So, your little one needs eyeglasses. Knowing your baby or toddler, you are aware that it may be difficult to keep glasses on his/her little face. You want your child to have the proper correction and be safe while wearing glasses. On the other hand, you don’t want to break the glasses or lose them. They don’t lose or break them on purpose…they’re learning how to navigate the world! However, their glasses won’t do any good sitting on the counter either.
So, you get to drive out to the optometrist’s office and find the perfect pair (or five). Once you arrive, walking into the clinic and showroom can be overwhelming. There are numerous options at your disposal, which doesn’t always make it easy to make a perfect choice. Before you panic, keep these considerations in mind for a smoother experience:
- Bring your child! Your child’s head and facial shape determines the fitting of the frame. The frame that is selected has to be appropriate for the lens prescription.
- Invest in wrap-around earpieces! Look for frames that have a built-in cable temple (“comfort cable”) or ones that have a built-in rubber strap to hold them around their head.
- Ask an expert! This is not a DIY process and cannot be ordered online.
Beware: frames on child actors are oversized on purpose to emphasize that they are wearing glasses. That’s fine as a prop, but not for your son or daughter! It’s important to find colorful and fun eyewear that your kiddo likes, and will actually wear.
4 TIPS TO GET THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOUR CHILD
- When your son is trying on glasses, make sure you are looking at him at the same eye level! When the lenses are the right size you will notice that your son’s eyes will be centered (both horizontally and vertically) in in the frame front.
- The temples should gently graze the side of the head and not put a lot of pressure on it. You know you have the right temple length when the temple starts to bend at the top of the ear.
- Different shaped frames work best for different faces. Rectangular frames are complementary to round faces and vice versa. The bridge of the frame should match the contour of the bridge of the nose or have adjustable nose pads.
- Take a look behind the ears. The end of the temple should not protrude lower than the bottom of the ear.
3 TYPES OF FUNCTION
- Flexible frames made of soft materials are good options for active young children or babies. Choosing soft, rubberized materials for your child’s frames will not only aid with comfort but will also help them survive all of the spills and falls kids are prone to have. You don’t have to sacrifice fashion for function. After all, who doesn’t want their baby to look cool?
- One popular choice for parents is a high-performance, safety-rated, polycarbonate goggle for children who play sports.
- Don’t forget about sunglasses! While you may think buying a “toy quality” sunglass is adequate, it’s actually a safety hazard! The lack of craftsmanship can result in breakage and injury to your child. These “funglasses” do not protect against ultraviolet light or glare. Nowadays there are sport-specific sun lenses to enhance performance. Glasses for playing tennis need to be a different tint than glasses for golf to make the ball “pop” in each sport. We offer a large selection of quality sunglasses for children at very reasonable prices. Think of these sports glasses as an essential part of child’s sports performance gear. Click to read more tips on quality sunglasses for your children.
There is much to consider when shopping for eyeglasses, especially for a child. It all goes back to safety first, which means using the right materials and finding a pair that fits. You can find reviews on children’s products here. Don’t worry, everything we sell comes with a warranty against breakage. Please click the button below to contact us today!