Did DD Know that Harry Would Need Glasses?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 129440

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "gelite67" <gelite67 at y...> wrote:
> It seems odd to me that as often as Uncle Vernon gripes about how 
> expensive it is to support Harry, he never complains about the 
> cost of Harry's glasses.  ...
> 
> Related to that, and more to the real point of the thread, I wonder 
> when Harry got his glasses and what prompted the initial visit to
> the opthomalogist.  I don't think we've been told exactly what his 
> eye ailment is. 
> 

bboyminn:

I'm surprised the no one has jumped in and pointed out the obvious;
England has Universal Health Care or Socialized Medicine as do many
other European countries. So, Vernon could get eye glasses for free
for Harry. Of course, the selection of frames is limited, and I'm sure
the many advanced options aren't available, but for the most part;
free glasses.

I suspect the free glasses had never been properly replaced or
repaired because Vernon couldn't be bother with taking the time off to
run Harry back to the eye doctor. Whatever Harry had, broken or not,
was good enough. 

Of course, if it had been Dudley, you can be sure they would have gone
to the best private pay-for-service eye care doctor.

And for the record, it seems that Harry is Nearsighted. In the many
instances when his glasses are off or have been removed, his vision is
burry. That implies nearsightedness.

> Angie continues:
>
> Given all that, I wonder if DD guessed that Harry's vision had been 
> compromised by the failed AK curse and told the Dursleys in the 
> letter he left with Harry that Harry would need glasses.  This would 
> at least explain why Vernon never complains -  that would border on 
> discussing Harry's "condition" which Vernon can't stand to do.
> 
> Angie

bboyminn:

Very difficult to determine eye problems in a very small child. Harry
was only 15 months old, and he probably wasn't having reading problems
or trouble seeing the blackboard at that age. So, while Dumbledore may
have suspected some physical problems because of the scar, it would
have been very difficult to identify them or even harder to predict
them. At least, that's how I see it.

Steve/bboyminn