I GET IT—rejection can be hard on the ego. I have been rejected many times in my career from grants, to papers, to lectures...the list goes on and on. As practitioners, I am sure that many of us have had to reject patients (for example, those who remain noncompliant or uncooperative and put their health and safety at risk). As an editor, I have also been on the other very difficult side of needing to reject many things like articles, posters, and lectures. It is tough and gut-wrenching! Most colleagues receive rejection with grace and humility. A few do not. 

There is a science behind the understanding of human emotions relating to rejection. Because humans have a social need to feel accepted, rejection can trigger negative and primitive emotions of not fitting in, perhaps long ago even invoking concerns about one’s survival. There are many pain pathways and neurotransmitters that are triggered from rejection that can even relate to physical pain. And, of course, psychological factors involved in rejection from blows to one’s self-esteem to anxiety/depression and social withdrawal. However, remember that rejection does not define one’s importance, and really should be used as a learning opportunity for improvement. 

As perhaps once doubted, specialty contact lenses are alive and continue to thrive in 2024. Our features editor, Edward S. Bennett, OD, MSEd, covers the specialty lens field from A to Z in his annual report. We hope that you enjoy this content as specialty lenses have certainly not been rejected.

Fictional TV character Richard Castle said, “Rejection isn’t failure…No, failure is giving up. Everybody gets rejected. It’s how you handle it that determines where you’ll end up.”