They may look really cute, but there is an actual reason why toddlers need to wear glasses. If you have just found out your little one needs help seeing or to correct an eye poblem it can be a scary time for mums, with numerous questions going around.
To help mums out, here are a number of things you need to know about and do to make the change easier on both you and your child.
How can you tell if your little one needs them?
A routine eye exam can actually help to sort out any problems. If your child does not yet know their alphabet they won't be able to say the letters, so your little one's ophthalmologists will more than likely use a symbols chart rather than a letter chart. This is known as the Lea test.
Preparing your child for the exam
Obviously it is going to be a little bit scary for your child when they walk in and a doctor starts poking and prodding their eyes, so prepare them. Try to make it sound like it is going to be fun – tell them they will look at shapes and a doctor will shine a light in their eye. Anything that takes away from the scary experience it might be perceived as.
Choosing glasses
You will need to choose a pair that is durable – think of your youngster climbing and jumping around – so that you won’t have to keep replacing them. They will also need to fit correctly so choose ones with a strap that goes around the head rather than arms so that they won’t keep falling off your child’s face. Although you can get cable temples which sit like normal arms on the ear but sits more snugly and goes further around. And finally, let them choose. If they had a role in the decision making process, they are more likely going to actually wear them.
Getting them to wear them
Glasses can be bulky and uncomfortable to start off with so your little one will need a time and patience to get used to them. Don’t force them to put on their glasses on and don’t give out if they are constantly taking them off. Over time your toddler will begin to realise that when they do have their glasses on they can see so much better and will opt to wear them instead of being asked to.
