Needs Glasses



Your character requires some form of visual aid to correct their ability to see. Some forms of visual impairment are more serious than others.

Level 1: (1 Merit Dot)
You have difficulty assessing things visually. While not a direct detriment to your health, the effect on your eyesight is significant and should not be ignored. Glasses and contacts that can assist your vision are relatively common.

Level 2: (2 Merit Dots)
Without visual aid, you have extreme difficulty in perception. Glasses and contacts may correct your vision but the prescription is uncommon, making the character's ability to share glasses with others very limited.

Level 3: (3 Merit Dots)
Your eyesight has acquired significant damage and can't be completely fixed with visual aid. Prescription glasses and contacts may help but cannot fully correct the impairment.

Mechanical Effect
Characters that are created with this flaw will often start with the correct glasses/contacts for their visual impairment.

Head injuries while glasses/contacts are worn may frequently result in the loss or destruction of the visual aid, requiring the character to source new ones.

Dramatic failures in perception may also result in the character getting headaches as a result of their impairment.

Level 1: (1 Merit Dot)

 * -1 Perception (WITS + COMP) Rolls Without Glasses/Contacts
 * Compatible Glasses/Contacts Are Relatively Common

Level 2: (2 Merit Dots)

 * -2 Perception (WITS + COMP) Rolls Without Glasses/Contacts
 * Compatible Prescription Glasses/Contacts Are Uncommon

Level 3: (3 Merit Dots)

 * -3 Perception (WITS + COMP) Rolls Without Glasses/Contacts
 * -1 Perception (WITS + COMP) Rolls With Proper Visual Aid
 * Compatible Prescription Glasses/Contacts Are Rare
 * Eye Surgery May Not Fix Issues

Eye Surgery
In the 21st century and beyond, eye care has been very well researched and many treatments for common impairments are available. Surgery, while not always a financial/physical possibility for characters, should not be disregarded as a permanent solution to visual problems. Acquiring it in character should be a significant action in regards to the point value of the flaw and never given freely.

Meta
Correctly roleplaying vision issues should include some basic understanding of how eyes function and what common issues include should the need for the character to explain their flaw arise.

Two common conditions that a GM should be able to explain include Nearsighted (Myopia) and Farsighted (Hyperopia).

While distinction between issues is rarely necessary, it is to be understood if it is to be explored.

A nearsighted person may be able to read close books and computer screens at an average level but have problems reading things at a distance. It is common for nearsighted people to be unable to read distant road signs.

A farsighted person is the opposite. Farther items can be read with relative ease, while a close book may prove difficult to focus on.

While both issues are opposites of each other, they play an equal role in vision impairment and distinction isn't necessary under most GM circumstances.



