Tips for Preschooler w/ Glasses
I have a 4.5/yo son who was just prescribed glasses for farsightedness. I have purchased a few pairs of glasses for him and he will immediately pop the lenses out of the frames, every single time I try to get him to wear them.
Has anyone experienced this? Any tips?
I thought that he might be more into them if I let him pick out the frames, but I can't find a glasses store with a good selection for children. Do you know of any?
He has also mentioned that he thinks people will tease him at school for having them, though I have received no reports of this.
Any advice appreciated.
Apr 26, 2023
Parent Replies
Hi! Solidarity. I’ve got a 3.5 year old who’s been wearing glasses since age 2.5. He actually just started popping the lenses out at preschool (and now at home). We’ve been trying to see if there’s a pattern to when he pops them out and haven’t nailed it yet but we definitely take them out of his reach for all sleep, which has solved part of it. He seems to think it’s a fun game like puzzles so we’re trying to do lots of actual puzzles to see if that meets his need for this kind of activity. We also took him to the optician to make sure we put the lenses back in correctly and talked about how important it is to wear his glasses properly so he can see well. Not that he can fully control his impulses but he does appreciate how much better he can do his favorite activities when wearing glasses.
Not exactly what you asked but - We also marked the lenses so it’s easier to put them back in (they’re nearly symmetrical and hard to tell apart, and he also has astigmatism so there’s a top/bottom for each lens), so at least it’s easier to put them back in.
Good luck!
I forgot to mention, I haven’t found a place with good kids glasses options in person but have bad good luck with Kids Bright Eyes online, and have heard great things about the Tomatoes brand. I’ve also found this FB group to be helpful if you use FB: https://m.facebook.com/groups/littlefoureyes/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF
I just got a pair of glasses for my 2yo son who is also farsighted. We went to For Your Eyes Only in Walnut Creek and they were amazing. They carry a brand called Dilli Dalli which is made just for kids and because they had the lenses he needed in stock, they were able to make the glasses in literally just a few minutes, while we waited. The ones we got fit him so much better than the pair we first got at Lenscrafters, which I'll be returning. Another brand that was recommended by the ophthalmologist was Tomato, but I couldn't find a place that carried them close by.
While out at a restaurant this week, another kid (maybe 7?) pointed at my son, laughed, and said "hey that baby is wearing glasses!" to which I calmly replied "yes, they help him see more clearly." So kids will definitely notice. I don't have any advice on how to coach a 4yo on this but it might be wise to think about some things your son could say if other kids question or comment on his glasses. It's so hard to think about your kid feeling different or having to deal with things like this but probably best to talk about it so he feels prepared! Good luck!!