The Unexpected Journey Through Eyeglasses

A personal story of vision, frustration, and gratitude

I’ve been spending a small fortune on glasses over the past few years, and honestly, it’s beginning to wear me down.

When I was younger, I saw glasses as an accessory – a fashion statement. I remember trying on my best friend’s medicated pair when we were about nine years old, posing in front of the mirror and imagining I was smarter just by wearing them.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What I didn’t realise?

Genetics had already placed a bet on me.
My dad started wearing glasses as a pre-teen.
My mum, just before university.
My youngest siblings needed prescriptions before they were ten.

Somehow, I thought I was built differently. Stronger. Immune.

👁️‍🗨️ The Signs I Ignored

Then came the headaches.
The blurry moments.
The squinting.

I blamed allergies. Stress. Anything but my eyes.
I didn’t tell anyone.

Until my mum noticed.
One eye test later, my glasses journey officially began.

My first pair was cute – nothing to complain about. But as the years passed, the prescriptions got stronger, and the bills got steeper. Every two years, I’d drop around £300 on new lenses and frames…

Until two years ago – when things escalated.

🔁 The Cycle of Change (and Cost)

I noticed my glasses felt… off.

I went for an early test, only to discover a significant change. My astigmatism had worsened, and the optician suggested I now needed a reading correction too.

Welcome to the world of varifocals.

Those varifocals cost me £400.

I wasn’t happy, but I adjusted – until 10 months later, when I found myself squinting again.

Another test.

Another prescription change.

This time, I was told I was varifocal intolerant. Fantastic.

That meant an additional pair of occupational glasses, specially designed for screen time (I am always on the computer).

Total cost: £745. (Yes, you read that right, approximately 1.5 million Naira)

🧳 Now, I Juggle Three Pairs

🖥️ One pair on my desk at home
🚪 Another by the door, ready for quick exits
🚗 And prescription sunglasses, permanently living in the car

My life is now scheduled around corrective lenses.

💸 Frustrated. Exhausted. But also… Privileged.

It’s frustrating. It’s expensive. It’s exhausting.

But it’s also a privilege.

What if I couldn’t afford any of these glasses?
What if my condition required surgery or something more complicated?
What if there was no solution at all?

So here I am – annoyed, yes. But grateful.

🧘‍♀️ Grateful that my vision, though imperfect, can be corrected.
💷 Grateful that I can afford the care I need.
👀 Grateful that my eyes, despite their quirks, still allow me to see.

And for now, that’s enough.

👓 Wearing glasses has become part of my rhythm - but so has reflection.

If you’ve ever faced a similar journey – of changing prescriptions, rising costs, or the quiet frustration of needing support – I’d love to hear from you.