To feel sad that my 3 year old needs glasses?

[opalescent]

I took ds to the hospital yesterday for a check up with the optometrist, after noticing that he seemed to have a slight squint when watching the telly. I think I honestly thought they would just tell me that it was all fine, and nothing needed to be done.

Instead it turns out that he has quite poor vision, particularly in one eye. He needs glasses ASAP, which he will wear all he time, and there is a very high chance that they will also want to patch one eye following his next check up, to try and strengthen the other.

Admittedly I am pregnant and hormonal. But I just feel so sad and tearful! I love glasses, and I wear them. I don't have an issue with glasses as such. I just didn't expect poor ds to have poor vision so young, and also feel strange at the thought of him wearing glasses for the rest of his childhood- I know he will look gorgeous, and they will help him loads, it just feels scary and unexpected...
AIBU?

Another tip if you see glasses he likes but are too big or small, is to ask the opticians if they can order the frames in a different size as they often can.

Op haven't red all reply's but didn't want to not say I felt the same. However my ds6 has been wearing his glasses for around 2 years and every check up his eyes have improved. Things are improving all the time and its now known that if sight problems are dealt with early in kids then the improvement can lead to not needing glasses from as early as 8 upto 40. Also glasses are such good quality and choice now that its a fashion statement for most cool kids

I understand your feelings, as a person who has worn glasses since the age of 7, and whose family nearly all wear them too.

DS1 at 8, so far, doesn't need them; DS2 at 4 hasn't shown any signs of needing them yet. But given that both I and their father are long-term glasses wearers (my prescription is so much worse than his though!) I doubt they'll escape them forever.

It's not just the somewhat precious "wah my baby's not perfect" thing, it's also the "oh shit all the expense from now on" thing, IMO.

On the glasses helping/hindering eyesight - my best friend and I both got glasses at the same time. Not the same prescription - I think mine were already about a -5 at age 7, not sure - but in a couple of years, she'd grown out of needing hers and mine were more essential than ever.

Over the years my eyes have only deteriorated, never improved - and now, the cruellest cut of all - NOT ONLY am I really short-sighted, but ALSO now need reading glasses/ bifocals. I can't wear contact lenses any more except for the odd special occasion, as I was getting problems with daily wearing of them; and I would never countenance laser correction as I value the ability to see things really close up (still can without any glasses). I mostly read in bed without any glasses on, as it's easiest.

Anyway - as others have said, there is a much wider range of choice for children now, so hopefully you'll be able to find your DS some really cool specs, and the correction now will only benefit him in future. Well done for being proactive about it.

YANBU at all to feel sad. My DS needed glasses from a very young age and I cried for ages when I found out. At the time it really did feel like a big deal and I was very upset for him. However the reality of it was he didn't really care at all! He loves going to pick his glasses and choosing which ones to wear each day. Once he went to nursery and they done the first round of eye tests there he was one of many children who wore glasses x