Now, keep a positive attitude! You may have been caught off guard at a routine check-up when the pediatric ophthalmologist concluded that your child needs glasses, but now that you’ve taken a deep breath, you can see that glasses are not a problem, but rather the solution to a problem, right?
However, your child may not agree with this opinion. In a few days, he or she will have adapted, especially since he or she will start to see better, but until then, it is important to help him or her, teach him or her and convince him or her to wear glasses. This article will explain what you can do and say to turn an “Oh” into a “Wow”. Check it out!
My son needs to wear glasses! How can I convince him?
You may not believe it, but in most cases, you don't even need to convince your child to wear glasses. And do you know why? Because glasses are a common accessory that brings more comfort and quality of life, as they help you see better. So, sooner or later, they end up being well received. Even so, there is always the odd child who shows resistance. How do you react? Follow these three tips to convince your child to wear glasses:
If your child needs glasses, be positive
Doesn't your little one like the idea? Turn it around! Instead of telling him “you have to wear glasses”, say “you can wear glasses” or “that's great! Wearing glasses is so much fun”, and make him feel special. When children show some resistance, parents should show a positive attitude. Of course, they can't guarantee that their friends at school will react well, nor can they prevent glasses from getting in the way of some games in the beginning, but they can highlight some positive points! For example, tell your child that they look pretty in glasses (and it's not a lie, children look really cute in glasses!) and remind him that other family members, classmates and even famous actors and actresses also wear glasses. At first, this will be enough to break down your child's resistance, especially because children are very receptive to new things and end up showing an interest in wearing the new accessory.
If your child needs glasses, explain the benefits
You should tell your child that he looks good in glasses because compliments are also important, but they do not invalidate certain information. Explain to him that glasses will help him see better and will take care of his eye health in the short, medium and long term. Tell him that, regardless of the reason for which he was prescribed glasses (myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia, etc.), he will end up feeling good with them because, whether he is looking at objects and the environment around him better, whether they are far away or up close. And in time, he will also realize that early treatment prevents the worsening of various eye conditions.
If your child needs glasses, let him or her be involved in the selection process.
Your child is more likely to be excited about the idea of wearing glasses if you let them participate in choosing the frames. So, start by making the visit to the optician's fun! With so many colors, materials and shapes available, they'll end up getting excited during the selection process. We don't want to take away your final say, of course, but whenever possible, let your child decide: that will be half the battle to a quick and easy adaptation. However, supervise the purchase, following these tips for choosing glasses for children:
Children's eyeglass lenses
The lenses of children's glasses must be resistant, custom-fitted to the eyes and adjusted to the frame. They must be as thin and light as possible for the prescription in question, allowing clarity and less distortion in the case of higher prescriptions. They must also have anti-reflective treatment and filter ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Children's glasses frames
The frames of children's glasses must be very strong, light and flexible, so that little ones can play and exercise freely without fear of damaging their glasses. If your child is preschool age, we recommend silicone, plastic or titanium frames with an elastic band or stoppers to ensure good stability. However, from this age onwards, a plastic frame becomes sufficient and later, during adolescence, other materials such as metal can be used.
Fitting children's glasses
Children's glasses should fit well on the face. If your child is very young and has not yet fully developed a nasal bridge, it is advisable to have the frame adjusted by an optician who specializes in children's glasses and opt for a frame with a lower nasal bridge than the eyepieces. In order to keep the glasses in the correct position and stable on the face, you can use stoppers that are placed on the temples and allow the glasses to remain firmly in place, or you can opt for an adjustable headband.
Optician for children
Well, if your child needs to wear glasses, the last tip is to go to a pediatric optician. Specialized in the visual health of children, these opticians will provide the best guidance and solutions to facilitate the selection process and help convince children to wear glasses.
Here at Indi – Eyewear for kids, an optician exclusively for children from the Jorge Oculista group, every day we welcome superheroes and princesses into an enchanted world full of glasses for the little ones!
Children's eyeglass frame models for all tastes and adapted to all needs.
Specialized support focused 100% on children's visual health.