Eyeglasses – Why we feel embarrassed wearing them

“Just tell him we now use microwaves,” my mother jokingly advised me, when I came home sobbing, because some kid called me a “four burner gas stove”. I decided glasses are the devil’s tools and ditched them for good. I was ten. The next decade or so was spent being in denial about my poor vision or the fact that I need to wear eyeglasses 24/7. 

In high school, during classes, I was forced to put them on so I can see what’s written on the blackboard. Same thing in college and later, at work. In the rest of the time, I kept them sealed in their little case like a dirty secret. Nobody had to know I was blind like a bat. “Stop being so vain. One day you’ll slip on a banana peel and break your leg,” my best friend, a lifelong, diligent eyeglass wearer, warned me one day, after I confessed her I mistook a random stranger for a coworker. Her comment left me untroubled; I was vain after all.

Ignoring myopia though came at a high price. I lived in a wishy-washy world, where squinting allowed me to see only faceless people and bland trees or buildings. Turns out, I’m hardly unique. A recently survey by MediaPost Communication on behalf of Bausch & Lomb, one of the world's largest suppliers of eye health products, found an unusual reason people refuse to wear glasses. Apparently, “the simple act of putting on reading glasses makes women feel old”. Moreover, “thirty-two percent of women who wear them actually feel 'annoyed' by having to wear them in public”. 

Photo Source

Surprisingly, Google’s attempt to build a new reputation for glasses, upgrading them from “quirky” to “cool” was a major fail. According to a survey from LoveMyVouchers.co.uk, 68% of people would be too embarrassed to wear 600 $ dollars Google Glass –which offers hands-free access to photos, videos, messaging, web-surfing and apps – in public. 70 per cent of respondents feared about being filmed without permission. Others, like Dr. Tsontcho Ianchulev, lead author of a research letter concerning Google Glass, and a clinical associate professor at University of California, San Francisco, complained of “almost having a car accident”, as a result of blind spots created by this product.

No matter the source of general apprehension surrounding glasses, just like with braces, there’s little encouragement from public figures. Look no further than Hollywood. An array of beauties including Jennifer Aniston, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Garner and Megan Fox are eyeglass wearers, but you’ll never see them walking down the red carpet with a “geekie” look. 

Modern authors shy away from glasses too. J.K. Rowling, for instance, explained why Harry Potter wear them:

“I had glasses all though my childhood and I was sick and tired of the person in the books who wore the glasses was always the brainy one and it really irritated me and I wanted to read about a hero wearing glasses”. Despite still needing help with her own sight, Rowling appeared with her eyes “naked” in an interview with Oprah.

What about cartoon characters? The ones who have some sort of glasses are usually portrayed as being smart, yet weirdos. Think Dexter, Velma from Scooby-Doo or, more recently, Edna Mode and the Minions. No matter how cute they came across on screen, no one wants to emulate them in real life.

Ultimately, needing glasses is a sign of physical weakness. One has no problem hiding a kidney condition, for example, but good luck trying to fake a great vision.

Besides, glasses can really get in the way of daily routine. Have you ever tried making out, playing sports, sleeping or taking a walk in the rain while caring something on the top of your nose? It’s downright frustrating. 
Fortunately, perks far outweigh disadvantages. The number of studies emphasizing them is overwhelming.  One claims that people who wear glasses are usually smarter and attractive, especially men, which in return leads to higher chances to get a job. 

That's music to the ears of nearly 126 million Americans who, like me, were probably teased for wearing eyeglasses. I'm going to reflect on this, while cleaning the smudges on my lenses. Because at the end of the day, all we want is to feel accepted, four-eyed and all.