It's been standard issue ever since the Borg assimilated ships from planet Creatine.

That would fit with what Kovac likes to do with his glasses. He straight up said he wears them because he thinks they make him look smart.

She has the same allergy that Kirk did to the medicine that McCoy usually prescribes for nearsightedness?

Dr. Kovac from the third season of Discovery was a trend setter?

Warp Plasma is the steam of the future.

I'd imagine that post Burn, large parts of both quadrants are either like Greek city states, small and isolated but with active trade alliances or like the empires of the Mesopotamia, constantly battling for control of vast swaths of space.