Madison Avenue is at it again, skewing our view of the world through the use of ads and commercials. That's old news, but I'd like to call attention to a different twist, something obvious but which I've just noticed in the last few years. And it's all about the eyes.

Here's a simple test. The next few times you watch TV, instead of leaving the room when the commercials come on, take a good look at the people in those commercials. Count the number of folks who are wearing glasses. Except for the geeky-but-hint-of-cool Verizon guy wearing the Buddy Holly black-rims and who speaks with understated confidence about his network support, you'll likely not see a single person with glasses.

Now go to a restaurant, the mall or anywhere people gather and estimate the percent wearing glasses. It will probably be 30 percent to 40 percent. Do you, um, "see" my point?

Most people don't notice this spec-less TV world until they pay attention. And I don't watch much TV, but other than Tina Fey and Steven Colbert -- both of whom specialize in irony anyway -- I can't recall many shows starring or hosted by anyone with "four eyes," which incidentally was the mother-of-all insults aimed at the bespectacled when I was growing up.

It's not just television. Look at the ads in the newspaper. Don't take my word for it? Check out today's ads. What do you have? Sears; Kohls; Macy's? Lots of people in those ads, so how many are sporting specs? About the same number as those pictured with large skin rashes -- none. Unlike the America I know, fully 100 percent of those ad folks are blessed with 20/20 vision, are wearing contacts or have had laser surgery.

Need more evidence? Scan your magazines or the catalogues that came in the mail. Maybe there will be one or two token eyeglass wearers, but I doubt it.

The net that's cast for diversity in advertising doesn't seem to include those of us who have frames for our lenses. iPods are hot; iGlasses are apparently not.

I'm not playing the discrimination card quite yet, but there does seem to be an insidious attempt to marginalize those of us who have chosen to do the Ben Franklin thing. I have contact lenses which I occasionally wear, but like many others I choose to have four eyes, so where are "my people" in all of the ads? Ad people, wake up -- I'd buy more stuff if I could relate more to the people you feature.

Much has been made of the "glass ceiling," a metaphor for the supposition that women are not being able to advance beyond certain job levels in organizations. I suggest that in the past 20 years the powerful entertainment and advertising industries have created a "glasses ceiling," in which no one can be an actor, model or public star if they have the specs hex. Bono doesn't count -- he wears some kind of uber-cool shades.

Conspiracy? Watch those ads and commercials and decide for yourself.

Opinions are solely the writer's. Mike Hoban, of Crown Point, is a senior consultant for an international leadership development and training firm. Send mail to him c/o The Times, or e-mail him at business-at-large@sbcglobal.net.