Child’s first glasses - need reassurance

[houseworkneverends]

DD5 got her first glasses today. It’s a fairly big first prescription of 3 in one eye.

she’s put them on and is saying that everything is blurred. Optician assistant said it was normal and will take some getting used to.

I’m a first class worrier so just after your experience of a child’s first glasses, did they struggle at first? How long did it take them to adjust?

TIA

Oh bless her. This takes me back as DD1 needed glasses at 2.5 as she was very long-sighted with a lazy eye. We also had to patch her for 4 hours per day.

Chocolate buttons were our friend. I set the timer on the oven for 2 minutes, then 5, then 10. Every time it bleeped, if she was still wearing her glasses, she could have another chocolate button. I put a piece of micropore tape over her favourite doll's eye and dressed DD and the doll as pirates for the patching. I also allowed lots of TV/Video (it was 22 years ago) on that first day so she could get used to them. Then it became normal for her. We had been advised to get 2 pairs, so I asked her every morning whether she wanted to wear the pink or purple pair and she would match it to whatever she was wearing. It helps that I wear glasses so she didn't feel like the odd one out

DS1 (probably 6 or 7?) put them on, and was delighted. His face when he walked out if the opticians, and looked at all the chandeliers on the ceiling if the shopping centre is an image, nearly a decade later, that still sticks in my mind. He has never had an problem wearing them.

DS2 avoided wearing them as much as possible, and needed bribing to keep them on. I think he was older than DS1 when he first got glasses. He's used to them now, but it took maybe a year until he prefered wearing them to not.

I suppose I just wasn’t expecting her to say that everything was blurred, she is long sighted.

My DD was just in awe that she could see things and kept telling me what they really looked like, as if I couldn’t also see them.

I am short sighted but once got a new pair of glasses that were blurry. Turned out someone had put them through as long sighted by mistake. Given accidents like that can happen, and she thinks they are blurry, I would get it double checked.

My daughter went from no glasses straighten into a +7 prescription! The first few days were tough I’m not going to lie, but once she’d adjusted, shes never had them off. We’re 4 years in and she hates having them off even for a nano second. They’re doing their job, as she’s down to a 5 now.

It's normal for long sighted children to be blurred with new glasses- up til now, she's been accommodating constantly (using the muscles in her eye to change the lens shape) to try to see clearly. When you're in that habit, it can be really hard for children to relax those muscles at first and so things looked blurred. If she wears the glasses as much as possible for a few days, she will learn to relax and things will look clear! No harm in having the glasses checked but I'd be surprised if they hadn't been checked already as there are strict rules about dispensing children.

I would get them checked. Ds was only 3 but was in wonder at the world and everything he could see. He had a plus 7 prescription that had gradually decreased over the years (he's now 16 and I think it's around 3-4)

That’s so reassuring thank you! We just need to persist and have carrots there to incentivise her

so glad to hear the glasses are working for your daughter xx

Even now, as an adult, having been a glasses wearer for nigh on 50 years, a new prescription (generally only a minor adjustment) needs getting used to.
A big change like that WILL take some getting used to.

everytime with a new prescription it takes a little time to adjust.
tbh I feel a bit 'sea sick' at the start.

No probs! It’s not the end of the world. Both my kids are glasses wearers and my youngest will be for life, unless she decided on contacts. They both took it in their stride and both look so odd if they ever take them off now 🤣

Thank you everyone. I feel sick with anxiety about it, I'm 100% not bothered about her wearing glasses, it's so normal now. I'm just so anxious about her getting used to them. I'm also worried about the prescription being wrong - I know that sounds ridiculous but I had the eye test done at Specsavers but got the glasses from Boots as I really didn't like any of the options for her in specsavers.

I'm a total over thinker about this kind of stuff 🙄

DS is very longsighted and has a lazy eye. He got his first glasses shortly before his first birthday. On day one he took them 115 times (I counted). He did get used to them pretty quickly though and now they are just part of him! He is always amazed when I manage to claw them back from him and clean them that the world is suddenly so much less foggy.

if in doubt you can always re-test.
but imo there usually is not much difference.

Just a little update, DD has actually got on fabulously. The first day her teacher said she'd written a full sentence with no mistakes at all (which hasn't been the experience lately) and her phonics were much improved. She's not complaining about the glasses anymore.

My heart bursts with joy and breaks as well, I wish we had realised sooner that she was struggling, but hey ho we are where we are and hopefully things will improve significantly for her now

Depends on the child. My first got her glasses at age 19 months and adjusted within a week, hasn't taken them off since (she now has a +5 prescription in one eye so really can't see properly without them).

My second got them age 3 and has had them for 6 months now and every day is still a battle. She says they're "foggy" but we've had the prescription checked three times including with the hospital optometrist. Bribery is the only. I'm hoping we'll have a breakthrough with our youngest soon. Some days are good; some days she barely wears them.

Also definitely get the prescription double checked if she's not adjusting after a while

Yes this is true! I picked up my new pair myself yesterday and driving the car this morning I did have a couple of "woah, weird" moments as my eyes were adjusting

You're anxious about your child finally being able to see? Odd