Varifocal glasses for a child

[FernwoodRydal]

Can anyone help with experiences of varifocal glasses for a child? My four-year old has been diagnosed with a squint, he was given glasses in April but today we have been told they are not working. I was given the option of varifocals, which would allow a stronger prescription to be used to attempt to correct the squint. The other options we discussed were doing nothing and accepting he would have a squint and reduced depth perception for life, and surgery. I agreed to the varifocals. But now googling and thinking it through I just can't see how that would work. The doctor did say he would have to learn to use them but it's just difficult to imagine a four-year-old going that successfully. The AI summary on google tells me varifocals are not normally given to children and all the reasons why.

I'm really hoping there might be someone out there who has some experience with varifocals for a child and what happened!

We did discuss the possibility of doing surgery when he's a bit older if the varifocals don't work, so I don't think I've made a final decision or anything. I'm just really struggling to imagine him using them right, given even adults struggle with them and he's four years old!

Varifocals or bifocals are used for a particular type of squint which is a convergence excess esotropia, I have seen them used many times but will admit not often successfully in a child as young as 4 but they can work quite well in children usually 6 plus. Adults have varifocals as their eyes are no longer able to focus(accommodate) for near vision. Children are able to focus well for near so don’t have the same incentive an adult has to use the varifocals and need to be able to remember to use it to control their squint which is quite difficult for a young child at 4 as they are often not aware they are squinting