Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Learning How to See

Last week P went for an examination with the optometrist (after revealing that he could only read the top E on the eye chart a week earlier at the pediatrician's office). His prescription was strong for his age -3.25 in one eye and -2.75 in the other, so it was clear that glasses were in order. We selected frames for his wee face and spent the last week awaiting their arrival.

As we have anticipated the call that the glasses were in, we have speculated about how different the world might look for P. Would he comment on blades of grass, leaves on trees or some other new discovery that he did not even realize he had been missing?

Yesterday was the day! After Vacation Bible School we met Daddy at the optical shop for the big reveal. His grin was wide and priceless as he looked around for the first time with a new perspective.

I can tell he is enjoying this new look at his surroundings because he has not had much trouble keeping them on. My normally squirrelly and fidgety boy has been consistent with his wear. His most revealing comment was a surprised observation that "you can see our house from the street!"

His siblings don't seem to envy his new spectacles, but they are great at keeping him accountable. K has been characteristically mother henish...eager to catch him when he touches the lenses or in the rare instances that he takes them off. "P, they are going to get smudges!" "Put your glasses back on, P!"

She even asked him yesterday if he could see 'all the way to California' with his new glasses.
I have been reminded that one of the very best things about community is the cheerleading section you have when you experience various milestones. I cannot tell you how precious the adults and older children in our lives have been--complimenting P on his handsome new big boy look. His confidence is at an all time high.

The one downside to all this is that he is (temporarily, I hope) no longer as concerned with slowing down to take in depth looks at his surroundings anymore. His 'impairment' before did not allow for him to get too caught up in looking far ahead. Instead, he really studied things up close. He was my detail guy.

Now, he seems so busy looking ahead the small stuff isn't nearly as appealing.

I don't want to overanalyze this (only because the post is already long--hee hee), but it will be interesting to see how this settles out in his personality.

As a side note, due to the significance of his myopia and our family history, the optometrist urged me to schedule in depth exams for my other two. Next Tuesday I take K & R to see if new lenses are in order for them as well.

12 comments:

MtnGirl said...

Oh my! P, your glasses are fantastic and you look even more handsome! I remember when I got my new glasses (about 2nd grade) and boy, I was amazed to see the leaves on the trees!

Malu said...

Soooo cute looking!! P got an air of an intelectual boy It is really nice to view the world by a different perspective.I also started to wear glasses when I was six.

Kathy said...

He was already precious...but what a handsome young man he is with those specs! Love them!

Elisia said...

He's such a handsome little guy!

Felicia said...

he looks adorable! I got glasses at age 8 and I was so thankful to finally be able to see! I am sure he will be especially thankful once school starts and he can see the board! :)

Just me said...

His glasses are so cute! He is so cute!
He is going to be so much better at the DS game now, since he can actually see that small, small screen.

Nichole said...

Seeing as P has the exact same prescription that I do (seriously!) I can say that the world has to be a MUCH different place for him right now. How great that he can see! I remember getting glasses at 11 and being surprised that you could see individual leaves on the trees. Love the new glasses!

Mary Lou said...

He is so cute with his glasses on. My vision wasn't quite that bad, but my sister's was...but I know how he feels...I can't see very much at a distance, but I've always been able to read without them, but left them on my face to see all the details..and since P is a detail kind of kid, I predict that he will leave them on his face. He is a very handsome young man and the glasses do NOT detract from that in any way.

S said...

How is it that a smart boy can look even smarter with those glasses on?? What a cutie! Hope he is ready for all the attention the girls are going to give him! XOX

Ashley said...

P, you are such a handsome young man! I am 37 years old, and I still remember how much better I could see when I put on my first pair of glasses! There's no stopping you now!

Anonymous said...

Wow - he looks so handsome and smart! I'm glad to hear that everyone has been very supportive and encouraging. I had a complicated visual problem as a child and had to have surgery at 3. After that they put a patch over my glasses so I couldn't use my stronger eye (trying to strengthen the weak eye). It was so frustrating for me that I hated wearing glasses and intentionally broke them many times when I was young. I got contacts as soon as I was old enough. Now as an adult I happily wear glasses. I have a lot of sympathy for kids that need glasses but most of all I love to see kids enjoying them and wearing them proudly!

The one girl said...

Love them! My son got his first pair at age 5 and has a considerably stronger Rx than P. I know what a huge blessing glasses have been for Zach -- they'll be the same for P. Our biggest problem now is playing sports in the rain --- no windshield wipers! You look ultra handsome, young man!!