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Children's health

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Original poster

found out today my dd1 has to wear glasses. feeling sad. come and cheer me up please!

44 replies

nowwearefour · 22/08/2009 13:38

that says it all - she is long sighted with an astygmatism in both eyes. she is just 4. about to start big school. i fear her feeling un confident and not making friends as quickly....

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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purepurple · 25/08/2009 17:44

My DD, 12 was gutted she couldn't get glasses.
She made me take her to get tested cos she said she couldn't read the board at school.
When we got there she picked out several designer pairs while waiting.
The optician says there is nowt wrong with her eyses.
DD just wanted fab glasses like the woman who used to do 10 years younger.

Tambajam · 25/08/2009 18:20

In my experience - NO.
In my son's class two of the 'coolest' boys wear glasses (Reception going into Year One). It really isn't an issue.

madwomanintheattic · 25/08/2009 19:37

dd2 has worn glasses since teeny tiny, and i think she looks odd without them now. we've had barbie, garfield, every mr man and little miss under the sun, etc etc. last year in yr r there were at least 4 or 5 kids in glasses - it's absolutely normal - i've never heard any of them getting teased (not for that anyway!)

(small lol at anna though. dd2 has a very unattractive squint (the vicar reprimanded me at her christening for suggesting they got some photos of her with her eyes closed but i've grown up a lot in the last 5 years), the squint is why she wears glasses. she doesn't squint with them on, but if she takes them off... )

FuriousGeorge · 25/08/2009 19:45

When dd1 and her friends were in Reception,she and several of her friends came home one day,complaining about their eyes 'hurting'and saying that they thought they needed glasses.A few of the mums rang each other about it and it turned out that one of their friends had just started wearing glasses and everyone was jealous and wanted them too.

I've worn glasses since I was 12 and was teased for everything but wearing them.

talkingbook · 25/08/2009 20:34

Mooki,
At age 2 if you have a family history of eye problems and are concerned you should ask your health visitor for referral to the local hospital children's eye department for a check for your dd.

Once your dd is age 3 she should be fine to be checked at her local optician - they would probably use drops at this age for accuracy as will the eye hospital .I would just ring and check the optician you decide to use is good with young children.

Every child is entitled to an NHS eye examination and should have a yearly check up regardless of whether they are having any problems.

It should be like going to the dentist a regular checkup.

CaurnieBred · 25/08/2009 20:45

I was very short sighted (before laser treatment) so took DD (age 4) for her first test about 6 months ago - to an optician. She has brilliant vision (like her dad) thank goodness. But I will take her for yearly tests as I started wearing glasses when I was 10 and my mum even earlier.

I did get teased for wearing glasses, but not so much at Primary; more at secondary. But this was in the 80s and more people these days are wearing cool, designer glasses and sunglasses so would think things would be better.

JoBoBaggins · 25/08/2009 21:15

Both my boys (9 & 7) wear glasses.

DS2 picked up by school nurse in reception - long sighted with big difference between eyes - hence had a lazy right eye. He had patches for about a year, relatively little trauma, and has now been discharged by hospital eye clinic as both eyes now working, although still long sighted. He wears glasses full time.

DS1 found to be short sighted after routine eye test at beginning of year 3. Started off just wearing them to see the board, but a combination of the faff of taking them on and off and a rapidly increasing prescription as he grows means he now wears them full time.

Neither of them have ever been teased at school, unlike me who was teased mercilessly at primary in NHS plastic issue specs. I thing glasses are just a lot more fashionable these days and it doesn't seem to be a trigger for teasing or bullying thankfully.

The downsides of having 2 boys in specs are the cost (even with the voucher included nice specs cost money)and the continual breakages due to fiddling with them, sitting on them, pulling them on and off too roughly, football, trampolining, the screws falling out randomly, maliciously twisting your brother's pair during a fight, and the old favourite, they fell off in the playground and someone stood on them. I am on first name terms with the all staff at the opticians.

madwomanintheattic · 25/08/2009 21:42

lol jobo, we always get 2 pairs so we have a spare - the last optician kept a box of all the pieces so she could attempt to keep at least one pair on the road whilst we waited for a replacement pair lol. worth knowing that they will replace them free of charge usually if you complete a form at the optician explaining what happened (as long as you bring in the broken pair - the best one we managed was the bag of pieces after the new puppy stole them and chewed them up after a week... minus one lens which we never found...)

BethanG · 25/08/2009 22:21

Hello
My 7 year old has been wearing glasses - and been patched since he was 3 - he's never been teased, always had really cool glasses and never had a problem keeping them on. My daughter was upset that she doesn't need them! I can understand your initial reaction though, I felt awful when he had to start wearing them as I had to from a young age and hated it - we can't make life perfect for our kids but you're obvuiously a loving and good mum for feeling so upset about it!

notimetoshop · 25/08/2009 22:30

Hi Mooki,

Like talkingbook we were referred through the health visitor. Only for DD though, I took DS for a 2 year check just to get that referral.

It's a bit different in our area. 6 month check ups at clinic. And like talkingbook one check up involved drops.
The opthamologist is fantastic. Even when my son could barely talk she could still test him using pictures of apples and ducks and a one of those toys with a squirty tongue.

colie · 25/08/2009 22:46

My dd 7 has been wearing glasses for long sightedness since she was 4 in reception.

She has had younger children in infants, oh and a couple of other kids telling her she doesn't need glasses so shouldn't be wearing them. This went on for quite some time ,so I said to her teacher who complimented dd on her glasses regularily for a couple of months, and nothing has ever been said to her since

She wasn't really being bullied just kids being kids. DD was just embarrassed when other children questioned her about her glasses.

Since the teacher told her how beautiful her glasses are infront of the whole class quite a few times, she has never been embarrassed about her glasses.

blackrock · 26/08/2009 07:35

These days the glasses are all so different and cool.

There is the odd comment from some children, but usually it turns out to be jealousy, as new glasses get a bit of attention. Also if a child is confident about their glasses, then they seem to sweep over any 'friends' comments.

After a couple of weeks...the glasses become part of the equipment and do not get noticed....until they get broken, lost or left at home

Rachmumoftwo · 26/08/2009 07:52

My DD was gutted not to need glasses so I got her some costume ones from New Look. She loves them. It isn't like it was when I was little and bespectacled- children think they're cool now.

troutpout · 26/08/2009 09:27

Just asked both kids
ds (12) said 'No...there are lots of things that you do get teased about...but never glasses'

dd(6) said 'No..everyone wants to try them on though and she(the girl who wears them) never lets me have a go and she lets all the others!'

meep · 26/08/2009 09:53

I have worn glasses since I was 2yo - I am long sighted with an astygmatism and a beautiful squint!

My glasses were lovely pink NHS ones with wire legs.

No-one teased me at school about my glasses or my squint. But I became cool when I got contact lenses at age 12 when I went up to Senior School (which also corrected my squint!)

Everyone wanted to try on my glasses because it made them go all wobbly and woozy (strong magnifying prescription!)

weegiemum · 26/08/2009 09:55

My dd1 got glasses for astigmatism abotu 6 months ago (age 9).

Her glasses are seriously cool and she chooses to wear them a lot of the time even when not strictly neccesary.

Glasses are pretty cool these days and not the stigma they were when I was at school!

tink123 · 26/08/2009 10:49

DD has same condition and started wearing glasses at 5yrs. I was devastated, but she has had them 2 years and i now miss her if she does not wear them. In a few months time you will be asking yourself why you were worrying about it

Original poster

nowwearefour · 26/08/2009 13:54

thanks all. have shown dh these comments too and he is feeling much happier about the whole thing. we pick them up tomorrow. i am trying to get her excited about it! MN is brililiant about making a difference to real situations in people's lives....

OP posts:

Schoolsec · 03/09/2009 23:50

My eldest boy has had glasses since 18 months. Has squint and a +9.5 and 8.5 prescription so really really strong. Now wearing contacts (is 12) and loves them as good for sport and things so there is hope. He never had problems with teasing , but being sporty was dififcult as they got damaged constantly. I did feel hen he needed them that he was not perfect and he had enough to contend with (red headed too) but he has had no prob. Good luck!

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