DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a shy 13-year-old. I recently went to the eye doctor, and I found out I need glasses. I don’t want glasses, and my mom won’t let me use contacts. Glasses make me look like a bug. I am very anxious. How do I cope with it? -- Four Eyes, Denver
DEAR FOUR EYES: I feel your pain! I have been wearing glasses since I was in the fifth grade, and trust me, when I was growing up, the selection available for glasses was limited, and I was teased on a daily basis -- in the beginning.
The great news today is that you have plenty of choices of frames that will NOT make you look like a bug! I promise. You need to try on a wide variety of frames, including clear plastic frames, rimless frames and others.
The next thing is to have the optometrist look at your prescription. If it is strong, chances are, your lenses may need to be thick in order to correct your vision. Once again, there is a workaround for that. Today, you can get compressed lenses that will shrink the thickness of your glasses while still giving you the sharpness of sight needed. Shop around to find a store that will fill your prescription affordably. Once you find frames that you like, you may also consider buying your glasses online.