I like to think that I am not unique in my denial of the fact that I needed glasses, but maybe I took it too far. I spent the past year and a half, if not longer, squinting my way through life. I couldn’t see my co-workers’ computer screen and she sits an arm’s length away from me; I couldn’t read my TV guide as I looked for something to watch; and I couldn’t tell the difference between an E or an F train. When I failed to read a sign while I was on the highway, I finally accepted that I had a problem.

This past May, I scheduled my first comprehensive eye exam in 4 years, and as someone who took pride in being one of the few in my family who didn’t need glasses, that was a big step. Getting my eyes dilated, sitting behind the phoropter and trying on different lenses provoked a lot of anxiety simply because I hadn’t gotten a check-up in a while.

Even though I only have mild astigmatism, with an OD and OS of -1.00, and need my glasses only for distance, the process of getting my first pair of optical frames only solidified for me the importance of making those doctor’s visits a regular habit.

I realized, as I walked out of my OD’s practice that a little bit of vision correction goes a long way. Reading slideshows during meetings, menus when I order lunch and most importantly, reading signs while I’m driving, have all been made easier simply because I got my eyes examined.

During the visit, I thought back to all the times I wrote about the importance of eye exams, alerting our readers about actively informing their patients about the health risks one can avoid by getting an eye exam. I realized I needed to do better job of following my own advice.

ssengwe@jobson.com