glasses

     People wear different types of glasses, depending on what is wrong with their eyes. Some people find that anything within arm's length of their faces becomes blurry. These people may need glasses only when reading or doing close work. These people are "far-sighted". The glasses they wear are commonly called "reading glasses", although they won't help you read--they can only help you see, and only if you need them. If your eyes are fine, and you put on someone else's glasses, things may look blurry to you. Most people get their glasses from an eye doctor or an optometrist. They are made just for the problem they have with their eyes--that is why they are called "prescription glasses". They are quite expensive, will not do anyone else any good, and people become upset when they lose or misplace them. They may need them to do their jobs, or to get to their jobs.
     Some people have trouble seeing things in the distance. These people are "near-sighted". They may need glasses only to drive, so a lot of people refer to these glasses as "driving glasses". There are still other people who need their glasses all the time--no matter what they are doing. Some of these people wear contact lenses--they put small lenses right on their eyeballs. The people who wear contact lenses have glasses, too. They wear them when they don't feel like putting in their contacts, or when their eyes are irritated.
     Glasses are made of plastic now, but we still call them glasses. Plastic is much safer and more comfortable than glass. Glass was heavy--the glasses didn't stay on as easily. Glass might break, so children with glasses weren't allowed to run around and play the way other children did. Modern plastic glasses can be scratched easily (making it difficult to see out of them), but otherwise they are a great improvement on glass.