Choosing Glasses for Kids: Share your tips for helping children adjust to glasses - £200 voucher to be won

[BellaMumsnet]

We all know that getting the right pair of glasses for our little ones can be a big step. Whether it's their first pair or just a style upgrade, helping kids feel comfortable and confident wearing their glasses can be a journey.

How did you help your child settle into wearing glasses? Whether it's picking the right style, easing into wearing them full time, or even keeping them safe and clean - we’d love for you to share your advice.

• Share your tips and tricks on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw
• One lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher

Here’s what Specsavers has to say:

“We know that wearing glasses is about so much more than just being able to see properly and understand that being told you need them can be an emotional experience for children (as well as parents)! Some kids are excited about wearing glasses and others are a bit nervous. Our experts in store can offer you lots of tips and advice on helping your children adjust to wearing them to make sure they have clear, comfortable vision.”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

The themed glasses - Barbie, Marvel, Harry Potter etc - are a great way of getting kids to choose and wear glasses however be aware of their ages. My ten-year-old lost interest in Spider-Man but was stuck with his glasses for quite awhile.

Always let them pick their own style and persevere with the endless appointment where they make their choice.

DS first had glasses when he was about 8 - he wasn't swayed by any particular type of glasses (Disney, Marvel etc) - even Beano ones as that was his favourite thing at the time. For him, comfort and practicality were everything - when the optician showed him some that were quite soft and could be opened beyond 180 degrees he was smitten and had them from then on, until he finally grew out of them last year.
He was going through them quickly to start with so while we initially used the old pair as a 'spare' in case of problems, we started to reuse the old frames to put the new lenses in as he wanted the same thing - no point having lots of old pairs sitting in the drawers unused.

He was asked if he wanted contact lenses which he didn't - whereas my niece has them and loves them, especially for sport. However it was only on the last visit that they mentioned he could have some sort of special lenses to help slow down his shortsightedness. DH had gone with him - I usually go but wasn't able to that time - so he has got them and fingers crossed they work as his eyesight is getting worse much quicker than it should - they are already worse than dh and he is reckoned to have bad eyesight. Not sure why we didn't hear about them before or if they are a new thing - but I would definitely ask if there are any things that are available that you don't know to ask about - assumed that th3ey would be telling me if there were any things to help ds keep his eyesight good for as long as possible!

The first Christmas I got ds a glasses holder that glowed in the dark (if it had been next to a really bright light for ages!) for him to have next to the bed to put his glasses in. 8 years down the line, that pot is still by his bed, first place he reaches out to in the morning and the last thing he does at night - it's great to have a set place to never have to worry about where they will be if he needs them, even when the rest of his room gets messy. The glow in the dark was a nice idea but doesn't get enough light usually to recharge - but because he knows where the pot is, it's not really a problem as he knows where to reach to.

Making sure he realises that the first few days with new glasses can be really disorientating too was important - as he is dyspraxic he is already pretty good at tripping over - but it was important to let him understand that there would be a few days of settling in to new glasses so not to freak out if they felt funny and to be careful when going up or down stairs or in unfamiliar places etc. Now he knows and was the one reminding dh about being careful going down the stairs when dh had new glasses recently so seems that message has fully landed - but in the early days it did used to freak him out when things weren't quite as they seemed!

Mine was happy to have glasses, finding a nice frame was a must.

if you can afford to get a second pair (possibly in the cheapest frame available) get them as kids will break /lose stuff.

If they can choose the colour of them themself it makes a big difference as if there are a colour they love it will encourage them to wear them - my friend is an optician and she says that she always encourages the parents to let their child choose some that they like the look of if they are worried about wearing them.

Help to adjust by just explaining better eyesight is better than blurry seeing, and eye strain. Show how nice frames are, and speak to their teacher if you are worried about them adjusting to wearing them at school.
On the Plus side - glasses have come a long way from the NHS glasses we had in years gone by - plus they are very affordable with lenses.

Before my daughter had the sight test we had a good look at all the glasses and tried some on. We did the same when glasses were prescribed. I always gave her free choice in the glasses she wanted to wear.

Lots of positivity and autonomy over the glasses. I asked the optician to show my 4 year old daughter which ones were the right size and then let her decide. She loves her frozen glasses but she also chose a spare pair with Cinderella pictures. It was a huge exciting novelty at first but once she realised she had to keep wearing them she hsd a wobble. I let her decide which glasses to wear and I don't nag, she now automatically puts them on. Specsavers staff were so lovely there's a particular lady my daughter loves who's very kind and treats her like a VIP.

My DS cried because he didn't need glasses after his first visit to the opticians aged 4. Fast forward 2 years and he sobbed when he was told he did need them!

The fact he could chose from a range of TV characters, or football themed frames made it bearable for him. He still switched to contacts as soon he was old enough.

He"s now 17 and back to mostly wearing glasses - loves the designer frames and the opportunity to change his 'look'.

Having gone through this - let them choose their own frames, and don't be put off by the optician persuading you to rush. It's going to be part of your child's everyday wear, and needs to be right. Pick a hard and not soft case to keep them in. Squashed glasses are no use to anyone. Look out for the 'deals' for a half price second pair - worth having one in reserve. Keep up with the eye tests as new lenses may be required in a few months if eyes deteriorate.

Definite positive conversations around wearing glasses and let dd choose her own.

My daughter has. 6 monthly checks at the opticians. When we first started attending, about 4 years ago, she would take ages choosing her frames. At first I would try to sway her decision to something I would choose for her. I realise now that I was being unfair and it’s not at all about me. She now picks a frame within minutes and I don’t mind what she picks as long as she’s happy. She didn’t have any problems adjusting to glasses, she had patch therapy to start, she was more excited about the pictures on her patches.

My daughter has always wanted to match clothing with me. I don't need glasses but I bought a pair of frames which looked the same as hers and this meant she was absolutely thrilled to wear them. I love the way mine look too!

DD was only 3 when she got her glasses. I made her favourite soft toy a pair out of pipe cleaners! She tolerated the glasses better than expected however really struggled when she needed patches for a lazy eye. I found someone online who made patches that went over the glasses rather than on the skin, they were so much better (and very cute designs!)

My tips would look at the style and strength - ask to optician or a repair kit of spare screws for the handles, and get anti-scratch lenses - worth paying the extra rather than having ruined glasses after a couple of weeks - let them choose their own - but bear in mind they have to wear them for years so the style has to grow with them.

Look at the website and see what frames are available, so before you visit you have a good idea what they may want - make it a fun experience, show them how to fold their glasses and keep the lenses smudge free. Try to ge them to put them in the case when they do pe.

My tips are to as others have said browse the website - and spend time with your DC without distractions and point out the positives about wearing glasses - no more fuzzy seeing - and 'look at these - aren't they fabulous !!' Ask their opinion and show them how to put them on and off - not toughing the lenses, and folding arms and placing them lens side down in the case, and lens side up on their bedside table when not wearing them.

My tip is not to tell them to be careful with them, or make a fuss if they break, as then it puts them off wearing them. Just accept accidents happen occasionally (and always get a spare pair!)

Pick a time when they are not tired and not after an OOSH club, they will want to get home for dinner and just pick a pair to be able to go home and then hate them when they have to wear them. Make sure that they are focussed on the job in hand and will wear the ones they choose long term. Looking at the website before hand helps.

We got our son a little neck strap for his glasses when he was 6. This helped him not to missplace and loose them all the time.

My DS got spiderman glasses when he was 5, but at 8 wanted an upgrade to something more grown up - more difficult than you'd think - he wanted some like Jonny Depp - so it was persuasion from myself and the optician to find a black rimmed pair, which was fitting for a small face. So I would think about buying themed glasses for occasional use as they they can outgrow the charactor.

Allow plenty of time for your child to try on lots of frames and really feel happy with their choice. Try to take any stress away from the experience.

Make sure you allow enough time for them to pick and try out. Encourage them to try others they might not have considered. Try and make it into a fun time and go for a cake/treat afterwards.

My tips would be to check which style they would want from the website - (My DS wanted 'Harry Potter' round glasses and it was a real battle to come to a compromise of more practical and glasses that would suit.

Try to normalise the experience, and give them all of the pros of wearing glasses, and buy a pair they like - not one's you prefer, they will more readily wear them.