Helping Your Child Get Used To New Glasses

If you have a school aged child who had recently failed their school eye exam, you will want to do a follow-up with an ophthalmologist to see if they are in need of corrective lenses. If your child is indeed a candidate for visionary help, they will most likely be recommended to get a pair of glasses to correct the troubles they are having. The first few days wearing glasses can be a bit troublesome to your child as the frames will feel foreign on their face and their vision will be noticeably different. Here are a few ways you can help your child get used to their new glasses.

Allow Frame Selection

If your child has a pair of frames that they find pleasing, they will be more apt to wearing them willingly. Often a child will feel self-conscious about their appearance when wearing a new pair of glasses. Allow your child to check out the selection of frames available at the eye doctor's establishment and pick out a set they feel comfortable in wearing. If they sway toward a certain look that they enjoy, do not try to dissuade them with another frame. Having them make the decision will be a boost to their confidence, making them excited to wear their glasses instead of upset about it.

Incorporate Into Schedule

To help your child remember to wear their glasses, write a small list of tasks to complete before leaving for school each morning. Post this to their wall or on your dining room table so they can mark off each task before it is time to leave the home. Make sure "put on glasses" is listed so they do not mistakenly leave them on their bedside table.

Encourage Resting Time

The first few days your child wears their new glasses, they may find they get a headache toward the end of the day. This is due to the change in vision and it will stop when the eyes get accustomed to the prescription. Have your child rest their eyes when they get home from school by lying down for several minutes while closing their eyes. This will relax them while letting their eyes have a break from the prescription in the process.

Have A Follow Up Visit

It is very important to schedule a follow-up visit with the ophthalmologist to make sure the prescription is working well for your child. They will ask your child questions about their vision and make any adjustments to the prescription if the child complains about blurriness or headaches after wearing their glasses for a few weeks.