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Original poster

If both parents wear glasses...

63 replies

Readysetcake · 02/10/2020 20:55

Do your children need them to? And if so what age did they start?

Both DH and I wear them so resigned that both DC with need them. Bit sad that it seems almost guaranteed as I hated wearing them as a pre teen and teenager and was ecstatic when I could wear contacts. Don’t want my kids to feel like that. Though I’m not bothered now.

Obviously I’ll never tell my children how I felt as a child and will highlight how common and stylish glasses are and yet my best to make it a non issue/positive etc etc.

I’m asking as eldest is 5 and wondering if I need to get her eyes checked. Or what signs to look out for as she grows. Any experiences gratefully received.

OP posts:
Greenandcabbagelooking · 02/10/2020 21:45

Both my parents wear glasses, and have done since teenagers. My bother has had a very strong prescription since childhood, I got a milder prescription in my early 20s. I also have double vision which is corrected via my glasses at the moment.

Original poster
Readysetcake · 02/10/2020 21:45

@OhTheRoses I’m sorry you had such a horrible time as a child. I Also remember seeing clearly after getting glasses and feeling a wonder at how the world really looked.

I fully intend to look after my children's health in every way, including their eye sight hence posting this thread to ask people’s experiences. I would be taking my DD to the optician regardless of the replies. I’m also not expecting the school to notice a issues for me, it was a simple enquiry as that is how My eye sight issues were first picked up, However, I’ve never heard of friends kids having eye tests in schools. So my assumption was I would have to take her myself which I am more than happy to do.

OP posts:
Londonborncatty · 02/10/2020 21:47

Lots more kids wear glasses than they used to. Half my DCs class wears them, so it’s really not a big deal. They won’t be unusual if they need them.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General health
Original poster
Readysetcake · 02/10/2020 21:50

@Fyzz this is my worry! I don’t think she would know if she couldn’t see as it would be normal to her! Will be booking her in as soon as I can. Hopefully they’re still ok to see children with the whole covid thing.

@BlackLambAndGreyFalcoln thank you! She is quite good with letters but might not be confident in that setting as she’s only been in school a few weeks. Good to know they have pictures too.

OP posts:
imissthesouth · 02/10/2020 22:03

Glasses are extremely common (staring at screens and not using distance vision) , mine don't need them but I did at their age. By my teens though I had grown out of them. Don't worry too much about it!

GrumpyHoonMain · 02/10/2020 22:07

Short sightedness can be caused by not going outside enough as a baby - it’s why it’s increasing in Asia because they have 60 day confinement periods and going out in sunlight is frowned upon. I have been taking DS outside since birth practically so am hoping to avoid the worst of it. Interestingly enough neither of my parents were shortsighted and neither were my aunts / uncles /grandparents. Yet all of the kids including cousins are.

BluebellsGreenbells · 02/10/2020 22:08

All mine have been to the Optitians from 2 years. I’m not sure why we push dentists but not Optitians.

Even if school do sight tests it’s very basic and send a ‘book an Optitians appointment’ rather than a diagnosis.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 02/10/2020 22:09

Exh and I both had glasses from age 7 for short sightedness. DS is 7 and doesn't need them yet but we are resigned to the fact that he might at some point.

Whyislifesohardsometimes · 02/10/2020 22:12

My parents never wore glasses, I found out I was short sighted late teens, neither of my sisters wear glasses ( we are all in our 40's). Neither of my daughters wear glasses and have regular eye tests, just me thats the unlucky one!

mumwon · 02/10/2020 22:17

I will second the outside play theory my optician said the same thing
I find it quite amusing about being severe short sighted at -4 &-5

sever short sightedness is above -7 I believe pathological short sightedness is above -10 & whoo! you get free eye tests & a small amount towards your lenses (& I do mean small)
neither my mother, siblings or my father or my dc have severe ss one has mild ss one slightly long sighted

CeeceeBloomingdale · 02/10/2020 22:17

We both wear glasses. Eldest got hers at 5, youngest is nearly 10 and doesn't need them yet. We are all short sighted.

DramaAlpaca · 02/10/2020 22:19

My DF is long sighted and has worn glasses since he was 3, but my DM only started needing them for reading in her 50s. My sibling has never needed glasses, but I'm very shortsighted, it was picked up at school when I was 9. DM was upset that she hadn't noticed, but given the family history she wasn't expecting it.

So my prescription is -7.5, which is pretty strong. DH's is -4.5 and he has worn glasses since he was around 13, I think.

One of our adult sons has the same prescription as DH, the other two are only mildly shortsighted, around -1 or -2.

As a family we've spent a fortune on eye tests, glasses and contact lenses over the years.

mumwon · 02/10/2020 22:21

arg severe!

LittleMissEngineer · 02/10/2020 22:22

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Fizbosshoes · 02/10/2020 22:27

Both my parents were short sighted and wore glasses, I only started needing glasses in my 20s. My DH wears glasses for work (close up stuff) and reading. Both my kids need glasses for school.

ComDummings · 02/10/2020 22:29

I am very short sighted (-6.5 and -7.5) and I worry about my children’s eyesight too, so far so good! Although I didn’t need glasses until I was about 11 or 12. One of my parents is fairly short sighted (not as bad as me!) and my other had perfect eyesight and only recently needed glasses for driving etc in his early 50s. My siblings wear glasses too although only for driving etc. I got the super crap eye genes Sad

movingonup20 · 02/10/2020 22:35

Dd1 at 14, Dd2 at 11

merryhouse · 02/10/2020 22:43

Both my parents were short-sighted, as was my maternal grandmother (wearing glasses in her 21st birthday party photos).

Of their six children, four wear glasses - I was the earliest at 7 after I had measles, the others teens or twenties.

In-laws were both short-sighted (MiL very, from young) and all four of their children wear glasses - one from young child, others teens or twenties.

One of my sons got glasses about 12 - when he was little he was investigated for a possible squint and they said his sight was great now but he had astigmatism. Other son is still at 17 and a half getting prescription sheets with the infinity symbol on.

Fishfingersandwichplease · 02/10/2020 22:44

Both my parents wire them - l am 44 and still don't wear them but my daughter has had them since she was 6. I just told her how lucky she was and how exciting it is and she genuinely loves wearing them as l have made it a positive thing. I take her regularly as they check general health not just eyesight.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 02/10/2020 22:47

I was worried about dd following my sight history, so we started her on ortho-k as soon as her sight started changing. She's a young adult now and still only at -1.

yeOldeTrout · 02/10/2020 22:48

both my parents wore glasses due to being nearsighted, from their early 20s. I never needed specs until I was about 44, and then only reading glasses (so I veer towards being far sighted).

Ploughingthrough · 02/10/2020 22:56

DH and I both needed glasses for short sight in our early teens. DS has needed them since 3 (for a different refractive error). Dd is 8 and doesn't need them much to her disappointment! I anticipate she will need them around her teens but could be wrong.
Glasses are much more common on children now, lots of great frames out there.

BertieBotts · 02/10/2020 23:04

I started wearing them at 12, my sister is in her late 20s and has an extremely weak prescription just to give her eyes a rest when she uses a computer too much.

Wincher · 02/10/2020 23:30

I've worn glasses since I was 2/3, and when I told that to the HV with my first she referred us to an orthoptist when my son was 2. All was fine then. I then struggled to get his eyes checked regularly as at the time I was with Specsavers and they won't see children under about 6. I found a recommended local optician who was happy to see my children at whatever age, who I have taken both kids to ever since. Surprisingly neither of them have yet needed glasses at ages 7 and 10, but the 10 year old is now on a one year recall and I suspect it won't be long until he does. He has been struggling to focus on words and the optician did give him some exercises to do but we have been rubbish!

SockQueen · 02/10/2020 23:34

DH and I both wear glasses for short-sightedness, we both started around 11/12ish. All our parents wear glasses, though my Mum only started in her 40s and is long-sighted instead.

DS1 got glasses aged 3.5 because he has a squint, so he's obviously going to be under eye clinic for some time now. We'll get DS2 (currently 16m) checked once he's old enough to co-operate with a standard optician test.