- Children rarely complain of eye problems,
- Children may not realise they can’t see well,
- Some children can see well with one eye but have very poor vision in the other eye,
- Children’s eyes may look OK and parents/carers might think that their child can see well but some children might still have a vision problem,
- The only way to tell if a child has a vision problem is to have the child’s vision tested one eye at a time.
Learning that your child will need glasses, and possibly have
other vision issues is a really difficult thing. Luckily, the
Internet has made distance irrelevant, and everyone is able to
connect with other parents going through the same issues. I’m
hoping this guide can provide a bit of comfort and help at least with
the glasses aspect.
Feeling
upset, worried, and guilty
Many parents are overwhelmed and upset at the news that their
child will have to wear glasses. Immediately, there are many issues
to think about: worry about buying new glasses, worry that child
would have life-long vision problems, worry that the child wouldn’t
be able to keep them on, worry that the child would forever be known
as the “child in glasses.” Don’t try to suppress your worries,
but do know that it gets better, and know that you’re doing the
right thing for them in helping them develop good vision. Many
parents end up feeling guilty: that they didn’t notice early
enough, or that they might be somehow responsible for their child’s
vision problems. The signs can be very difficult to catch,
especially with young children who are not yet, or only just becoming
verbal. They’ve never known any difference in how they see, so
they are not likely to complain. The vision problems are almost
always the result of genetics, natural variations, or premature
birth. In other words, not your fault.
Finding
a doctor
You will be taking to your child to their eye doctor a lot in the
next few years. You’ll probably be there at least every 6 months,
and quite possibly more often than that. Because of this, it is
vital to find a doctor that you trust and who works well with your
child. While many are very happy with the first doctor we visit, many
have gone to 2, 3 or even 4 doctors to find one who will work for
them.
Getting
the glasses
There are more and more options for glasses for young children,
but they’re not always available at every store. Ask around at
different eye glasses shops to find out what kind of selection they
have, and what their experience is in fitting frames to small faces.
You will be in for adjustments a lot, so you want to be sure they’re
used to seeing small children. Also ask about warranties, for both
the frames and the lenses. The frames can get bent, or broken. The
lenses will get scratched quite quickly. And your child’s
prescription may change multiple times in a year.
Getting
the glasses to stay on
Many will tell you that once your child realises that they see
better with their glasses, they’ll be much more likely to leave
them on, and even ask for them first thing in the morning. And that’s
true, but the trick is getting through that initial stage when they
don’t want these funny things sitting on their face. Every child
is different, some will take their glasses immediately, while others
fight tooth and nail for months. About 65% of children will wear
them well in a week or less, but about 15% of the kids take longer
than a month before they’ll wear them reliably. Odds are your
child will surprise you and will accept their glasses quickly, but if
they don’t, know that you’r not alone in your struggles. While
there are a lot of strategies to get your child to leave their
glasses on, the key seems to be to stay calm and positive (which is
easier said than done) and consistent about keeping them on (this is
also easier said than done). When your child takes them off, put them
back on with a smile, but don’t make a big deal about it. If they
are really fighting or upset, set the glasses to the side for a few
minutes until your child calms down and try again.
Other
people’s reactions
You will get comments about your child’s glasses. Luckily, the
comments are nearly always positive ones, though you’ll become
practiced at answering the questions of how you knew your child
needed glasses, and how doctors can figure out the prescription for
children so young. As for other children, you’re more likely to
have to deal with other children trying to take the glasses out of
curiosity, or asking their own parents if they can have glasses.
Final
thoughts
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