You’ve just taken your child for their monthly eye exam and discovered they need eyeglasses. Now what? Here are 5 practical tips for parents whose kid requires a pair of spectacles.
As a parent, you want to ensure that your child grows up being healthy and happy, and while most Calgarians understand the importance of regular health checks, what often gets overlooked is an annual children’s eye exam.
Visiting your children’s eye doctor for a yearly eye exam is extremely important for your child’s visual development and can have many benefits including:
- improved school performance
- early diagnosis and treatment of certain conditions (eg. amblyopia or strabismus)
- clearer and more comfortable vision for your child
- reduced symptoms of vision-related learning problems such as headaches, eye strain, or short attention spans for visual tasks.
Comprehensive Children’s Eye Exams in Calgary
At Market Mall Optometry, we offer a wide range of children’s vision services including eye exams, contact lens fittings and eye emergency care to help keep your little ones' eyesight healthy and comfortable for many years to come.
5 Practical Tips For Parents Whose Child Needs Eyeglasses
Did you know that 80% of what a child learns is through his/her eyes? For many parents who want to set their kid up for success, encouraging them to wear their glasses is crucial to ensuring they learn to the best of their abilities.
You’re child has just had an eye exam and they are in need of spectacles. Now what? For most parents this can be a daunting process, but it doesn’t have to be!
Here are some simple and easy practical tips for any parent whose child needs glasses:
1. Be Realistic
When buying your child a pair of eyeglasses, it’s important to face the facts: most kids are not practiced in the art of taking care of fragile items. Remember, glasses can get lost, broken, or scratched, so keep these inevitable conditions in mind when purchasing eyewear for your little one.
2. Choose Eyewear Based on Fit and Function
There are many things to think about when you’re buying eyeglasses for your child. With choices from which frame and lens materials to select, to speciality options, you want to make sure that you purchase a pair that’s best suited for your child’s needs.
It is always best to seek out the advice of a children’s eye doctor when selecting frames for your kid as they can help you make the right decision based on your child’s:
- Face shape
- Skin tone
- Level of activity
- Prescription
- Age
3. Teach Your Child About Proper Eyewear Care
It’s not easy taking care of new eyeglasses but failing to do so can result in scratched lenses and broken frames, which is why it’s important to educate your child on the proper cleaning and handling of eyewear.
Be sure to reinforce the idea that glasses always belong in their protective case unless they are being worn.
Choosing The Right Eyewear Case
4. Always Keep a Spare Pair
If your child has a high prescription and is dependant on their glasses, it’s absolutely crucial that you keep a (less-expensive) spare pair in the event of lost or damaged spectacles. This is important because sometimes, eyewear can take a week or longer to replace.
5. Put Yourself in Your Child’s Shoes
Suddenly showing up at school, in front of your friends, in glasses is naturally a big adjustment for any child. That’s why it’s important to remain sensitive to your child’s transition and be as understanding as possible.
Some ways you can ease this transition is by:
- Allowing your child to participate in the frame selection
- Talking openly with your child about their concerns and fears
- Remaining patient
Call Today
To find out more about our eye-health services for your little one including children’s eye exams, contact lenses, emergency care and more, contact our Calgary eye clinic at 403-286-4884 or fill in our online contact form
