Choose eyeglasses for babies and children

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by an eye doctor - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital
To help children with eye problems see better, after visiting an ophthalmologist, the most difficult thing parents have to do is convince their child to wear glasses every day. In addition, choosing eyeglasses for babies and children is not an easy task.

1. Choose prescription glasses for children

Choosing eyeglasses for babies and children often confuses many parents because there are so many frames on sale in the store. Here are some guidelines on how to choose eyeglasses for children that parents should refer to:
Choose age-appropriate frames Metal frames are usually flexible and light, but often curved. If your child is very young, or is often rough with toys, then consider choosing a sturdy plastic frame. In addition, children who need to wear high-numbered glasses (Paired with glasses will be thicker) should choose the smallest frame – suitable for the child's face to avoid too heavy glasses.
The frame fits properly Keeping the glasses in place on the face is very important in children. The frame should not press against the child's ears or nose, or be heavy. In children, because the nose is not fully developed, the bridge of the nose cannot prevent the plastic frame from falling down. Custom-designed plastic frames or metal frames with bridges are quite suitable for young children, can be adjusted to fit the nose without falling. Parents need to regularly check the points where the frame touches the face to make sure that the baby's skin is not irritated.
Spring latch Spring pin helps to increase the flexibility of the frame, easy to extend to the sides without damage. This is essential because children often take off their glasses in a hurry with one hand, making the two frames more prone to loosening and breaking. Spring latch helps parents save money to repair or replace new glasses, as well as easily remove glasses for children when they fall asleep.
Lens material Glass lenses have the advantage of not being scratched and keeping their transparency for a long time, but they are heavy and fragile. Synthetic plastic lenses are light and unbreakable, but are easily scratched and fade quickly after a period of use. Most children often throw glasses quite hard, so parents should choose plastic lenses with scratch protection. Although it has a higher price, it is more economical because it lasts longer.
Cut glasses according to prescription In principle, wear the glasses with the lowest number to achieve the highest vision, after consulting a doctor - issue prescription glasses, parents choose frames to fit glasses with the correct pupil distance, let their children try them on, in In the process of using glasses, if there are abnormalities such as blurred vision, eye pain, eye fatigue, you need to take the child back to the ophthalmologist for further examination.

2. Create a habit of wearing glasses for your baby

In addition to the uncomfortable feeling of entanglement due to unfamiliarity, children wearing glasses for the first time are also teased by friends. Therefore, the most important task of parents is to convince their children to wear glasses every day. Some tips to help your baby get used to new glasses are:
Start slowly At first, you only let your child wear glasses for a short time, such as every time he sits down. Then gradually increase the time to wear glasses at other times of the day for the baby to get used to.
Create a habit To make wearing eyeglasses a part of your child's daily routine, parents should encourage their child to wear glasses every morning at the same time as changing clothes and only take them off at night before bed.
If your child still refuses to wear glasses, find and fix the problem first. Are the lenses properly cut, or is the child experiencing any physical discomfort? In addition, parents need to regularly explain and repeat why the child needs to wear glasses. Don't forget to praise your child every time he wears glasses.

3. How to choose eyeglasses for children to play sports

Eye problems or not, glasses are an excellent means of protection to prevent injury. Wearing glasses is a good idea for children to play sports such as: baseball, basketball, football, tennis, karate...
At first, your child may not want to use protective glasses, especially if he's the only one on the team wearing glasses. Parents can help children by:
Letting the child choose the style of glasses frames and frames to their liking; Give examples of other athletes or friends or siblings who also wear glasses; Parents also actively wear glasses when playing sports for children to see and imitate.

4. Choose sunglasses for children

Participating in outdoor activities in the summer exposes children to intense sunlight. Parents can also let their children wear sunglasses to protect their eyes, but they should not be worn for a long time. Children are still in the stage of vision development, appropriate light has a stimulating effect on the eye nerves. Therefore, children should only wear sunglasses when out in the sun and for no more than 4 hours a day.
Ophthalmologists also emphasize that when buying sunglasses for children, parents should focus on function, not appearance. Children should choose sunglasses based on the following criteria:
Color Each eye color has a different function, and solid black sunglasses are not necessarily good. In general, grays, greens and light browns are suitable for young children's eyes. Do not choose glasses that are too dark.
Shape, size Should choose glasses suitable for baby's face, the frame is not too small to ensure full coverage of the eyes. The frame should not be too wide or heavy to avoid falling, or causing discomfort. It is best to choose a frame with a lanyard for young children to prevent glasses from falling to the ground.

Material Children often run, jump, play, so it is easy to drop glasses or bump. Therefore, the lens part should not be made of glass, instead choose a good, light and safe plastic material. When buying glasses, parents can hold the glasses away from the light and rotate slightly to check for distortion, air bubbles or scratches.
Brands Currently on the market there are many types of floating sunglasses, with no quality assurance. Parents should prioritize choosing glasses with reputable brands. Also pay attention to symbols representing functions such as “UV protection” or “UV400” on the glass body.
For children with eye disease, parents should consult an ophthalmologist before deciding to let them wear more sunglasses. How to choose eyeglasses for babies and children needs to meet the criteria of easy to see, suitable for the face and pleasing to the baby. The glasses don't have to be expensive, but they have to be of high quality and durable.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has vision-related service packages including:
Refractive error screening package Cataract surgery consultation and examination package Ortho-K package.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: Webmd.com