My eyelashes are too long

My eyelashes are too long.  They won't curl.  I cut them once and they ended up just poking me in the eye.  I see them all the time.  It looks like my glasses are dirty, but it's just my eyelashes.  I try to clean my glasses anyway, but it doesn't help.  My eye doctor (from years ago) told me I'd never be able to wear contacts because of them.  He also said he has to pull out eyelashes for his elderly customers.  I don't really want to pull them out.  I just don't want to have to look through them all the time.  What can I do?