Glasses, Contacts, and Vision Loss

This is Igris, and today we are going to do a deep dive into vision, glasses, contact lenses, vision loss , and a very consistent segula that the Rebbe associates with improved vision in those who are suffering from eyesight problems.

May they have a refuah shlema, a speedy and complete recovery.

This topic actually began with the hope of doing a shiur on contact lenses.

It is well known that the Rebbe spoke out against using contacts, and I had hoped that we'd be able to collect some primary sources on the subject.

Unfortunately, there just aren't many of those in print right now.

I suspect that when the giant cache of English letters is released and when more manas from the 80s and 90s are released, we'll see a few of these in writing.

But I was unable to find any clear written source where the Rebbe says no to contacts.

It's almost entirely something the Rebbe's secretaries conveyed to the general public and have then put into writing.

Certainly reliable, based on reports of reliable people, but no material for a shiur, so we're out of luck.

Instead, I decided that we would do an entire sugya of glasses and vision, and along the way, we'll clarify what little we do know for sure about the Rebbe's position on contact lenses.

As a reminder, in all medical matters, the Rebbe has instructed repeatedly that we consult with a refi yadid, a doctor who is a friend, and give the final say in what we do, not to reports from the secretaries, not even to what we find in Igris, and not even what you hear on this wonderful shiur, but to a rav and or mashpia who knows you.

Without further ado, let's start with this sort of fun exercise.