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Four Eyes Can Be Fabulous
Get Your Child to Understand the Importance of Glasses By C.J. Johnson
So your child is getting glasses -- no sweat! According to the American Optometric Association there are approximately 58.8 million children in the United States who wear corrective lenses and many more begin wearing eyeglasses each day. Their eyesight is immediately improved, and with the help of an eye care expert and a few wise parents, adjusting to wearing glasses can be a smooth, even enjoyable, process.
"As long as there is strong parental support and the child understands the benefits of wearing the eyeglasses, there is no problem," says Thomas Fausset, an optometrist practicing in Santa Barbara, Calif. "Today's children don't seem to mind glasses"
It is easy for kids to start wearing glasses because so many children already wear them and because there are many attractive options in frames, he says. "Frame styles have come a long way and are much more cool."
He offers a few suggestions to make the process easier for the whole family:
- Allow your child to select the frame. Cost should not be the focus. If the child doesn't like the frames, he won't wear them.
- Remind them of the benefits their glasses provide. This list can include the ability to read, see movies better, play sports, etc.
- Instruct them in eyeglass care. Help them set up a routine for storing glasses and keeping them clean.
Fausset realizes parents with much younger children face different challenges. "The biggest problem is getting these young children to stop pulling their glasses off. It is a hassle at first, but just keep putting them back on their face," he says. "They eventually get used to the feel of the glasses and stop pulling them off."
Through trial and error she also realized the shape of the frames could cause harm and she strongly recommends parents look at glasses carefully when choosing them. "He fell when he was wearing his first pair of glasses. They were poorly designed and cut into his eyebrows," Cloward says. "Check out the warranty of the glasses before you buy them. You never know when or how they'll break."
