Convince Your Parents to Let You Get Contact Lenses

Do you wear glasses and hate them? Contacts really are a great option, and a lot of people prefer them to glasses. Unfortunately, your parents may disagree.

Steps

  1. Research contact lenses. Find out if they actually suit you. Ask friends and family who have contacts about them.
  2. Discuss the pros and cons of contacts with your parents if you still want them. This proves that you're willing to keep up with a new responsibility. Don't yell or scream about contact lenses or glasses, because that will just show your parents how immature you are, and immature children can't look after contact lenses. Instead, just talk calmly about them, try to prove to them you are mature by discussing things maturely like an adult.
  3. Explain how contacts can benefit you in your daily life. Glasses are often uncomfortable during sports and maybe your favorite sunglasses brand doesn't come in prescription. Glasses can also hide a pretty face.
  4. Ask them why they don't want you to have contacts. Maybe there is a misunderstanding that can be solved easily.
  5. Act responsibly--do all your chores, wear your glasses everyday, do your homework-and they will probably see that you're ready for contacts.
  6. Bring up the subject at your next appointment with your eye doctor. You can make an excuse to go to the doctor in the first place, such as needing to get your prescription checked. This is an especially important step, as your parents will most likely listen to your optometrist or ophthalmologist if they say you are a good candidate for contacts. Ask if you can try some trial lenses.
  7. Realize that people with certain conditions may be eligible for "medically necessary" contacts, in which case, insurance should cover the cost. This is one of the strongest arguments if it applies to you, because your parents most likely will not want to argue when it comes to your vision being as strong as it can be.
  8. Learn how to properly put in contacts and care for contacts at the eye doctor.
  9. Be prepared for your parents check that you are wearing your contacts responsibly. Make sure to take out your contacts and clean them every night. Wear them for the prescribed amount of time.
  10. Ask if you can have contacts if you pay (at least partly) for them. A year's supply of Acuvue 2 is typically about $120 to $160. Focus monthlies are about $80 to $120 for a year's supply, but they are not for everyone. Contact lens exams are also more than those for glasses only - typically a contact lens exam is about $70 to $100.
  11. If your parents never give in then, they might think you're just not ready. Either tell them you can handle it, or just stick with glasses. You can always get a new pair of glasses if you don't like your old pair.

Tips

  • Keep in mind: money may be the issue. It's not that they don't want to give this to you, it's that they truly can't.
  • Don't throw in the towel and give up if your parents say no initially. Sometimes, parents want to see how serious you are about something before they go to the expense.
  • Play a sport, and use that as an excuse. For example, "Hey Mom, hey Dad, at [sport] practice, my glasses kept getting in the way of everything. When I ran, it was annoying."
  • Be patient, especially if you are their first child - it may take time for them to consider your request. Some kids convince their parents immediately, and for others, it can take a few weeks, months, or even several of years.
  • If you are at least 18 years of age (in the USA) you can legally get them on your own without parental consent, provided you have your own money of course. In some states you can be younger. For example, in Connecticut you only have to be 16, as a person is no longer considered a minor after age 16 in that state. In Ohio parental consent is not required at all regardless of age.
  • Using examples and compromises may be helpful in swaying your parents. However, if you wish to use them, make sure that they'll help. Some parents may think of this as a desperation strategy.
  • Research is one of the most important parts of convincing your parents. Make sure you know your stuff! Don't lie about anything. Making a "guide" to contacts helps a lot. Print out information from the Internet about contact lenses. Place the guide somewhere where your parents will definitely see it.
  • Legally, you only need to get ONE parent to consent to the optician for you to have contacts. This works especially well if your parents are divorced or one parent is more receptive to the idea than the other
  • As a last resort, consider buying some cool glasses. Now, most kids are really into black frame glasses so if your parents say no then get some but make sure you don't look like a grandma/grandpa, or Buddy Holly. And remember, you can always get contacts on your 18th birthday no matter how much they object. Now the idea of getting that part-time job they've been nagging you about getting doesn't sound so bad, does it?

Warnings

  • Remember to keep your promises.
  • Don't use the "everybody else does it" excuse. No parent since the dawn of time has ever bought this, and their response is an easy "If everybody else was jumping off a cliff, would you?". If you use this excuse, you could be waiting until your 18th birthday guaranteed...
  • Even if your parents let you get them, you may ultimately not be able to wear contact lenses. A very small minority of the population is physically unable to wear them. Your eye doctor will most likely be able to determine this.
  • If you go behind your parents' back to try to get contact lenses, you could ruin their trust in you for the future, if they find out. It is also impossible, unless you have your own money anyway. Most opticians will not even conduct the exam if you are under 18 and don't have a parent present - it's a "cover your backside" thing to prevent lawsuits from angry parents.
  • NEVER get upset or whine if they say "no". Accept it and move on, but don't give up completely. Bring it up again at a later time. If you act mature and responsibly afterwards, they might change their mind. And even if they don't, you can always save up some money and get them the minute you turn 18...
  • Your parents and doctors may disagree even if you do all the steps.

Things You'll Need

  • Information on contacts
  • Parents or a guardian

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