If the day–to- day challenges of parenthood aren’t hard enough, getting a child accustomed to their glasses, let alone the reality of getting them to wear them can be tough.
However, there are a few tricks that parents can implement to help their child overcome any reluctance to wearing glasses, ensuring that glasses become part of the routine in their busy little lives. Familiarising your child with wearing glasses can be as simple as telling them how great they look while wearing their frames.
Despite the intrinsic fear of looking different, around one in ten school students aged from four to 12 years old wear glasses to assist their vision. Simply reminding your child they’re not different and certainly not alone in wearing glasses will boost their confidence at home and at school.
It is also important to ensure that your child knows wearing glasses is part of their everyday routine, just like brushing their teeth and making their bed every morning. Once parents and their child go through the motions of cleaning the frames, popping them on and keeping them somewhere safe they will become accustomed to the process.
When it comes to choosing the best pair glasses for your little one, the process can be fun. After all, it’s all about matching the right frames to your child’s personality. Glasses for children should be an extension of their individual personas and reflect their likes and interests. You can’t go wrong if you choose a style you both like. When choosing a coloured frame, draw on something familiar, take inspiration from their sports team, doona cover or even their favourite cartoon character.
Considering that a child’s eyes don’t finish developing until the age of eight, you can expect your little one to go through a few pairs of frames over the years. There are a few tried and tested practical rules that will always result in picking the perfect pair of glasses for your child.
Here are my top ten tips:
1. For the best fit, frames should sit no higher than the line of your child’s eyebrows.
2. Make sure that the lower edge of the frame should never sit on your child’s cheeks, even when smiling.
3. Avoid frames that are too narrow as they will make your child’s eyes look closer together. By the same token, frames should be no wider than the width of your child’s face at the temples.
4. If your child has blue, light to medium brown or green eyes try frames featuring rich browns, olive greens and rusty khaki as they will make their eyes pop and become a feature.
5. If your child has dark eyes such as deep blue, brown, grey or black, go for frames that feature purple and navy tones, as these emphasise the depth of colour of the eyes.
6. To add width between close-set eyes, choose a thin or clear bridge for your child. A coloured bridge will make wide-set eyes appear closer together.
7. If your child has a square, triangle or oval shapes face, consider wide frames that have bold styles.
8. It’s really important to ensure that your child can move around naturally and perform simple tasks without the glasses falling off their face.
9. If your child is especially active, and you worry about them dropping or breaking their frames, consider getting an eyeglass chain to sit around your child’s neck. Chains are especially handy if glasses are required for sport since they can be taken on and off continually.
10. Maintaining the correct prescription for your child is important and should be monitored through regular eye tests – remember to book regular check-ups, so make an appointment for the next school holiday.
About the Author:
Tammy Newport is an optical stylist and head buyer at Budget Eyewear, a Luxottica retail brand company http://www.budgeteyewear.com.au/
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