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The Life and Mind of DamnBlackHeart
This is to help me stay actively writing. So expect to see rants, tips on writing, thoughts on subjects, me complaining of boredom, reviews, anime, movies, video games, conventions, tv shows and whatever life throws at me.
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Characters With Eyeglasses |
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I came across a writer wanting advice when it comes to characters that wear glasses. They want to be realistic and write a main character that actually needs them and isn’t just wearing glasses because they’re a “nerd” or to make them look “smart”.
So I’m writing this to help answer their question, since I do wear glasses and I know the great and not so great things about wearing them.
People get glasses because they need them in order to see properly. Their eyesight is poor and they squint a lot because it’s a struggle to see things clearly. Just keep in mind that not every person’s eyesight is the same.
Some only need glasses to read. Others may need them because they are short sighted — myopia, which means that near objects are seen clearly without glasses but distant objects are blurred. The further away the object are, the more blurred they will be. While others need them because they are long sighted — hypermetropia/hyperopia, which refers to people who find it harder to see near objects but are better at seeing objects far away.
I’m near sighted. When I was younger I would have to sit in the front row because that was the only way I could see the black board clearly. Sometimes when I had to sit in the back I would ask a classmate near me if I could copy their notes and they would kindly let me see it.
I knew I needed glasses but I was reluctant to get them until my eyesight started to become a bigger problem for me: it was interfering with my education. The first time I got them I was surprise at how clear and detail everything was. It was like watching a HD television after being so use to the basic crappy and blurry television.
Everyone’s first time wearing glasses is like that, being amazing at the clarity in their eyesight. Of course, every first timer is also told by the Optometrist that it takes some time for their eyes to adjust to wearing glasses and getting use to wearing them. That is why people get a headache when using them because their eyes are trying to get use to not being overwork anymore. They could finally relax now that you have glasses.
Now, what many don’t know is that there are some pros and cons to wearing glasses just as there is for many things in life. Some people like to wear contacts instead of glasses while others prefer it the other way around, and then there are those that use both for different situations.
Glasses
The Cons:
Glasses can be irritating for the ears and nose.
They fog up.
Not ideal to be wearing for sports or certain activities (such as roller coasters, bungee jumping, swimming, martial arts, skydiving, kissing, paintball, etc.)
They can slide off, especially when looking down.
Peripheral vision is distorted.
They can be easily smudge.
Rain and/or snow will make it difficult to see.
You have to buy a prescription sunglasses if you want your eyes protected from the sun, especially when driving. Note: Transitions lenses don’t change in the car because the windshield blocks UV rays.
Hard to fit under 3D glasses, ski goggles, sunglasses and lab glasses.
Glasses give off a reflection and glare, especially at night (unless you have an anti-reflection coating).
Fear that they’ll break while you’re wearing them and have pieces of it damage your eyes/face.
It’s a bit difficult to put on makeup with glasses on.
Depending on the glasses, they can’t be worn with certain hats
The Pros:
They last longer.
Easy to put on.
Easy to find then contacts.
Makes a person look sophisticated.
There are many designs and style of glasses to choose from.
Can correct astigmatism better.
They don’t have to be constantly clean like contacts do (and it’s cheaper to clean, as well as easier to do).
Objects that would damage eyes can often bounce off glasses (such as a pebble).
They don’t require frequent replacement purchases, and are cheaper in the long run.
They pose zero risk for infection or eye irritation.
If in an emergency they can be use to start a fire.
Your Character and Glasses
Now when it comes to writing about a character that wear glasses keep in mind why they need them and what kind of glasses do they have. Is the frame and style of their glasses Wayfarer, Aviator, Cat-eye, Round, Square, Rectangle, Rounded, Oval or Wrap? Maybe they can’t afford the more stylish frames so they have to get a basic version of one of those? Also, keep in mind the shape of the character’s face because one of the main factors of knowing which glasses to get is knowing what frame can compliment their face.
+ Square Faces - Recommend oval and round frames. Glasses with temples that are center set or that connect at the top of the frame. Butterfly shaped glasses. Avoid geometric and square shaped frames, as well as low-set temples or color accents on the bottom of the frames that draw emphasis to the chin.
+ Oval Faces - Recommend square, rectangular and geometric shapes which add angles to soft curves. Avoid frames that are too large for your features..
+ Oblong Faces - Recommend tall frames help create a shorter face. Broad glasses with an accented top rim or decorative temple that adds width. Avoid small frames that are out of proportion and short frames that accentuate face length.
+ Round Faces - Recommend angular and geometric frames that sharpen facial features. Rectangular and horizontal styles makes faces appear longer and thinner. Upswept frames that draw attention to top of face. Glasses with temples that connect at the top of the frame add length. Avoid small frames that are out of proportion and short frames that accentuate face length.
+ Diamond Faces - Recommend upswept styles like cat eyes that emphasize the cheek bones. Oval frames that maintain balance and rimless styles that allow cheek bones to shine. Avoid narrow frames that draw attention to narrow eye line.
+ Heart Faces - Recommend bottom-heavy frames that add width to lower face. Styles with low-set temples to draw attention downward. Narrow, round frames that soften the forehead. Avoid top-heavy styles that draw attention upward. Decorative temples that accentuate the broad upper face.
+ Triangle Faces - Recommend semi-rimless frames that accentuate the upper face. Top-heavy styles styles that balance the width of the jaw. Frame bottoms that angle inward. Avoid low-set temples that widen the jaw and narrow frames that are out of proportion.
Be Aware Of Your Characters That Wear Glasses
Most writers tend to forget that there are issues that those specific characters can face because they wear glasses. For example, what if your character is cooking a stew? As they are stirring the pot it wouldn’t be surprising to see that their glasses start to fog up, causing them to be temporarily blind until they move away. Or maybe it’s raining and it’s making it difficult for them to see things clearly?
Another thing that all people with glasses experience is that they sometimes can’t see where they put their glasses when they took them off, even if it’s out in plain view. They either find someone to help them or they have to pat around to find them.
Also, if a character was transported into an alien world where eyeglasses are unheard of then don’t be surprise that they’ll attract attention for wearing them. It’s not just the character with glasses that you have to keep in mind but the characters around them as well. How would they react to your character? Are they the type that like to try on people’s glasses? Do they find the glasses the character is wearing strange because nothing like it exist in their society/world/time period?
What if your character is learning how to fight with swords, daggers or any other type of weapon? Glasses can sometimes get in the way when it comes to certain activities. If a character had to roll on the ground to get away from a swipe of a sword, they can loose their glasses like that. Or their glasses can get knock off and break. It also gets in the way if they had to swim.
Is your character absent minded? Or are their glasses so lightweight that they forget they are even wearing them? If so, then they might have a habit of forgetting they are still wearing their glasses when they are about to shower or go for a swim. Is your character always aware of their own glasses, so much that they put their glasses away when they’re doing activities that can cause them to break? Did they learn how to fight or do things by relying on their other senses because they can’t always use their eyesight knowing that it’s poor?
There’s a reason why I listed the pros and cons for wearing glasses. It’s moments like that, where the writer has to keep in mind about their characters that wear glasses. It’s not only realistic but another way to bring your character to life. It allows the readers who don’t wear glasses to understand more about those that do and those who do wear them to feel a connection with that character, sympathizing with them.
The same can be said for those that wear contacts lenses. So here’s the pros and cons for them. And remember to keep in mind if your character wears them when you write your story.
Contact Lenses
The Cons:
Need to learn how to put them on and to take them off.
Needs to be cleaned regularly.
Can’t sleep with them in.
Hard to find if lost.
Can’t open eyes completely underwater.
Can cause irritability in smoky rooms.
Can be costly buying contacts and solutions.
Need to renew prescription yearly.
Can be easily tear if not careful.
The eyes can become dry out when wearing them.
It can cause damage to the eye if a speck of dirt is between the lens and the surface of your eye.
They get uncomfortable after wearing them for a long time.
Beware of getting an infection if lenses aren’t clean properly.
People who have a history record of recurrent severe allergic reactions or eye infections may not be suitable to wear contact lenses.
Can’t wear if the environment is dirty or dusty.
Need to be careful when putting makeup on, especially the eye makeup.
The Pros:
No one can tell you’re wearing contacts (it offer natural eyesight without distortion, glare, or poor peripheral vision).
No additional weight on your face, and no readjusting like you have to so with glasses.
Perfect for sports and other activities.
Can customize the contacts by making them colored
The field of view is larger
No fogging
They will not fall off easily.
Can still see if it’s raining or snowing.
Easier to put on makeup.
 DamnBlackHeart · Tue Feb 05, 2013 @ 02:40am · 0 Comments |
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