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Original poster

Childs first pair of glasses, tips?

58 replies

NewGlassesHappyGirl · 08/02/2022 12:42

DD is 6 and has an eye condition and has been under the hospital since being a young toddler, she’s practically begged her consultant for glasses since she was old enough to talk. She was thrilled today when the consultant finally said “Yes you need glasses” (I think the consultant was happy to not have her begging for them and have DD crying because she’s said “No” again)

I know DDs excited and that will help but any tips? She will wear them all the time apart from sport, swimming, showering and sleeping (the 4 Ses)

I’m so excited for her as well.

OP posts:
gingerhills · 08/02/2022 12:50

Oh, bless her. Maybe go to Specsavers, where they do 2 for 1 so she can have a pair of Encanta (or whatever the latest craze is) and a back up pair of more neutral glasses for when she gets sick of those. Go for the thinnest, lightest lenses, as that will stop them rubbing or slipping.

Triple check that they are comfortable on the nose and behind the ears and don't dig in or pinch anywhere. Maybe buy one of those elastic things to go around the head for when she's running around in the playground to stop them falling off.

Original poster
NewGlassesHappyGirl · 08/02/2022 12:54

@gingerhills

Oh, bless her. Maybe go to Specsavers, where they do 2 for 1 so she can have a pair of Encanta (or whatever the latest craze is) and a back up pair of more neutral glasses for when she gets sick of those. Go for the thinnest, lightest lenses, as that will stop them rubbing or slipping.

Triple check that they are comfortable on the nose and behind the ears and don't dig in or pinch anywhere. Maybe buy one of those elastic things to go around the head for when she's running around in the playground to stop them falling off.

@gingerhills The elastic is a good idea, school have said she has to have neutral none character glasses anyway so will be getting 2 pairs so she can have her disney/trolls/whatever ones for at home.
OP posts:
PeeAche · 08/02/2022 12:57

I am a long-time glasses wearer and I hated the things that went around the back of my head with a passion, when I was about your daughter's age.

They used to feel "babyish" because I thought they were for toddlers. Also they were annoying with my hair.

As long as they fit well, glasses don't often fall off. Mine did used to take a tumble when I did upside down things like play equipment and roly polys but I would just pick them up again. Definitely go for moulded plastic frames.

Oh and those things that sit on the bridge of your nose? Make sure they're moulded plastic into the frame and not the detachable little rubber feet. Those go missing quickly and then the glasses hurt like hell!

Like PP said, get 2 pairs. As soon as one goes missing, get another pair! You should always have at least 2 pairs in circulation.

Label them all! Take photos of your DD in them all and then you can email them to the school when they inevitably go missing.

Stick to cheap frames or anything you can get on your NHS voucher. 😅

Scratch resistance and anti glare are essential. Lens thinning is a very good idea. All the rest of the coatings are bunk.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General health
MrsBloxby · 08/02/2022 13:00

I also recommend Specsavers, dd aged 6 got some gorgeous bubblegum pink plastic glasses and they look so cute with her fringe! Yes and definitely get 2 pairs. Dd has been very good with taking her glasses off at night and putting them in the same spot every night. This minimises them getting lost and searching around.
Have fun choosing!

Original poster
NewGlassesHappyGirl · 08/02/2022 13:02

@PeeAche

I am a long-time glasses wearer and I hated the things that went around the back of my head with a passion, when I was about your daughter's age.

They used to feel "babyish" because I thought they were for toddlers. Also they were annoying with my hair.

As long as they fit well, glasses don't often fall off. Mine did used to take a tumble when I did upside down things like play equipment and roly polys but I would just pick them up again. Definitely go for moulded plastic frames.

Oh and those things that sit on the bridge of your nose? Make sure they're moulded plastic into the frame and not the detachable little rubber feet. Those go missing quickly and then the glasses hurt like hell!

Like PP said, get 2 pairs. As soon as one goes missing, get another pair! You should always have at least 2 pairs in circulation.

Label them all! Take photos of your DD in them all and then you can email them to the school when they inevitably go missing.

Stick to cheap frames or anything you can get on your NHS voucher. 😅

Scratch resistance and anti glare are essential. Lens thinning is a very good idea. All the rest of the coatings are bunk.

@PeeAche My daughter has no nose bridge due to another condition she has so will be interesting to see how they fit her glasses so she might end up with the elastic anyway.

Cheap frames it'll be, school won't let her have the posh character ones anyway so definitely will be two pairs.

OP posts:
Eviebeans · 08/02/2022 13:02

Look for hinges that bend back (might be called flex) so that the arms don't get bent out too far

Original poster
NewGlassesHappyGirl · 08/02/2022 13:03

Will add sorry both me and her dad wear glasses so we are used to caring for them and putting them in the same place every night/when we do sport.

OP posts:
itwasntaparty · 08/02/2022 13:05

Oh goodness, no to the elastic! As long as they are fitted properly she'll be fine. DTs have an eye condition and started wearing glasses at 4, my advice would be don't get ones with the nose pads, they're uncomfy after a long day, plastic frames are more resilient and don't get hot / cold dependent on the weather when outside.

rhubarb84 · 08/02/2022 13:05

My two have had glasses since age 2 and 1.

Definitely Specsavers. They don't do the 2 for 1 anymore sadly, but they've always been excellent.

If glasses are fitted properly you shouldn't need any kind of band to keep them on. We had ear curls / strap at age 2/3 but beyond that nothing. They wear them on the trampoline, in PE etc with no issues.

Get the staff in Specsavers to help you choose frames. Usually they just leave you to get on with it, but that's ridiculous because the kids display is all different sizes. There might be only a few frames of the correct size available and you can waste a load of time choosing whether you want the Little Mermaid ones or the rainbow ones, only for the staff to tell you that neither is a good fit. (FYI, the size is the number eg 46 written on the inside arm of the frame).

sashh · 08/02/2022 13:08

I'm glad she is excited.

I wouldn't go for the elastic band, you can get glasses that wrap more around the ear than adult glasses but if they fit well then they shouldn't come off.

I had a recent fall, the pic is of my glasses, they moved on my face but did not come off.

Actually I think my glasses saved my face.

Childs first pair of glasses, tips?
Original poster
NewGlassesHappyGirl · 08/02/2022 13:08

@rhubarb84

My two have had glasses since age 2 and 1.

Definitely Specsavers. They don't do the 2 for 1 anymore sadly, but they've always been excellent.

If glasses are fitted properly you shouldn't need any kind of band to keep them on. We had ear curls / strap at age 2/3 but beyond that nothing. They wear them on the trampoline, in PE etc with no issues.

Get the staff in Specsavers to help you choose frames. Usually they just leave you to get on with it, but that's ridiculous because the kids display is all different sizes. There might be only a few frames of the correct size available and you can waste a load of time choosing whether you want the Little Mermaid ones or the rainbow ones, only for the staff to tell you that neither is a good fit. (FYI, the size is the number eg 46 written on the inside arm of the frame).

@rhubarb84 we're booked in for specsavers this afternoon, her dads best friend (who I also know well) works there and is going to fit them if he can.
OP posts:
minipie · 08/02/2022 13:36

If she has no nose bridge then you might want to look at metal frames as they have the stick out nose pads that can be adjusted a little bit, rather than moulded all in one nose pads. However, metal frames are a little more delicate, and are thinner so will show thick lenses more - swings and roundabouts!

The main thing is finding frames that are comfy and don’t slip down.

Get her to tip her face forward when trying on and see if they fall off. However, frames can be adjusted so if you try some on and they are good but slip a bit, ask if they can be tightened. Or if they come in another size - quite often they have extra sizes or more styles in a drawer somewhere.

Original poster
NewGlassesHappyGirl · 08/02/2022 13:55

She isn't allowed the character glasses for school, apparently the kids spend more time passing those ones round than actually wearing them so she has to have plain boring none neon colours for school so she will have two pairs so she can have the disney/trolls/whatever ones for weekends.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 08/02/2022 13:59

Dd wore hers for sport and had prescription swimming goggles too

DobbyTheHouseElk · 08/02/2022 14:00

Can school really dictate frames? My Dc had Disney frames when younger and now has moved to rather whacky frames. School haven’t ever said anything about the frames. Some have been very “colourful”.

You will be getting eye tests every 6months at that age. So new frames every time.

Talipesmum · 08/02/2022 14:03

Yes I was also going to say - you can get prescription swimming goggles which are brilliant, and you can also get prescription sport goggles - my son had some for rugby. When he did other sport he just wore his normal glasses but it’s safer with the goggles as they won’t break. They kind of look like safety goggles eye wear. Just something for the future to consider if needed.

dementedpixie · 08/02/2022 14:04

I wouldn't let the school have a say in the frames i got for my child tbh. None of their business

Original poster
NewGlassesHappyGirl · 08/02/2022 14:09

She only has a very small prescription and only actually needs them for reading and close work, but she asked her consultant if she could wear them all the time as she really wants to so the consultant said yes as long as not for sport, swimming or showering which DD has happily agreed to.

School have said they won't take the glasses off the child (as it's a medical aid) but will send the child home with home learning to do until they get glasses that aren't going to get passed around, so there we are.

OP posts:
Sebastianthecoo · 08/02/2022 14:10

nano-vista.com/en/

My DS had these from age 4 and they are pretty indestructible. I always pay for scratch free lens too. Hope she enjoys her new glasses!

gunnersgold · 08/02/2022 14:13

My son has worn glasses since being a baby and the things I've found is on the whole the glasses aren't great and are chuffing expensive. You think they are free but they never are !
I don't like the twee nhs ones and they always add something or other on. Specsavers are the cheapest but the experience is much more converter belt than independents . Also allow loads of time to choose . It takes over an hour to look , see if they fit , adjust them etc . That's aside from the eye test . You need to go back and collect them so it's all a big palava that I don't look forward to every year . One thing to note is if they break it get lost you can get the nhs to replace which I didn't realise for the first two years ! As you can imagine we went through a lot of glasses !

Spellfish · 08/02/2022 14:14

Get a hard case - really useful for keeping them safe overnight when you’re away (tuck under a pillow if no bedside table), putting in the swimming bag so the glasses are safe and putting them in for PE at school. My dd’s glasses have been saved by their hard case so many times when someone tripped over her swimming bag or knocked them off her desk after PE.

Original poster
NewGlassesHappyGirl · 08/02/2022 14:15

@gunnersgold

My son has worn glasses since being a baby and the things I've found is on the whole the glasses aren't great and are chuffing expensive. You think they are free but they never are ! I don't like the twee nhs ones and they always add something or other on. Specsavers are the cheapest but the experience is much more converter belt than independents . Also allow loads of time to choose . It takes over an hour to look , see if they fit , adjust them etc . That's aside from the eye test . You need to go back and collect them so it's all a big palava that I don't look forward to every year . One thing to note is if they break it get lost you can get the nhs to replace which I didn't realise for the first two years ! As you can imagine we went through a lot of glasses !
@gunnersgold She doesn't need an eye test as her consultant does that at the hospital, Consultant has given me the prescription and voucher to get the glasses and I can take it to any optician that takes NHS patients.
OP posts:
Original poster
NewGlassesHappyGirl · 08/02/2022 14:16

@Spellfish

Get a hard case - really useful for keeping them safe overnight when you’re away (tuck under a pillow if no bedside table), putting in the swimming bag so the glasses are safe and putting them in for PE at school. My dd’s glasses have been saved by their hard case so many times when someone tripped over her swimming bag or knocked them off her desk after PE.
@Spellfish Just looking to see if I can find a hard case with her favourite characters on, school will compromise on that bit at least.
OP posts:
gunnersgold · 08/02/2022 14:18

Yes that's how we started out with ophthalmology but around 6/7/8 they will discharge you to have the eye tests at the opticians unless she has something degenerative .

gunnersgold · 08/02/2022 14:19

Oh and I have a big bottle of spray lens cleaner and a cloth in his bedroom and clean them at night so they are ready for him to put on first thing ( he can't see much without them !