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Original poster

Toddler wore my glasses and now I am worried

164 replies

WaltzingTilda · 17/04/2021 09:48

My dd(3) briefly put my glasses on (about 5 to 10 seconds I guess but not sure) and I am so so worried if she would have damaged her eyesight because if this and would need to wear glasses Sad. I remember I used to do this for fun when I was a young child and since my teenage years I've had to wear glasses. None of my family wore glasses until they'd passed their 40s. Now I am worried if my dd would have to wear glasses be because she wore my glasses for a few seconds. An optician at specsavers once told me that a child's eyesight can get damaged if they wear glasses when they don't need to. I am freaking out now. I don't know why I am posting tbh, I am in tears now because of this. I hate and always have hated wearing glasses and the one thing I don't want for my dd is glasses. Does anyone know how long after wearing glasses does a child's eyesight get damaged?Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
WaltzingTilda · 17/04/2021 11:17

Thank you very much for your reassuring responses. I feel much better now.

OP posts:
Allwokedup · 17/04/2021 11:18

I mean this kindly but seek help for your anxiety.

Gwenhwyfar · 17/04/2021 11:19

Myopia is inherited so she has quite a chance of needing glasses anyway. I don't see the problem as a glasses wearer myself.

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Meowchickameowmeow · 17/04/2021 11:22
Biscuit
Babyroobs · 17/04/2021 11:24

Do you suffer from anxiety generally ?

Nanny0gg · 17/04/2021 11:24

@WaltzingTilda

Thank you so much for your replies. I hope and pray she hasn't damaged her little eyes.

@LoudNowSing I've always hated and still hate wearing glasses and i'd hate for my dd to have to wear them.

Of course she hasn't!

As pp have said, you have many different lenses during an eye test.

Are you always this anxious?

BroomHandledMouser · 17/04/2021 11:27

I can’t take this seriously I’m sorry 🤣

Original poster
WaltzingTilda · 17/04/2021 11:28

@Jellybabiesforbreakfast yes, I've read about that too. Whenever the weather is decent I try to get her outside as much as possible so she can focus long distances. I point to things far away to make her focus on long distance objects too.

OP posts:
Zandathepanda · 17/04/2021 11:30

One reason for short sightedness can be when eyeballs grow a little too big so the image isn’t focused on the back of the eye. The lenses in the glasses bend the light direction before it enters your eye so the image is focused on the back of your eye again.

That’s why some short sighted people get more short sighted as they (and their eyeballs) grow.

Everyone definitely should go and get their toddlers eyes checked out though. Sometimes they can have a ‘stronger’ or better eye that the other so at this age, they can patch an eye to help the less dominant one become more dominant at seeing. If parents don’t do this early, it may be too late to help the weaker eye.

slashlover · 17/04/2021 11:33

I remember when I got glasses when I was about 5 or 6, I think everyone in my entire class tried them on within the first week.

YouJustDoYou · 17/04/2021 11:36

If it were THAT horrifically dangerous, they'd come with a warning.

princesspenny · 17/04/2021 11:36

If you are short sighted your children have a high chance of being shortsighted too.

Please don't be one of those mums that cry in the opticians when they learn that their child needs glasses, I always feel awful and sad for the kids when this happens

idontlikealdi · 17/04/2021 11:38

@WaltzingTilda

For me its not just the wearing of glasses (that too) , it's the constant deterioration of my eyesight and the constant pain I experience since a consultant at Moorfield EH did a test on my eyes. Poor eyesight has given me a world of grief. Even having a shower is a pain, i have to place everything I need before I take a shower , can't just reach out an get it when I need. When i come out of a shower everything is a blurr, glasses getting steamed up and all sorts. Need to wear contacts when swimming in the sea. But yes, I probably am projecting on my dd.
Can you not switch to contacts ft? I can't stand not being able to see - contacts go in as soon as I wake up.

Dh's family has a degenerative genetic eye condition that used to result in blindness. Thankfully outcomes have changed now but just FYI the opticians / specialists have always said the best thing you can do for any children's eyes is get them proper sun protection.

nancywhitehead · 17/04/2021 11:40

@WaltzingTilda

I don't know if I have anxiety tbh, certainly didn't before having my dd, but who knows maybe I do now. I have always found wearing glasses an I convenience, it hasn't kept me from doing what I want I suppose but it's been a mighty inconvenience.
You do sound extremely anxious. Do you worry like this about other things in life as well?

It seems like an extreme reaction to a very small thing - obviously a few seconds of wearing your glasses won't damage your toddlers eyes. If our eyes and bodies were that sensitive then none of us would make it through childhood.

When they say that wearing other people's glasses can damage your eyes, they mean if you wear them every day over a period of time.

Suzi888 · 17/04/2021 11:40

Mine has too OP, it’ll be fine!

skeggycaggy · 17/04/2021 11:40

My grandfather was disinherited by his mother for marrying a woman who wore glasses, because his mum was so angry that his children might need to wear glasses...

Pythone · 17/04/2021 11:42

[quote WaltzingTilda]@Jellybabiesforbreakfast yes, I've read about that too. Whenever the weather is decent I try to get her outside as much as possible so she can focus long distances. I point to things far away to make her focus on long distance objects too.[/quote]
Please don't let her pick up on your anxiety about her sight/make it into a big deal for her. If she does need glasses, it won't be good for her to have had it drilled into her that it's a terrible thing and that you'll be upset about it.

nitsandwormsdodger · 17/04/2021 11:56

There is no reason to live so stressed and anxious contact your gp and get a referral

Kokosrieksts · 17/04/2021 11:59

You need to seriously calm down. This will not have done anything to your child’s eyes.

Confusedandshaken · 17/04/2021 12:05

@WaltzingTilda

For me its not just the wearing of glasses (that too) , it's the constant deterioration of my eyesight and the constant pain I experience since a consultant at Moorfield EH did a test on my eyes. Poor eyesight has given me a world of grief. Even having a shower is a pain, i have to place everything I need before I take a shower , can't just reach out an get it when I need. When i come out of a shower everything is a blurr, glasses getting steamed up and all sorts. Need to wear contacts when swimming in the sea. But yes, I probably am projecting on my dd.
I was like you. I hated wearing glasses because my prescription was so strong (-11 and -13 at its worst) that the glasses were heavy and uncomfortable and looked awful. I got called a lot of unpleasant nicknames and it affected my self esteem. For me wearing glasses became conflated with being ugly and socially awkward.

I'm puzzled as to why you are putting up with them if you hate it so much. There are many alternatives. When I was 14 I got a Saturday job and saved up for contact lenses (which were expensive in the 70s) and wore them constantly for the next 35 years. I only wore glasses for about 15 minutes first thing in the morning and last thing at night. When I turned 50 and started having to mess about with varifocals and reading glasses I had elective surgery and had varifocal internal lens implants fitted. It's given me perfect distance and closeup vision and will last my lifetime. It cost £6000 which is a lot but because I never have to buy lenses or glasses again it paid for itself in the first 6 or 7 years.

If you hate glasses do what you need to do to get rid of them.

Also, if it reassures you, my DC used to love trying in my glasses and marvelling at how funny everything looked through them. They are all in their 20s now and none of them have any vision problems at all. They didn't inherit my extreme myopia and occasionally messing about with my glasses didn't harm their vision.

underneaththeash · 17/04/2021 12:06

I’m an optometrist and her wearing your glasses for a few minutes will definitely not have damaged her eyes.

GoWalkabout · 17/04/2021 12:32

It's understandable that your experience has coloured your feelings about this. Have you considered talking to PALS about your experience at Moorfields, maybe request copies of your notes, put in a complaint - of course you are unlikely to get answers but you may gain some information or resolution from the process. Why were you being seen at Moorfields? Had you had a trauma to the eye?

starfishmummy · 17/04/2021 12:43

@WaltzingTilda

I don't know if I have anxiety tbh, certainly didn't before having my dd, but who knows maybe I do now. I have always found wearing glasses an I convenience, it hasn't kept me from doing what I want I suppose but it's been a mighty inconvenience.
Not being able to see properly will be a bigger invonvenience to you. Ive worn glasses for decades and never found them a problem. And there are always contacts or laser surgery
Crappyfridays7 · 17/04/2021 12:44

My son got glasses in the last year eyesight is rapidly deteriorating it’s rubbish and he never said he couldn’t see be used he didn’t know things weren’t meant to be fuzzy he was over the moon with his glasses and really suits them. He’s just happy he could see. He’s having regular eye tests due to speed of deterioration. He used to try his dads glasses on, as did my other 3 boys. He’s the only one who wears glasses. His dad is police so wears contacts on duty. There are probably loads of people who wear contacts we don’t know need them why don’t you wear yours more?..just because you have negativity surrounding this doesn’t mean your child will need them or be bothered - my sons best friend wears glasses too.

Original poster
WaltzingTilda · 17/04/2021 12:52

@idontlikealdi I could switch to contacts ft but I I've been told by various opticians that its best not to. Something about eyes breathing etc.

@GoWalkabout i was at moorefields following an visit to an optician. I've been seeing eye floaters many years as well. On one visit to an optician for my regular check up the optician said that it looks like I have a degenerating retina (or something like that ) and then referred me to my gp who referred me to moorfield EH. In the mean time (as the referral procedure took so long) I went to the main Moorfields eyes hospital and following examination they referred me for an urgent appointment for the next (or the day after I can't remember) and it was at that the consultant pulled out a large paper clip from his backpack and started pressing it against my eye. I don't really want to go through PALS as its just more grief. I know nothing would be done and it will be just more hassle and grief for me to deal with on top of taking care of a toddler. I just approach all so-called ' professionals' and 'consultants' with extreme caution.

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