I'm glad she's found peace with this sort of thing, but it's a shame that it happens this often. It just seems obvious that blurting that out as the first thing you say to someone is rude.
I have a beard, kids will ask me "why do you have a beard?", I like it - it shows they're curious, I like to encourage enquiry. The parents will try to shush them, apologising for the intrusion, which TBH I find weird.
I can imagine it gets boring answering the same question over-again, but it's not harmful really. The author clearly has a good approach to life.
People I sit with and talk to from 9 to 5 every day, not a word. You notice people glance, you notice some cashiers hesitate, yet just three or four people from memory have asked and it is always an abrupt and outright "so what's up with that?"
I am thankful because it really doesn't affect my life or personal image and so that mentality reflected by others behavior lets me feel justified in that outlook. But there are definitely days where I wonder if people don't ask out of courtesy or because they just don't care either way, and if I am feeling a bit lonley that can be a negative thing rather than a positive.
Mostly though, I just appreciate that people treat me the same as if I didn't have them, whether they have asked what happened or not.
I admire the author of the article for her confidence and courage. I could stand to be more like her.
That would be unusual in the case of an eye injury. Maybe the people asking are coming from the context that it's a temporary injury?