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Top Tips and Tricks for Buying Children's Eyewear
The chances are good if you and/or your partner wear glasses; your child may need some form of visual help too. The good news is long gone are the days of ugly eyeglasses, miniature models of mom and pop glasses for children to wear. Today children can select from a large variety of eyewear, whether they want their eyes color coded, flashy, subtle or outrageous… you are likely to find just about anything anywhere.
Things to Consider Before Buying Glasses
The best way to find out whether your child needs glasses or other vision wear is by observing your child's behavior, and taking them for routine eye exams, just as you would take your child to the dentist.
Sometimes vision problems, especially nearsightedness or astigmatism, occur early in a child's life. What can you do to help solve this? Some parents wait until their child is in school to take advantage of visual tests often given to young children. However, the tests offered at most schools are no where near as complete as a formal eye-exam.
And, when it comes to your child's health, a full examination and early intervention are keys to your child's growth and happiness.
Do you need to go to a pediatric optometrist? No, most optometrists or other eye care professionals provide a wide selection of eye wear, even for children. You might want to call ahead to check the types of eye wear they offer, so your child has a better chance of finding what he or she wants should the need for corrective wear arise.
Common Eye Problems and Solutions
Most children growing up are nearsighted or sometimes farsighted. A few may have astigmatism. An eye care professional may find your child needs to wear glasses around the clock or may find you just need to have a pair handy for reading or working on the computer.
Some children will need to wear their glasses regularly and others only at night. As you can see, clearly all children are different.
Here are some other important points to make when considering the needs of your child:
- Find out from your doctor whether your child needs vision correction. If this is the case, find out if eyeglasses and contacts will provide your child with appropriate care. That way, if your child decides they would prefer contacts, you can offer them if they are available and you approve of them. More often than not younger children wear ordinary spectacles - A. K. A. eyeglasses.
- Ask the optician to help you select a fun and interesting style for your child that will meet the needs of your child's prescription without interfering with your child's fashion conscious needs. Most opticians will easily direct you to the right types of frames for your child, so you and your child have an easier time of selecting the right frames.
- Consider your child's age and activity level; if your child runs about a lot, you may prefer plastic frames or lenses. There are however, many metal styles that would work equally well for your child. Thanks to modern technology, eyeglass fashion moguls are working to provide children the same flexibility adults have when selecting eyewear.
- Let your child decide which glasses they find most suitable. While you may think your child will want "SpongeBob SquarePants" themed eyeglasses, you may be surprised to learn your child prefers a style much more similar to your own.
- Buy insurance, or at least a second pair, because chances are good your child may break their glasses at least once before they come back for their next eye exam. Even if you don't have vision insurance, most optometrists offer a warranty or extra protection for eyeglass owners in the event your child breaks or losses their glasses.
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