In working on my family history book, I've come across, again, the fact that my mother apparently needed eyeglasses in all of her childhood, yet did not receive them, nor knew that she needed them until she was 16, which would have been in 1932! At that point, when some doctor recognised the need and she got her first prescription lenses, she was sick with vertigo for a week, so unused was she to such clear vision. She marveled at being able to see the veins in leaves of the trees; something she never remembered in her childhood.

Her parents were not poor, though they did have many children. I know girls had more of a subservient role back then, but they all had music lessons, read well, and did well in school and church.

I am wondering if any of you know more about societal views back then and how it could be that it took so long for someone to realise she needed glasses? She didn't realise it because she had nothing to judge her vision by being a small child and one of the youngest in the family. Did people just not go to eye docs at all back then? Did GP's not check vision on their own? Did one not take their children to the doc at all unless deathly ill?

Thanks for any assistance!

kat