Getting Kids to Wear Glasses

For most children, it’s perfectly normal to feel strange with the new sensations of their new glasses. The process can be similar to breaking in a new pair of shoes - there may be a brief period of discomfort, but with a little time the glasses should become very comfortable!

If your child has never worn glasses before, simply having frames on their face may seem strange. In addition, adjusting to a new point-of-view and seeing the world in high-definition can often take a little getting used to.

If your child has been wearing glasses for a long time, their brain gets used to the old prescription glasses and point-of-view and can find it hard to adjust if the prescription is changed.

Once your child's brain and eyes learn new habits, the high-definition vision and new sensations will feel comfortable. This can often take couple of weeks, especially if they have a new prescription, the frame is larger than what they are used to, or it's their first pair of glasses.

Common symptoms from children regarding their new eyeglass prescription

Kids can experience any of the following symptoms while adjusting to their new glasses, but the good news is that these symptoms generally resolve quite quickly:

- Eye strain or irritation
- Prescription feels too strong
- Clear but uncomfortable
- Distorted peripheral vision
- Mild headaches
- Fish-bowl effect
- Objects feel closer or further away than usual

Because your child's eyes have grown accustomed to their old prescription and glasses or are not used to needing glasses, this change will take some getting used to.

The optometrist or ophthalmologist calibrates your child's vision extremely accurately, also taking into account any predictable future changes where possible. So, while the new prescription may temporarily appear worse than the old glasses, the prescription change should feel much better after a short time!

Tips for helping your child adjust to their new glasses

1. Have the child wear them consistently

Your child might be hesitant to wear their glasses consistently because they feel uncomfortable with them, but it’s an absolute must for their brain and eyes to get used to them. Have your child wear them as prescribed by your doctor, taking them off only if they develop eye pain, headaches, or dizziness. Once the symptoms pass, put the glasses on again.

If their prescription changed, it's best to discontinue wearing the glasses with the old prescription, as going back and forth between prescriptions will make the adjustment period last longer.

2. Adjust the glasses for a better fit

To ensure that your child is looking through the optical center of the lens, adjust the temple arm tips for a more snug fit to keep the glasses from sliding down their nose. Prescription lenses have an optical center matching their pupillary distance (so the optical center aligns with their pupil), so if the glasses are sliding down on their nose the child may not be looking through the optical center of the lens.

Pro Tip: All of our frames have adjustable comfort tips, which allow you to easily adjust your child's glasses right at home!

3. Clean the lenses regularly

Dust and smudges on your child's eyeglasses will make it harder for them to adjust to their new glasses. To avoid this, regularly clean the new lenses, especially before your child puts them on for the first time during the day. Use clear water or a lens cleaner, along with a scratch-free cloth, to keep the lenses clean.

Did you know? We sell natural lens eyeglass cleaner! Be sure to stock up so you can keep your little one's glasses smudge-free.

Is your child still struggling?

If your child still seems to be experiencing any of the above symptoms after a period of two to three weeks as a result of their glasses, feel free to get in contact with us or your child's eye doctor to ensure that the prescription is correct.

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