Wearing eyeglasses can be a huge challenge for young children, especially during the adjustment period. Here are five simple tips to help your kid get excited about their new pair of spectacles.
Clear and comfortable vision is required for your child to develop basic socializing and learning skills, such as forming new friendships, reading, and writing. As you consider all the essentials your little one needs to succeed at school, remember to include a children’s eye exam.
While only a thorough eye exam by your optometrist can diagnose if your child needs eyeglasses, there are some warning signs that all parents must watch out for including:
- Frequent squinting or excessive eye rubbing
- Head tilting or covering one eye when looking at an object
- Complaints about headaches or eye pain
- Trouble concentrating in school
- Weak reading comprehension
- Sitting too close to the television
Some of the most common vision problems that could cause any of the above symptoms are refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism. These can all easily be corrected by your kid’s eye doctor using eyeglasses or contact lenses.
WHY CHILDREN’S EYE EXAMS ARE SO IMPORTANT
Our Calgary Optometrists Provide Comprehensive Eye Exams for Children
At our Calgary eye clinic in Market Mall, we have a team of friendly and professional eye doctors who are able to provide eye health services for your entire family, including seniors and children. Whether you require emergency eye care, a contact lens fitting, or a LASIK eye surgery consultation, we can ensure you achieve and maintain optimal eye health and clear vision.
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CONTACT OUR CALGARY EYE CLINIC IN MARKET MALL
5 Tips to Help Your Child Adjust to Their New Eyeglasses
Getting new eyeglasses can be an exciting experience for your child. Their world will change in a positive way thanks to clearer vision, and you shouldn’t be surprised to see them engaging in activities they’ve previously avoided! You may even see improvements in other areas including taking on more leadership roles or performing better academically.
However, as with anything new, your child will go through a period of adjusting to their eyeglasses. As a parent, here are some things you can do to help your little one get used to their spectacles and enjoy a new way of seeing the world:
1. Involve your child in the frame selection process.
While you should provide guidance to your child when selecting their new frames, it’s important to let them make the final decision. Your child will be wearing them daily and the right pair of eyeglasses will reflect their unique personality and sense of style. Actively involving your child in the frame selection process will result in an outcome everyone is happy with.
HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT PAIR OF EYEGLASSES FOR YOUR CHILD
2. Make sure the eyeglasses always fit properly.
When your child leaves the eye clinic, their new eyeglasses will fit just right. However, over time, the fit may require some adjusting. If your child complains about any pinching or tightness, or if their eyeglasses are constantly slipping, you should visit your eye doctor for an adjustment.
3. Make choosing eyeglasses fun.
When you take your child to the eye clinic, there is no reason to feel uneasy. Eye exams don’t hurt and choosing eyeglasses can be a lot of fun with the right attitude! When you play up the stylish or novel side of eyeglasses and make the whole process of selecting frames relaxed and fun, your child will be more engaged and excited about their new spectacles.
4. Always maintain a positive attitude.
While there may be days when your child is excited about wearing their eyeglasses, there may also be days when they are unhappy with them. Understand that these ups and downs are normal in the beginning so make sure to go with the flow and maintain a positive attitude — your child will come around.
5 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN NEED EYEGLASSES
5. Teach your child how to look after their eyeglasses.
Your child’s new glasses will need proper care. Teach them how to correctly clean the lenses and how to safely store their spectacles in a case when they aren’t using them. Especially with younger children, it’s easy for them to forget to clean their eyeglasses and then feel unhappy about blurry vision due to smudged lenses. Patiently teach and remind your child to clean their lenses until this becomes a natural habit.
We Can Help Find Your Child the Perfect Pair of Eyeglasses
At Market Mall Optometry, we can provide comprehensive children’s eye exams and help pick out a pair of eyeglasses that your little one will love wearing! To find out more or to book an appointment, contact us at 403-286-4884 or fill in our online contact form.
