Help - 7 year old needs glasses

[Ionianprincess]

DS needs glasses for “concentration work” his prescription is SPH +1 in both eyes which I’ve been told is mild.

I’m gutted. I always hoped he wouldn’t need any medical intervention in his childhood (I had loads) and I feel like it’s something else for him to remember to carry about (and probably forget)

Does anyone know what the long term prognosis is? I’ve never had any difficulties with my eyes and never had an eye test it’s all a mystery.

My children wore them briefly, maybe a year until their eyes improved. If it helps them, then it’s a good thing surely?

I'm sorry but you are being dramatic.
It's just glasses. Over 4 billion adults in the world wear them.
The 'prognosis' is that he will always need them. No big deal.
He just shoves them in his school bag and gets on with it.

Firstly you should probably get an eye test yourself, why have you never had one?
Secondly needing glasses is not 'medical intervention' what an odd this to say.
Do you know how many people need glasses?
To be 'gutted' is bizarre and if this is the only 'intervention' your child requires you are winning.
As regards to what his long term prognosis is, well he will need to wear glasses to see properly. HTH.

This!!

You are being very dramatic, he is very mildly long sighted and more than like his vision will correct itself as he grows. One of my dd has a +14.75 prescription and has worn glasses since 6 months old.

I started wearing glasses at 6 (now both glasses and contacts). My prescription is -8 myopia. It’s not medical intervention and there’s no reason to be gutted. After a few months he and you will have forgotten he never wore them before. Please don’t let him see how you feel about this because it’ll only make him ashamed and encourage him to refuse his glasses. It’s something that’s completely normal.

2 out of my 3 children wear glasses due to an astigmatism. My 8 year old has quite thick lenses. I never knew I should be gutted. You learn something new every day.

It's a pair of glasses not surgery. Don't pass your feelings into your son.

If the glasses really bother your child (your feelings don't really matter regarding this) there are contact lenses available for children now.

Millions of kids need glasses! It's normal.

And you really should go for an eye test. How do you know you've never had any issues if you've never been seen?

The prescription in the lens is quite small and if he only needs them for reading, writing and screen time then you are being ridiculous.
He won't need to wear them out playing or walking around and there's much less risk of them being broken and he's not going to be teased for wearing glasses because Harry Potter made them cool.
Also you can expect to need reading glasses yourself as you get older (everyone does) so you need to get over whatever your problem with glasses

Have any of your kids had issues with bullying - I’m worried about this.

DS is excited about the glasses (I’ve been excited in front of him too)

I think I also feel guilty as school picked it up and I honestly didn’t think he had a problem.

He won't be the only one who wears them, and hopefully he will soon get used to them. If he picks up on how upset you are it will make him feel negative about them so be positive in front of him and tell him how smart they make him look.

Christ, it’s not the end of the world.
DS has been wearing +7.50 since he was 18 months old. He looked adorable!

Its glasses, not 70% full body burns. Please don’t give your child a complex about wearing glasses, make picking frames an exciting event so that they wear them as they should.

@Idroppedthescrewinthetuna did you know Asda opticians do free thinning? I know higher prescriptions get a level of lens thinning with the NHS Gos 3 voucher, but DS has even thinner lenses with Asda.

By the time my son was 7 he had already had two eye operations, had been wearing glasses for 4 years, two of those years in bifocals. One of the biggest lump in the throat moments of my life was a little girls showing me the watch she'd had for Christmas. We were all waiting to see the eye Consultant at the Children's hospital. I was admiring it while thinking of my questions for the doctor when I realised it was braille. She happily told me she was learning to tell the time with it before she went totally blind, she also told me about her visits to a school she was joining soon, she was doing visits to learn her way round while she could still see. I've got the lump in my throat again, she must have been the bravest person I've ever met.

I know you are sad, I know it isn't what you want but it will be fine, he will adjust. My son told the other kids at nursery he was Clark Kent, that was before the operation when he told them he was getting a bionic eye like the 6 million dollar man. That caused alot of upset as there was a sudden outbreak of children claiming they needed eye surgery.

Never
Loads of kids wear glasses at school.

Have any of your kids had issues with bullying - I’m worried about this.

Nope. Never.
So many kids wear glasses now as issues are picked up earlier. No one ever called my DS ‘specky 4 eyes’ like the one poor kid in our school 30 odd years ago. Honestly, don’t worry. Our optician says he gets kids trying to fake that they can’t see because they want glasses these days.

No I didn't know at all. I will prob use that when she is a little older. At the moment she isn't fussed. They don't look awfully thick on her to be honest. The thicker lense actually suits her. When she tries frames on they never suit her. We say it's because she has a thick face. (That sounds awful but it isn't meant bad) delicate doesn't really suit her.

My DS has worn glasses since age 6. It's actually easier if they need to wear them full time - he has lost/damaged hardly any since moving to full time wear. Get two pae, they will inevitably break one. You can get a free replacement for your main pair as well. My DS is now at an all boys secondary school and has not once had trouble with bullying. Nobody cares.

My son only had some name calling when he was in bifocals. He switched to contacts at 11 but gave up after a few months as he couldn't be bothered with them.

@ancientgran That made me cry, how lovely.

@LetMeInYourWindow DS has been very enthusiastic about saying he needed glasses and he wanted to get some - I thought it was a fad and that he wanted them because they’re fashionable. I didn’t think he needed them (I think this is the root of my gutted ness)

Since age 7 my GS wears glasses for schoolwork . No problem at all. He can feel the benefit for himself.

When he's not in class (or reading for pleasure) he's an enormously athletic footballer, archer, a skilled swimmer, skier, hiker, mountain camper and long distance cyclist. For those he wears shinpads, a wetsuit, snow goggles, hiking boots, a safety helmet, protective gloves, .... whatever is appropriate for the activity.

I was talking to an optician recently and they advised that a child's eyes can improve naturally if it is picked up early and corrected with glasses. I would urge you to look beyond your fears and get an appointment sorted ASAP x

This is incredibly dramatic! I have never heard of glasses being described as a medical intervention!

I do think you need to consider how you are reacting to this - it is incredibly over the top.

I worse glasses at his age - still do. It has in no way damaged my childhood or ability to go on to have a happy and successful life.

My nephew also started wearing glasses at this age. Children are considerably more enlighten and relaxed than you are!

this is incredibly common - over 25% of school age children wear glasses.

please don’t let you child see your alarm and upset at this.

I've worn glasses everyday since I was seven. I'm now in my mid-thirties and have never ONCE received a negative comment about it.