By Helen Zhong
I began wearing glasses when I was 9 years old. Throughout my early teenage years, from 9 to 15, my vision was fine, but I wasn't thrilled about the appearance of glasses. Picture this: me, a high schooler in the marching band, with sweaty glasses, struggling to read sheet music while playing my mellophone and navigating the field. Like many teenagers, I was in the process of discovering myself, figuring out how I wanted to present myself, and building my confidence.
During this time, I heard about contact lenses from friends, but my parents had no experience with them. They mentioned we couldn't afford them, and they were worried about the risk of infections. Being the determined young myope that I was, I decided to make myself a contact lens appointment at The Eye Center in Memphis, TN. I informed my father that we could just look into the options during the consultation. I’m so glad we did because that one appointment changed the course of my optometric journey.
Give Brightly™ Changes a Life’s Course
Then, at 16, during that consultation, an opportunity came my way. I had the chance to apply for Adopt-a-Patient®, now known as Give Brightly™. I still remember a fourth-year student informing me that I was accepted into the program and that I could have this opportunity for many years to come. I was beaming during that consultation, and I was beaming even more when I inserted the lens onto my cornea. I looked into the mirror and saw myself in a new light.
Suddenly, I felt more comfortable with my appearance. The lenses felt so comfortable that I didn’t even notice I was wearing them. I was granted a yearly supply of clariti® 1 day daily disposable contact lenses. These lenses impacted other aspects of my life positively. No more minification from my glasses, no more battling sweaty lenses during band practice. I was able to play around with eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara without feeling like they were hidden by my glasses. I felt more at ease with my appearance as I navigated the challenges of self-discovery during high school.
Paying It Forward as an Optometry School Student
Being chosen for this program was a turning point that significantly boosted my self-confidence. I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity it provided me. Now, as a third-year optometry student at the Southern College of Optometry, I’m about to spend some time in our CLARITY Quality Enhancement Program. Third-year interns now have their own dedicated clinic for exposure to contact lenses to enhance their clinical training. I’ll be able to provide the same opportunity that impacted me to my own patients very soon. I cannot wait to see the smiles on my future patients when I get to present them with this wonderful opportunity that changed my life. I am excited to learn more about this program as I further my education.
Be on the lookout for my next story when I utilize the Give Brightly™ program!
Discover More About CooperVision’s Give Brightly™ Program
Find out more about the Give Brightly™ Program and other CooperVision Student programs. You can also discover additional learnings and resources at CooperVision’s Online Success Center.
Helen Zhong is a third-year student at Southern College of Optometry.
