If Only You Could See What You’re Saying

(I’m an optical assistant, and regularly deal with patients having difficulty with their glasses. This exchange happens more regularly than I would wish.)

Patient: “I’m having trouble with my glasses. I can’t see very well at all when I’m not wearing them.”

Me: “When you’re NOT wearing them? How is your vision when you ARE wearing them?”

Patient: “Well, I can see fine when I’m wearing the glasses; it’s when I take them off that’s the problem!”

Me: “The glasses only correct your vision when you’re wearing them, and looking through the lenses. If you want to be able to see well, you need to wear your glasses.”

Patient: “But I can’t see without them!”