Contact lenses help
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| Thu, 08-02-2012 - 10:16am |
I am wondering - do I have the only child in the world unable to put in contact lenses? Ds12 (rising 7th) went for his yearly eye exam and dh talked to him about getting contacts. I think part of it is that dh worries about him being too "geeky" (for lack of a better word). Now, honestly, I think ds is a sweet, somewhat introverted, but nice and good looking kid. However, he's certainly not like our older dds (both much more social and outgoing, both gorgeous). BUT - ds is 12 - few kids peak in MS, lol! So, sorry for all the background, but to help you understand, ds is a mini dh - sweet, a bit awkward, glasses (soon braces), loves chess and math club and orchestra, not so much into sports. I think dh though ds would look "cooler" in contacts (dh himself tried to have contacts but was unsuccessful due to severely dry eyes).
Ds tried for an hour at the doctor's and again at home with me (and an old pair of contacts). He seems to have a huge "blink reflex" for lack of a better word. He seemed completely unable to do it. Now I feel awful - dh basically told him (nicely and indirectly) that people get contacts for the "aesthetics" (he also did talk about other things, like how ds, who wants to do cross country, would find it easier to run in contacts). Before this ds was oblivious and now I'm afraid that he'll think he looks bad in glasses but he has become adamant that he is unable to put in contacts. He does have a history of OT/PT issues (apraxia) and is still on an IEP for speech, so I'm not completely surprised, but I wish we had never even brought it up. I feel like the status quo was just fine and now we've made him feel that he is lacking. Bad parenting 101. UGH!
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Your ds is probably doing all of this but I thought I'd try to help. sometimes hearing different words triggers something and things click. Good luck to him. Just let him know it's not the end of the world if he can't do it. After all, he's still the same terrific kid with or without glasses.
I went through the same thing as a teenager and gave up on contacts altogether until my late 20's.
Actually, it makes me feel better just to hear that you (and Jordyn, to a certain extent) had some of the same problems! The girls and I adjusted really quickly so I'm happy to know he's not the only one. Dh already feels bad about it not working out since he was the one who suggested it - I don't think it occured to him that it might not work! I think because he was a bit socially awkward in MS, he is sensitive to ds, but I think everyone feels (and looks, lol) a bit awkward when they go through puberty. Luckily, ds seems pretty oblivious. We were at the ortho today and he reiterated that ds's teeth need more time before braces but he asked again if the gap between his front teeth bothered ds. Ds was like, "gap, huh? Uh, no, not at all." It also may be the boy/girl difference - the girls would swoon over a single blemish - ds is kind of like, "hmmmm... so that's a blemish, interesting... what causes that?"
Thanks for the advice from someone who is also a blinker! I am not a blinker and I've never even needed to touch my eye at all to put my contacts in (I just open them really wide). We'll probably give it one more try and if it doesn't work I'll shelve it until ds brings it up again!
I have no practical advice for you. The only thing I can say is that I HATE contact lenses and choose to wear glasses. They certainly aren't for everyone.
The only thing I can say is that I HATE contact lenses and choose to wear glasses. They certainly aren't for everyone.
That actually is good advice - I don't mean to sound ignorant, but it never occurred to me that anyone wouldn't prefer contacts, because they seem so much easier (no fogging, no rain or sweat problems, no streaking or smudging...). I'm probably just so used to them, and people like what they are used to! We've definitely shelved them for a year or two at least!!
My daughter (going into eighth grade) actually loves her glasses and deliberately chose "dork frames," as she put it, when we went to get them last spring. That said, she has a light prescription and only needs them for things like movies and seeing the board in class - she might not feel the same way if she had to wear them all the time. But, she says no one's ever teased her about them and I know she wouldn't be bothered by a boy who wore them, so it's not the instant middle-school kiss of death it used to be. Same for braces; since the majority of kids have them at some point now (DD is almost the only one of her friends who doesn't need them), it's not a big deal.
But, she says no one's ever teased her about them and I know she wouldn't be bothered by a boy who wore them, so it's not the instant middle-school kiss of death it used to be.
You and Tracy both raised good points and made me realize that it really isn't that big of a deal. Thanks! It's so nice to hear from moms of kids who feel completely comfortable with braces, glasses, or a chipped tooth! BTW, my oldest dd, 21, also has the "dork" frames but apparently (if I'm thinking of the same thing) big black Buddy Holly type frames are now cool, not dorky. I can't keep up... lol, that's what my dds are for (to advise their brothers, because I am VERY out of the loop!
)
Theresa
Yes, those big Buddy Holly glasses are considered "cool" Jordyn wears a pair of them, they are actual ray ban's I think, when she's not wearing her contacts. I think they are pretty dorky myself, but she loves them! LOL! This picture is from Christmas 2011, but she still wears them, we just had the lenses updated.
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