3.5yo with glasses - any advice?

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DS just got glasses having been prescribed for his squint. Today I was trying to get him to wear them watching tv but he kept looking over the top of them and then put them on his head 'so he could see better'. I asked him if he could see better with or without them and he said without. I then asked him if what he could see on the screen was clear or blurry with them on and he said blurry. They do seem quite a strong prescription; I've never been concerned about his sight but obviously don't know how well he can actually see.

I want to wait a few more days before heading back to the opticians (although they only made them up as prescribed by the hospital). Any hints/tips from those with DCs with glasses? Is it just a case of them getting used to it?

Sounds like he's getting used to it. Upping the prescription still requires a week or so adjustment where the new lenses ache my eyes, and I've been wearing glasses for well over a decade.

I'd keep trying for now.

I would suggest joining the "little four eyes" group on Facebook. It's a very big and informative group.

Our DS has been in glasses, but since he was a baby, so he didn't really have much of a choice. I would ask the question of the team on FB, though I think they will tell you to stick with it...

Thanks guys. He seems a bit better with them when not watching TV or reading.

I'll take a look at that FB page, thanks.

Children who are longsigthed will over focus, effectively straining their eyes to see. When they first get their glasses they need to learn to relax their focussing to allow the glasses to do their job. The glasses are to allow him to see clearly without straining his eyes and help to control the squint. Children will quite often complain things are more blurred with the glasses initially. You can start with him wearing them for close things as it is easiest to adapt for this and then build up the wear ( I 'm an orthoptist)

That's normal ime. He probably can see better without them in the short term... it's to do with changing their focus.

Dd has now had glasses for 18 months and is adamant that she can't see anything without them . She first wore them at 4 and was exactly how you describe.

My ds has 3.4 has been wearing glasses for about 8 months. He has a speech delay .
He started off refusing to keep them on his head, then looking over them. It took 3 days of constantly putting them back on if he took them off . In 3 days he went from completely refusing them to putting them on his head an not taking them off.
I think it being consistent was key.

DS2 is longsighted and has worn glasses since he was 18 months old. He doesn't like prescription changes but it gets easier the longer they've been doing it. He try's to look over them and it takes a few days for him to look through them again. Calm and consistent is a good approach, maybe a reward chart for correct use (though make it sound more fun than that!)

Forgot to say, he is 4 now.

Sorry for the delay replying, I didn't realise there were more replies.

Thanks, these are really helpful and it all makes sense. He is getting much more used to wearing them and can be quite careful (e.g. will take them off and give them to me if he is messing about on the sofa).

All I have to do now is to stop him getting grubby finger prints all over the lenses after I've just cleaned them!