Daniel Ibarra

Professor Marsh
English 115 (14109)
17 November 2014
I Wear Glasses While My Grandparents Dont
I will never forget the time my grandfather told me in his authentic Spanish tongue,
When you have children, tell them not to play those games so that they wont turn out like you.
Upon hearing this the first time, I found my grandfathers words a bit insulting. Though judging
by the man that he is, he probably meant for it to sort of feel that way. Nonetheless I found value
in my grandfathers words that I really was spending too much time on technology. More so, I
could see it with my vision notably not being the same as it used to be. I remember thinking to
myself that I was only in the fifth grade and I already needed glasses while my grandparents are
so old and havent ever needed a pair in their life. Despite the negative impact it can play on our
health, I believe that technology is beneficial to society as it has become a seemingly reliant
piece of todays generation.
A good portion of the old timers today havent needed glasses besides for reasons of old
age while little kids are seen walking to and from school with glasses already on. I started off
needing glasses only for reading and doing classwork but as I grew older they became an all-day
necessity. The change from needing glasses sooner rather than upon reaching old age can be seen
as a distinction within the generations. I need to wear glasses while my grandparents dont
because I was raised in a generation intertwined with rising technology while my grandparents

have only been alive to see it in their later years. This of course is one of the negative aspects of
technology, as its use can prove harmful to our health like the way it strains our eyes. A thirteenyear-old at the time, Casey Connelly would complain about her eyes hurting from using the
technology her school switched to which as stated in FOX NEWS Is technology harming your
childs eyes?:
Caseys condition, known as computer vision syndrome, consists of a whole host
of symptoms related to computer use including eye strain, blurred vision, headaches,
loss of focus, loss of attention, neck pain and double vision, according to Dr. Andrea
Thau of the American Optometric Association.
Many children suffer from this syndrome due to improper computer use. It is indeed easy to
blame the technology however Dr. Andrea Thau adds that symptoms could be prevented by
taking a 20 minute break every now and then as well as remembering to blink while looking at
the screen. I myself blame technology for my bad eyesight but in reality it is my own
irresponsibility that made me the way I am today. I still sometimes forget to take breaks from it
all, though it is difficult to do when you dont notice any immediate effects. Also, technology has
recently become a growing trend within schools nationwide. Now in days, education is taught
abundantly through technology. Homework assignments, videos, research, almost all of it is done
online now with the use of a library rarely ever in need.
I remember that it was because of the change from the traditional style of teaching that
my mom finally purchased a home computer. This came at around the time I was 11 years old
and starting middle school. Before, whenever I needed to use the computer I would have to
borrow a family friends laptop when they were available or even go with my mom to her work

and use one of the unoccupied computers there. This inconvenience is what made me feel so
privileged to finally have access to a computer at home. I remember the excitement my sisters
and I had over the fact that we could search the internet and play online games and watch videos
and do a bunch of other now seemingly unimportant uses the computer had. It was easy to tell I
would fall in love with the majority of the technology brought my way. Overall, I credit the
internet with a great portion of the knowledge I have today. It was through the internet that I
watched videos to help me understand math, research history to write reports, and ultimately
consume my free time when there was nothing else to do. Though too much technology can
affect us, maintaining our usage of it to safe levels holds us only with the advantages it brings.
One positive element of technology is its ability to make our lives easier. A survey
conducted by the University of Southern California, USC, found that Seventy-four percent of
respondents said they are able to do more in less time with their technology. Without
technology, we would not be as advanced as we are today. In fact, technology is actually a part of
advancement and therefore should be a globally accepted improvement to society. Yes it can be a
distraction, but it ultimately gets tasks done quicker while connecting us with our loved ones all
over the world as well. The times have obviously changed though I strongly believe they have
for the better
The rise of technology in todays society has even become evident on the Christmas lists
of children today. Kids are going from wanting old fashioned toys to wanting video games,
i-pads, headphones, etc. I recall my Christmas list changing in the middle of my childhood as
soon as the handheld devices started being released; I no longer wanted the toy wrestlers I used
to play with. I remember opening the present and uncovering my first video game which was a
Nintendo DS. Its easy portability as well as the games being about the size of a mini post-it,

made it easy for me to carry it everywhere and use it every time I wasnt doing something else.
This included sitting in the car, visiting family, and pretty much everything else that required the
task of waiting. I feel like Ive come a long way since then in regards to overusing technology
however Ill admit that I pretty much do the same with my phone. I, like the majority of my
generation, tend to check my phone on a regular basis. According to Ken Jorgustins Why Do
People Always Look At Their Smart Phone?, One study found that almost half of all
pedestrians exhibited dangerous behavior crossing the street while on their phone. They didnt
look both ways, they forced a car to stop suddenly or swerve, or they bumped into something. It
is amazing just how oblivious we become to our surroundings for being occupied with a
cellphone. Just like when driving, a text message or a phone call is not worth jeopardizing your
life or the lives of others. Even while crossing the street we feel we shouldnt wait to get to the
other side to get back on the phone. We trust others to do their part and watch for pedestrians
crossing the road. It is honestly a sad truth of technology where despite its benefits, we abuse it
when using it in unnecessary situations. Jorgustin also tells of an account in San Francisco on
September of 2013 where a man was showing off a gun in a commuter train though no one
around him took note of it for being on their phones. As a result, one unlucky man was shot in
the back of the head as he exited the train. When dealing with technology, we must remember to
prioritize our lives and look around once in a while to see the real world and make sure all is
well.
Ive come to view my choice of playing so many video games as one of the greater
regrets of my life. I know now that if I had been a little more mindful as to the effects of playing
so much, I may have not needed glasses today. The technology was just so new and attractive, I
became enslaved to it. About a year ago, I noticed a little cousin of mine following in my

footsteps and I remembered what my grandfather told me. I talked to my cousin and warned him
of the consequence he was getting into. I told him he could still enjoy the game, but should
consider prioritizing what really mattered in life which is good health. I used my glasses as
credibility to show him that I had been there and done that, and if he truly valued his eyesight, he
would take the steps that I didnt and limit his playing time. I was glad to hear he took my advice
seriously, when he told me a month later that he had really toned down his playing time a lot
because of what I told him. Thats when I really began to change my view of my grandfathers
words. His insult was a message that could actually move people to be better with technology. I
learned from him that I could use my bad eyesight as a benefit to younger generations by
providing them an example of what technology abuse did to me. That was about the only time I
ever saw the benefit in my eyes losing clarity. But then again, at least I could see, blurry, but
functional nonetheless.
Todays society runs intertwined with the availability of the internet. The sight of people
on their phone has become one of the most common visuals of everyday life. If theres one thing
I know for sure, its that humanity has become seemingly reliant on the internet. It is literally
used for just about everything from directions, to shopping, to even finding a soul mate! It is
amazing the wide range of purposes the internet is used for. Technology in our daily lives is also
very significant. It has its benefits and its drawbacks but the good news is that most of the
drawbacks lie in the hands of the user. He or she determines their consequence. Humanity has
come a long way since its first days of existence. Our accomplishments today make those of the
past seem so simple and easy to have been achieved. One could only imagine the technology of
the future.

Works Cited
"Is Technology Harming Your Child's Eyes?" Fox News. FOX News Network, 26 Aug. 2012.
Web. 9 Nov. 2014.
"The Benefits - and Drawbacks - of Online Technology." USC News. N.p., 21 Aug. 2013. Web. 9
Nov. 2014.
Jorgustin, Ken. "Why Do People Always Look At Their Smart Phone?" Modern Survival Blog
RSS. N.p., 16 Dec. 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.