went to Lenscrafters to check out some new specs the other day. An attractive blonde lady , early to mid twenties was there picking up her new specs, which were slight plus in a Blue plastic oval frame. She was standing in front of the counter getting ready to put on her new glasses , as I noticed the tell-tale line of flat-top bifocals, It was her first pair, I could hear her say, As I listened in to clerk dispensing the specs. I heard her ask why bifocals at her age. The optician said it was very common in young farsighted people to need more help in reading up close.
As she tried on the bifocals she could not believe the difference they made. Were her eyes really that bad? I noticed her reading the small card they give you to read up close and then glancing in the istance back and forth, then lifting the bifocals up and looking at the card without the specs and commenting, she could not read the bottom 5 lines. without the bifocals. Then she asked the clerk about the line in the bifocals, she wondered how noticeable it was to other people. The clerk reassured her that nobody would notice. With that the clerk a cute twenty something herself asked the new bifocal wearing girl to look closely at her gold metal framed glasses.
As she lifted her head to peer at her with the lower segment of her new FT 25 bifocals. She noticed that the clerk was wearing bifocals as well. “ I never would have guessed you need bifocals too” she said “you’re so young”. See as I said we see them at any age”. I’m 27 and have had these for three years. I started out wearing the half glasses just for reading, they really made me feel old but I quickly found that I could not read anything without them. After a trip to my eye doctor she suggested that I try bifocals. She said I was farsighted and need more help in reading. She prescribed bifocals. I have +1.00 in each eye with a + 2.00 add, “just a little stronger bifocal than your +1.50. but if you ‘re like me you will get an increase quickly. After less than a year I went from a + .75 add to a +1.25 add and I’m ready for something stronger already. I recently bought some + 3.00 reading glasses that I use when I read at home.They are pretty strong but I can sure see up close with them.
As the clerk cleaned her new bifocals she asked the optician how much should she wear them. She told her to wear them as much as she could to become comfortable with them, but then as needed. And not to be surprised that wearing them all the time would be the best.
While the clerk was finishing up adjusting her new bifocals, she picked up the reading card again trying to read it. Saying she just never knew how much she was missing.
Putting her new bifocals on she tried again to read the card ,and found it once again clear through her bottom segment. The optician gave her the standard waning about steps and moving your head to read and not just your eyes. The optician said she wears her bifocals from the first thing in the morning to the last thing at night and would never go without them. She said her distance would be OK but could not read anything without them.
With that, the new wearer was still raising and lowering her chin glancing in the distance and looking at her watch commenting what a difference they made. She still was apprehensive about that new line in her glasses, saying she really felt it was right in the way of everything she looked at. The you clerk assured her it would quickly pass.
She suggested that a pair of full frame reading glasses would make reading and close tasks more comfortable. The clerk reached into her purse and retrieved her +3.00 reading glasses. She quickly tried them on and found them very comfortable to read with and quickly commented that even her distance vision was OK.
The optician checked her prescription against her new bifocals, realizing she had a + 3.00 distance in each eye with an add of +1.50, It was obvious the reason she see far away with the clerks reading glasses.
After a few minutes of wearing the reading glasses she handed them back to clerk. In just that short time her eyes had adjusted to the glasses and now even her distance vision was blurry. Quickly she wasted no time in putting her new bifocals back on. Finding instant relief in her new bifocals.
The optician noticing the her apprehension about her new bifocals, suggested that they eat lunch together as it was the noon hour.
She eagerly agreed . As they left the store Amy (the new bifocal wearer) was removing and putting on her new bifocals as they strolled through the mall, trying to get used her new lenses.
At the restaurant the waiter brought menu’s, she noticed Carol (the optician) lift her head to read the menu from the bottom segment of her bifocals. “Do you automatically do that” she asked ? “What do you mean, “the way you lift your head to read from the bifocals” “I don’t know I’m even doing it any more It’s just natural. “I guess I cant see up close and automatically just lift my head to read.
Amy, by this time was doing the chicken dance trying both parts of her glasses to read the menu.”So how are the bifocals”? “asked Carol. I still am trying to decide which part to use. “Its amazing how I never realized that I needed glasses.” Let alone bifocals, I feel so old’.
Are you sure no will notice the line and that I am wearing bifocals ? Amy asked. Carol told Amy that in her three years of wearing them that her boyfriend noticed hers only after she mentioned that she had them. She once tried the no –line type and just could not get used to the small reading part of the glasses. They lasted only one month. It was then she went back to her eye doctor and had to get stronger bifocals after only 1 year of having them. She noticed that reading had become difficult like before she had the bifocals. Her doctor told her to expect a stronger add every year. And she has been right on track started out with +.75 then +1.25 recently +2.00 and feels she needs more help already. I am resolved to wearing bifocals and I think next time I will get the type with the line all the way across my glasses so I have the whole bottom part of the lenses for up close. They will be great for work. I need the large segment to help me see up close.
Amy took off the bifocals, but immediately put them right back on. It had become apparent that she has already grown comfortable in the clear vision the bifocals provided. Lunch continued without any more talk of bifocals.
Amy told Carol she had a second appointment in 3 months and she would see her then….
Amy spent the next 90 days getting used to her new clear vision and bifocals. She wore them day and night and was never without them. Day by day her eyes grew accustomed to having the bifocals. Her unaided vision now was poor without the lenses.
Her appointment with her optometrist went as planned. When It came to the near point part of the she just could not read most of the chart even with her glasses. The doctor explained to her about increasing the add to compensate. Amy worried that her add was strong for someone her age. The doctor told Amy that it would probably stabilize in a couple of years, but be prepared for a stronger add in the future. As the doctor prepared her new scrip Amy put on her bifocals just in time to read her new scrip . R + L + 3.75 add + 2.75
On her way to Lenscrafters Amy could not believe how bad her eyes have become in such a short time.
She went from no glasses to full time wear in just 3 months.
In the mall Amy removed her bifocals as she strolled the stores. as soon as she tried to read the price of an item on the shelf she immediately knew that bifocals had become a permanent fixture. Amy tried to read, but it was no use On came the bifocals. To her amazement even with the glasses she still could not make out the price on the shelf. She tried the top and then the bottom segment still just a blur. She couldn’t wait to get her new glasses. At Lenscrafters, Carol waited on Amy right away. She asked Amy how have the bifocals worked. Amy told her they have become a permanent part of her life. She tries to do without them from time to time But has to wear them for any up close task. She had to put them on even to dial her cell phone at the mall.
Carol asked Amy for her new prescription and commented about the increase in scrip. Amy wondered about the stronger bifocal segment and when would it stop increasing. Carol told her if it would makeher feel any better. That she had a big increase at her last visit as well. Saying that her new scrip was R+L 2.75 with a 2.25 add. Amy told Carol she liked her new glasses and wondered about the executive style bifocal that Carol was wearing. Carol explained to Amy that they were great for work but did not look the best cosmetically and admitted to having a pair of rimless FT35 bifocals for other things. Carol said going without her glasses was no longer an option. She wore them all the time. Carol asked Amy about her job, Amy told her she worked in a book Store as a manager. Saying she did close tasks all day and would be totally incapacitated with out her bifocals. In fact the other day she came to work without her glasses, tried to read by holding material as far away as she could, but ended up going home to get them .
Carol gave Amy her new Executive bifocals to try and Amy looked for away and close saying she really liked the wide close up view the bifocals gave her. She decided to get two pair one in executive the other in a FT35.
As Amy returned to pick up her new bifocals, Amy noticed one of her employees from the book store another twenty some thing brunette. Amy never noticed her weariing glasses before. As she approached, Cathy she heard Carol telling her she would need reading glasses over her contacts.so that’s why she needed BIFOCALS. “Another one of us” Carol told Amy She was just prescribed bifocals too R+.50 L+.25 Add + 1.75
The routine continued with all three eating lunch together Amy with her new executive bifocals and Cathy realizing how much clearer her world has become with her new round segment +1.75 bifocals. Saying even her food is now blurry without her new glasses .
Cathy seemed more at ease in dealing with her new glasses. Saying she really liked the magnification of the small round segments. Cathy pulled a mirror from her purse and looked up and down through each segment at her new glasses wondering also, if people would notice that she now has bifocals. Carol told her not to worry, that it was very common. They all seemed to joke that there was something in the air that caused them all have bifocals at their ages.
The young waitress arrived, to take their order. The waitress seemed to have trouble in seeing the check ,so she asked Amy to wait as she slid on her glasses , “I just can’t seem to get used to wearing bifocals, I’m only 23 and I can’t yet walk around in them they make me dizzy, But anymore I can’t even take an order without them I feel like my mom ! “Just wait till you girls need them”……” Can I take your order ‘?