I was five years old when I began wearing eyeglasses to correct my vision, and the experience was a game changer. For the first time in my life objects that had previously appeared fuzzy and indistinguishable, now became sharp and identifiable. I could see individual leaves on the trees and recognize words written on the blackboard in school. It was not only a thrill, it was an enormous benefit to see the world so clearly.

After that first amazing experience of clarity, however, my glasses often got dirty. A common accumulation of grease, dust and debris easily rendered my glasses ineffective. […]