Are you among the many that qualify as legally blind?  Recently I have began to notice the eye glasses that people wear.  Often the lenses are quite thick.  Years ago when the lenses were thick they were also unsightly.  Recent developments have made it possible for sight enhancements to not be objectionable.  Perhaps it was the "Sarah Palin" frame that changed the look.  

If you are among those that have poor vision, don't hesitate to seek professional help.  There is now help for even the legally blind.  Yes it is expensive, but the quality of life is improved beyond measure.  You will discover that you can read, drive and watch TV again. 

We all are familiar with those big print books.  We have seen them laying around in waiting areas and even grandmother's house.  It's nothing to be embarrassed about.  It would be though if you failed to take advantage of an opportunity to be able to enjoy life again because you could see if you would just do something about it.

Seniors will remember the legendary actress Jane Russell.  She now uses special telescopic glasses.  Perhaps Medicare/Medicaid will pay for your glasses.  Probably not, but many community projects will help raise the funds for those that really are unable to afford them and truly need them.

Having said that, I am reminded of the fact that there are many people between the 20/20 vision ability and those that are actually fully blind.  Many doctors do not accept insurance payments and many insurance policies only pay for glaucoma or cataract surgeries.  Routine care may not be covered at all.

In addition to these thoughts the person with such poor sight that they cannot see objects, people or colors that are right before them may be able to see with thick and unsightly glasses.  But strangely they will not have peripheral vision.  They will only have peripheral vision if they use contact lenses.  Why is that?  Because the contact lenses fits the curvature of the eye and glasses are a flat surface which the eye looks through seeing only the objects directly in front of the patient.  

As patients age and they have increased eye problems their contacts let them down.  They may still wear the contacts but to see they must also wear regular glasses.  

If you never had sight you learn to live sightless. If you have sight and loose it gradually or completely you keep searching for a medical advancement that will give it back to you at least in part.  The sightless that never wore contacts has a new peripheral world opened to them the first time they place them in the eye.