Do you close your eyes?

[GoGoSuperBug]

At the dentist? I always close my eyes because it feels weird having someone that close to my face. I hate the opticians because I have to keep my eyes open.

YABU - I keep my eyes open, it would be rude to close them.

YANBU - it’s less awkward for everyone to keep them closed.

Mine has a tv, they play Friends all flday long

Never closed my eyes but your poll is not worded for me to answer it. I don't feel it's awkward, I just don't see a reason to close eyes.

Where is your dentist please?!

I don't think anyone has mentioned these, but my dentist wears dental loupes so he can remain upright while examining my mouth/doing any procedures. So I don't feel so uncomfortable about keeping my eyes open, although I tend to keep them closed for a lot of the time. He also provides sunglasses and plays music.
I looked up dental loupes and it's interesting how they work; also much better for the dentist's posture.

Always close my eyes, it would be too much like some kind of strange sexual encounter other wise.

This reminded me, I close my eyes when I’m at the basin at the hairdressers when they are washing my hair.

Simply because it is awkward keeping my eyes open as I’d be looking up directly at someone washing my hair, because they want you to lie your head back in the sink as opposed to being more upright.

One hair dresser made a comment that I looked like I was asleep, and I was just like no was merely avoiding awkwardness! Where else are my eyes supposed to go if not looking at them, I’d have to awkwardly dart around to reduce direct eye contact. Or do hairdressers expect you stare at them whilst they’re spending ages washing colour out, shampooing multiple times, putting toner on etc.

I usually stare at the ceiling unless there's drilling going on, I close them for that bit

Me too! It's the best way to cope at the dentist!

I was in for a CT scan recently and the ceiling was a beautiful spring scene and nicely lit.

Love the idea of a tv on the ceiling at the dentist. Never heard of that before. I think mine usually has the radio on, but I couldn't say which channel
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Slightly off topic buy my health centre had a young Robbie Williams on the ceiling in the Smear Test room 😆.

I keep my eyes open at the dentist, I can usually see a reflection of what they're doing via their glasses!

I hate seeing up their sleeve, armpits are gross!

I always close my eyes. It’s just weird otherwise.

When my mum had breast cancer when I was a teenager, there was a metal screen type thing she had to lie on her side facing when she had radiotherapy and it was completely plastered in magazine pictures of every hot male celeb of the time that patients had brought in because they wanted something nice to look at while they being treated. It was 1991 and my mum’s favourite was a picture of a shirtless Kevin Costner.

I always think of this whenever sniffy Mumsnetters claim that women ‘aren’t visual like men’ and ‘need an emotional connection’ to find a man attractive.

YES. Why does the damn tongue always feel like its in the way

I have never seen dental loupes - which I am glad about because I would end up laughing, with their hand in my mouth!

I also close my eyes for hair washing at the salon. I am most definitely an eyes closed kind of person!

I close my eyes. Same when getting my eyebrows waxed.

Ours has a TV on the ceiling showing beautiful alpine scenery or tropical beaches so I either stare at that or close my eyes. Definitely close eyes when having work done and I have also fallen asleep during root canal treatment. The dentist had to keep waking me up 😂

At the dentist, I close mine because of the overhead bright lights in my eyes, although some offer special glasses.

The opticians, keeping them open, doesn't bother me.

My dentist has a poster-sized aerial view of the town on the ceiling. I like to spot where my house and other key landmarks are.

My husband is my dentist so I just stare at his face to make him uncomfortable 😂 he once sprayed water up my nose to get me to stop 🤣

I sort of do a bit of both (same when having hair washed at the hairdressers) and i’m glad I’m not the only one questioning what is the done thing! I do like the poster on the ceiling technique some dentists use - gives a reason to have your eyes open!

I'd change dentist rather than face watching cr@p like that!

Unless the dentist tells me it's going to be a bugger of a job, I always refuse a local anaesthetic. Years ago, whilst having a shot to numb me up, the dentist hit a nerve. It was one of the most terrifying sensations I've ever experienced; it felt like a million and one electric shocks going off in my head simultaneously.

The dentist said that it doesn't happen that often, but it's not unheard of. It put me off those injections for life!

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has ever experienced this, or if there are any dentists/dental nurses reading this, is it true this was what happened to me?

The ceiling needs a TV, I'd love to watch that!