Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi
I'm not sure if this has been discussed. I had a search and eye contact has been discussed so many times but I'm not finding anything that fits my question. Anyway, here it is...
As many do, I struggle with eye contact. I recently went for an eye test and was measured up for vari-focals. I put the glasses on and was asked to look directly into the eye of the person so they could mark where my pupils are. Anyway, I had no difficulty with this even though I didn't know them. It got me thinking, is it because I was given permission and was not invading their privacy? The other people there hadn't asked me to look into their eyes so I couldn't.
I may be reading too much into it. It might be that the person measuring me for glasses wasn't expecting me to interact with them while the others were but it gave me no anxiety / pain / whatever at all.
Thoughts?
It may be as much to do with the clinical setting. In such settings we allow clinicians intimacies that would be horribly invasive for any other stranger.
For me it's a case of if they talk I can make eye contact for a prolonged period, if I talk it's a different ball game although, I just can't settle my gaze.
Hello Colin, I don't think i would of had any difficultly doing that, For me its giving eye contact and chatting at the same time that would be a problem. But if i was in a public place and gave someone eye contact i would quickly look away as i wouldn't want them to think i was staring at them.