A new study has officially proven what we all know through common sense: kids feel more confident in contact lenses than glasses. The three-year study of nearly 500 children aged 8 to 11 found that contacts
significantly boost kids’ physical confidence, feelings of acceptance amongst
their peers, and athletic ability (for the simple reason that kids who wear
glasses are less likely to play sports).
I remember the glasses-wearer’s humiliation all too well. Every time I wore my subtle, tasteful glasses
in middle school, I felt like there was an ugly monstrosity in the center of my
face. Like almost any 12-year-old, I opted for a blurry world over minor
embarrassment, using my glasses only when absolutely necessary. The day I got
contact lenses, I felt reborn: you mean you could see all the time without being mortified? It was almost too good to be true.
It’s good to know that there’s a relatively easy (though a
bit costly) way to make kids feel better about themselves. But it’s also sad
that something as minor as glasses is enough to make kids feel embarrassed and
excluded.
Still, if my parents had tried to explain that to me instead
of caving to my desire for contacts, it would have been all-out war. And now even research shows that contacts might not be the wisest battle to pick.
Photo: Parents Overnight
