Childs first pair of glasses, tips?

[NewGlassesHappyGirl]

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.

@gunnersgold

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 Her condition is life long and will need monitoring so she's always going to have to go to the hospital at least once a year so they've said they might as well do the glasses check while she's there (glasses are a common need with the condition).

Specsavers let you choose a hard case and have loads of different ones .

With regards to the frames, you may be dictated by what frames will fit at Specsavers. When I took my 4 year old for his first glasses, there was only 1 pair that were able to fit him properly so we had to go for them as no other options. They were Disney character ones. I guess it depends how small your daughter is as the smaller frames are quite often the fun character ones at Specsavers. His glasses have never been passed around or swapped at school so I'm surprised at your schools reasons, seems a bit harsh!

Also you can book specsavers appointments on line which is handy . I always add that ds has sn and may require extra time .

Try and go to an optician who is fairly local. We often have to pop back to have the nose pads or arms adjusted. Children's glasses get quite a hammering and often need readjusting/tightening when they inevitably start sliding down the nose....etc.

Always take the spare pair on holiday.

The problem I found with independents is they hardly have any glasses and are very expensive . Also you only get one pair , having two is handy especially if one breaks or needs attention.

We're booked in to Specsavers, my ExHs best friend/DDs godfather works at this branch so we can get them adjusted or seen too fairly quickly if needed. It's only a 10 minute walk from her school as well.

Definitely don't get a strap she is 6 not 2.

If the only ones that fit properly in Specsavers are the character ones then those are the ones she has to have.

School cannot send her home or refuse to teach her it is discriminatory. She is wearing something to correct a medical condition not making a fashion statement.

That said if she is told to keep the on her face and not hand them round there shouldn't be a problem. However when I was at school everyone wanted to try on other people's glasses to see what it was like looking through them. Frames had nothing to do with it.

@gunnersgold

The problem I found with independents is they hardly have any glasses and are very expensive . Also you only get one pair , having two is handy especially if one breaks or needs attention.

I think that depends on the independent.

My local optician is family run and they always have a lot of low priced frames for adults and seem to have quite a few children's. Maybe because they are in a deprived area.

One advantage of Specsavers is that they are a chain even though they are franchises. This means if your kid breaks their glasses and you are away from home, another branch can make up a pair for you if they have them in stock.

My DD started wearing glasses at 2. She never has and doesn't have a strap. Her glasses actually don't fit her ears properly like mine do, but as they fit on her face so stay in place unless someone bigger puts them on so they stretch.

1. Your school is bonkers re frames and 'passing round'. DD was the first in her class to get glasses (Reception). The fab teacher made a nice fuss, let other pupils look at them etc to 'normalise' it, and then DD was left alone.

2. teach her to rest them arms side on the table, not lens side down to prevent scratches

3. discuss with school where they will need to go for PE. e.g. In her tray, in her shoe, in a glasses case that you provide. Not loose on a chair/table where they can get knocked onto the floor and trodden on.

Much less chance of them getting lost if she wears them full time.

My sons glasses are always plastic frames but that means the nose isn't always a fab fit. I bought stick on nose pads from eBay for a fiver, you can't see them when stuck on and last a little while for wear.

They help glasses sit in proper place on the nose (even greasy skin noses like mine).

So just because she needs classes doesn't mean she needs them for swimming. I tried to buy prescription goggles for my son last time and the manager came over to say she really didn't think I should waste my money. The prescription wasn't necessary for swimming goggles. (Specsavers)

I’m absolutely astounded that school are dictating what frames she wears. It’s is outrageous!!

We used specsavers for a while, as pp said. You don’t get to choose from a huge range. You whittle it down to the ones that fit and then usually get a small choice/no choice.

Most of specsavers childrens range are Disney or funky. They don’t really sell dull childrens frames anywhere.

I’ve never heard of children wanting to share/try on other peoples glasses. I suggest you ask the school to take this seriously. It’s a medical aid. Would they behave in the same way for a hearing aid? They can be glittery and all colours.

We use an independent optician now. They all accept NHS vouchers. We found specsavers to be a conveyor belt and no good for a difficult prescription that DC needs.

My DC got glasses at 3 and didn't need a strap or anything to help them stay on. Specsavers adjusted them and the fitting appt so they stay on fine. Agree with pp that at that age you probably will be dictated by which frames fit her face.

My DC is still at nursery but I'd be a bit WTF about a school trying to dictate glasses frames. Get the ones your DC likes and fit her face and if they are character ones, so be it. Personally that's a fight I'd be prepared to have with the school. Is it a state school?

@sashh I live in a posh market town in the south east . Prices are ridiculous!

@frogsbreath

So just because she needs classes doesn't mean she needs them for swimming. I tried to buy prescription goggles for my son last time and the manager came over to say she really didn't think I should waste my money. The prescription wasn't necessary for swimming goggles. (Specsavers)

@frogsbreath without being outing, her condition doesn't actually cause vision issues that can be corrected with glasses, so she has a small prescription (+0.5 in one eye +2.75 in the other) because she does have a vision issue that can be corrected with glasses which will prevent her eye condition getting worse if that makes sense?

So she doesn't need them for swimming or sport but is choosing to wear them all the time.

I'll see what Specsavers have, and if she doesn't like any theres an independent optician opposite them I'll see if they take NHS.

If you think fit might be an issue, or you're not happy with the frames in speccies, see if you can find an independent who stocks Tomato frames.

My DD finds them a much better fit than speccies offerings, especially at the moment when her ears have glasses, mask elastic and hearing aids to hold in place!

The irony is that her dad is an optician in Specsavers and we have gone there for years; now we feel like we sneak over to the opposition for her specs, all cloak and dagger. (It's a small town and all the optoms know each other so this is a source of much hilarity).

@NewGlassesHappyGirl

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.

I’d be telling the school to feck right off! What on earth gives them the right to think they can dictate this kind of thing?? Oh yeah, parents who LET them dictate. Stand up for your child and what she wants, wearing specs can be such a pain in the backside that anything which makes it positive has to be encouraged

@SatinHeart

My DC got glasses at 3 and didn't need a strap or anything to help them stay on. Specsavers adjusted them and the fitting appt so they stay on fine. Agree with pp that at that age you probably will be dictated by which frames fit her face.

My DC is still at nursery but I'd be a bit WTF about a school trying to dictate glasses frames. Get the ones your DC likes and fit her face and if they are character ones, so be it. Personally that's a fight I'd be prepared to have with the school. Is it a state school?

@SatinHeart Yes state school but an academy so makes it's own rules

Glasses were so life changing for my little boy that when he got them at 4 we never had an issue with him taking them off or not wearing them as he loved that he could see so much better. Hopefully it makes the world of difference for your little girl too. Although in pretty sure spec savers have stopped the 2 for 1 offer

Both my dds wear Zoobug. You can get some frames on ebay, they're rubber and completely bendable and come with a back strap which my 6yr old loves when she goes climbing as her glasses don't fall off. They are Brill for rough and tumble play

All four of my children wear glasses, the youngest since he was a baby and I've found our local Specsavers to be very good. They are forever adjusting or repairing my children's glasses and do so happily.
Like others have said, there is usually a choice albeit a small one of the correct size.
I would avoid a strap as it's just unnecessary...even my then 1 year old didn't need a strap. I would also avoid nose posts and go for a moulded nose part of the frames....saves bits dropping off and metal digging in. I would suggest that the best way to prevent them being damaged is by her keeping them on all the time, including for sport. The moment glasses come off the face, they get put down on the floor, table, playground and are at immediate risk of loss and/or breakage. So my children wear theirs all the time, except for swimming when they wear prescription goggles, and then a hard case is useful. I too would be unhappy about the school dictating which frames your daughter can and cannot have. I would be surprised at most children playing with your daughters glasses and I have always taught my children that no one is allowed to touch their glasses or take them off their face as they need them to see. Even from a young age, they have never touched their siblings glasses (happy to hit and kick and fight each other, but they leave each other's glasses alone!!)
Good luck.

I hope your Dd is happy with her new glasses.

BTW your kids school is bonkers. My child has been wearing glasses since he was one year old and they have never been “ passed around “ in school or nursery. Having cute glasses is a tiny consolation for the kids who have the inconvenience of wearing them.