glasses day two
Well I think I’m getting used to the glasses, as is Zoe. She had a couple of nice long stretches with her glasses on and didn’t seem to mind them. And she had a pretty exciting day to go along with it, visiting work with me, then lunch with Grandma and Aunt Liz, and then visiting friends at the BLB (local bar/restaurant/bowling alley/theater, you know, the normal type of place). I learned that when Zoe’s hair is messed up, she looks quite Harry Potteresque.
I’ve gotten a bunch of questions about how they fit glasses to babies. As I understand it, the ophthalmologist measured the curvature of the back of her lens when she dilated Zoe’s eyes at the eye appointment. I understand the question – I never knew how they did that either. But getting that question a bunch of time hasn’t alleviated my fear that people will focus on her glasses and not on Zoe.
Otherwise, I think I’m starting to get a handle on my ambivalence about the glasses. It’s a combination of lots of things, namely:
- She looks like a kid when she wears the glasses. I’m used to her looking older as she grows up, but this was a much more sudden change.
- I’m realizing that I now have to keep track not only of my own glasses, but hers as well. Especially as she’s not used to leaving them on yet and taking them off randomly throughout the day.
- The fear that the glasses won’t work, and if they don’t it’s on to surgery – though Chris and I both agree that she doesn’t look nearly as cross eyed when she’s wearing the glasses.
- It’s kind of a visible, tangible reminder that she’s not perfect, or at least, that she doesn’t have perfect eyesight.
- The aforementioned worry that when people meet her, they’ll focus on the glasses and never really see her.
I guess put that way, it doesn’t seem so bad. I’m optimistic that 3 won’t be an issue, and I should get over 1 and 4 pretty quickly. The second one will be a pain, but I have managed to not lose my own glasses in a long time, so I can probably handle it. So how do I help to make sure that Zoe doesn’t become “the toddler with glasses.” Probably by not worrying so much about it, huh?
Update: If you’re looking for more information on babies, toddlers and young children with glasses, check out my other blog, Little Four Eyes.
- Posted in: all about me ♦ eyes and ears and mouth and nose ♦ glasses ♦ the girl
The Tragic Optimist 
I must agree…much less cross-eyed with the glasses š
Merry X-Mass and Happy New Year Ann, Chris, and Zoe!
Like I said before, I think she looks adorable in her glasses. Usually when I meet people with glasses for the first time I don’t even really see the glasses because to me they were always a part of them. So I would guess that once the transition is made and she is wearing them all the time that people will no longer really notice the glasses because they will just be a part of her.
I had a lot of fun last week, I hope we can get together again soon!
I agree with the harry potter comparison, and that her eyes look much better when she has the them on, but I like to think that with her messy short hair and glasses she looks like aunt liz! And I still think she is perfect — Zoe is such a warm, funny, and personable kid that there is no way the glasses will overshadow that. She will likely be the really sweet stylish happy toddler that happens to have glasses.
that’s a lovely picture of you, too, by the way!
You both look great! š All people have something about them that other people make judgments about. I am the girl with the scar on her lip. Lift Zoe’s spirit up and help her to be self-confident about her appearance. Teach her the correct way to respond by responding politely yourself when curious people ask about her glasses.
My brother got my children the book The Boy With Two Belly Buttons by Stephen J. Dubner. It is about how to accept your physical appearance. It might be a good book for Zoe when she’s a little older.
check Odin’s website. . . he’s been wearing his glasses quite a while. . . now even ice-skating!!
Wow, I didn’t even know that they made glasses for toddlers. She is adorable!