LMAO why you shouldn't worry about what people think of your red eyes...

[Guest]

My eyes look pretty decent these days, but for years, I walked around with constantly red eyes... they looked awful. (Thanks a lot LASIK! )

Anyhow, I never really worried much about the whole "people will think I'm on drugs or hungover thing" since I figured I otherwise LOOKED normal, ACTED normal, so why should they think that? There are a million perfectly normal reasons for red eyes.. being overtired, being windburned, pink eye, allergies, DRY EYES etc.

I'm going somewhere with this, honest...

So as you all know, I've been wearing my sunglasses Wiley's to work all winter. "Normal" people will often ask about them, but they all assume that either I am light sensitive due to migraines, or that maybe I've recently had eye surgery. Perfectly reasonable assumptions, right? Reasonable assumptions from "normal" people.

So then today, I have a customer come in and say they bet they know why I'm wearing my sunglasses. I explain the reason why, since there is no way that this person, a stranger, could possibly know. Then, curious, I ask what THEY thought was the reason.

"I thought it was from crack cocaine?"

I'm thinking WHAT?!@?!?!?! Seriously? How bizarre of them to think such a thing.

And they even specified CRACK... the very worst, most horribly addictive kind of cocaine... O.M.G.

Is this person for real?

Oh yes... wait for it... they are SO for real! LOL

I pick my jaw up off the floor and ask them why they would have assume that...

Turns out, they have a friend who does crack cocaine, and his eyes are always red, so he wears sunglasses.

I guess that means to them that everyone wearing sunglasses indoors is doing it to hide their crack cocaine habit red eyes? LMAO

And then they go on to tell me they are an alcoholic, who gave up drinking, but they are lucky because they can smoke cigars and not get addicted to nicotine, so they could probably try cocaine too and not get addicted.,.. but of course, they haven't tried it. ermmm... ri-i-iiiight....

Next story, kind of related...

Another place I work there is a client who is an alcoholic. I've dealt with this individual for over 10 years now, and they are still the same. sigh.

Anyhow, for the past few weeks, when they see me in my dark glasses, the first thing they say is "Are you hung over? That must be why you're wearing those glasses, right?"

I assure them that I am not hungover, and that if I were, I'd most certainly be puking right now, and explain the real reason for the glasses. I consider it a public service announcement on the perils of LASIK haha

The next week they see me, they have forgotten our previous conversation and they again say "Are you hung over? That must be why you're wearing those glasses, right?"

So, I guess in their world, since THEY are an alcoholic, and THEY would only wear dark glasses indoors if they were hungover, that must be the only reason why anyone else would do so, right?

Now... do you all see a pattern here?

"Normal" people assume normal reasons for a person having red eyes... nothing to be embarrassed about. While those with, errmmm... issues, assume all kinds of nefarious reasons...

My theory is that if someone thinks you have red eyes due to being hung over, or due to being on drugs etc, then maybe, just maybe, it give you insights into THEM and THEIR lifestyle haha

[Faith1989]

How would this person even know if your eyes are red when you are wearing dark glasses? Wow. People really need to keep their mouths shut, and respect others with health conditions. Would people go up to others in wheelchairs and ask why they are in them?!? I'm sure whoever said that has way bigger issues going on... (Not to belittle dry eye issues) I mean mental issues.. I wear my sunglasses inside stores and people will say "oh is it bright in here" and laugh... And I just give a smirk shake my head and walk away.,. They get the memo ...

[Guest]

I honestly have no problem with someone asking me point blank why I'm wearing the dark glasses... it seems to me that people are curious, don't mean any harm by it, so it's all good... Hell, to be honest, if I see someone in a wheelchair the first thing I wonder if WHY and what happened to them, and I wish i could ask without risking offending them... so I stay silent, and don't ask.

And as for these 2 characters, although I don't know the crack cocaine person at all (first time I'd met them), the alcoholic individual is definitely a mess (drug abuse issues too) and has been for at least 10 years, so if you knew them, you wouldn't be offended either... And the thing is, in their world, asking someone if they are hung over is just normal conversation and no reason to take offense since to them, being hung over is nothing to be ashamed about, it's just normal... it's no different than asking "How's your headache?" or "Did you catch a cold?"

Now, if a "normal" person jumped to the conclusion that I must be a crack cocaine addict just because of the dark glasses, I'd be offended and think they are a total and complete moron... but these 2 folks that I posted about? Nah... they are just innocent ignoramuses if that makes sense...

As for the " it must be bright in here" thing, I get that too... that is definitely somewhat annoying, since they obviously haven't considered that there might be a serious reason for wearing them and that it might not by "funny" to me like it is to them.... especially when they are not the 1st person to to say so. I don't get toooo annoyed though... not worth it, especially since it's not said out of mean-ness or spite.

[robster]

LOL made me laugh when i read your post. People think I'm constantly stoned due to my bloodshot eyes and the fact that I used to smoke quite abit of weed back in the nineties only solidifies there belief. I don't even bother to tell them that I haven't smoked anything this millennium, I just chuckle and shake my head.

[MartyM1985]

I just came off a plane from SEA to LAX, wore my sunglasses the whole time in order to save my eyes.

I, am of course, a hungover crack addict.

[Guest]

I, am of course, a hungover crack addict.

Well, of course you are! There is no other more probable explanation, right? LOL