Glasses for 18 month old?

bestpud

My children were a lot older when they started wearing glasses (about 7) but I wore them from around that age (so I'm told) and actually fell over a lot less because I could see properly! You may find he is less accident prone too.

I agree it is often better to use an independent optician.

They can seem more expensive at first but the service tends to be far better and it is much easier to get repairs done.

DD(17) has recently been in and had hers repaired free while she waited and my ex did the same a few months back - in fact he is in there fairly regularly getting his sorted out.

DS used to play football and often broke his when he was at primary school so I agree it is helpful to have a second pair for active kids. We had very little problem with dd but she was a more sedate child!

Also, ours is very good with the extras on tests (that aren't covered by the NHS exemption) - they just do them every now and again and I've never paid extra for it.

And, I was worried once, many years ago, when I had floaty bits in my eyes and went in to ask advice - the optician checked my eyes and charged nothing for it - I was there about 20 minutes.

We have been going to them for many years and my children have all been for regular appointments from around 9 months of age, but I think independents provide a more personal service in general tbh. The original husband and wife team have left since we started there but they new opticians are every bit as helpful.

Good luck with it but I am sure he will be fine.

dollydoodah

bigpound wrote: »

18 months!? I'd check his eyesight myself if I were you.

Give over. Many children have had glasses since this age, and earlier. My daughter got her first pair when she was just over 12mths old and her vision then was +9 and +9.5 which was extremely bad. She is now nearly 6 and although it has reduced to +5 and +5.5, it has been like this for the last 2 years so we don't think it is going to reduce any more.

At first, she hated her glasses and what we did was make her wear them in short spurts - when we went to grandmas, went shopping etc. I won't pretend it was easy as it wasn't and we really had to persevere with it but within about 9 months she wore them all the time with no problems. We never really have any problems with them falling off - she even does gymnastics in them!

One thing I would say is please find a good, small opticians. They are worth their weight in gold as they will get to know your DD and build up a relationship with her over time. I once went to one of the high street retailers - never again. Her glasses didn't fit right and every time there was a problem they tried to charge us. We now use the same, independent opticians and they are fantastic; I can call in any time, they know my DD and make sure everything is perfect for her.

As for her being too young to wear them.....the first appointment I ever had with the orthoptist was just before DD's first birthday. As we were waiting to see her, a boy came out who was about 6. His eyes were shocking. One had a fixed turn into the centre, the other was wandering all over. I went in and she said to me 'Did you see that boy that came out? Well if you don't make her wear her glasses, that is what she will end up like.' Put the fear of God in me. :eek:

Js_Other_Half

Ds has had glasses since he was 3 months past his 2nd birthday. I sewed glasses onto a toy he was already fond of. I also bought books that had characters who needed glasses which I read to him for weeks beforehand. I sent them into nursery with him and the staff there read them with his entire toddler room.The amount of bedtime stories about a little boy with his name who wore glasses was unbelievable. As it happened all the preparation paid off, and after the first day or two he never touched them.
We go to a local optician, and pay an extra £35 per pair as the nhs prescription doesn't cover the full cost of the ones we have. They're apparently considered 'designer', but they have a built up silicon bridge, rubber covers on the hinges, and arms that are non-slip.




lwcus78 had this to say when I was looking for help last year:
"I work in an opticians. You are probably aware of these facts already but thought I'd check just in case. You shouldn't have to pay for the glasses. Even if they are lost/broken you will not have to pay for repair/replacement. Dont feel embarressed if they break, children will break their glasses (especially little boys!!) Is he under the hospital? I imagine so as he's so young, you could ask for 2 pairs-its the hospital you need to ask. They are not always willing to prescribe 2 pairs (it depends on the prescription and on the policy in your area)
Hope he enjoys wearing them xx"

clare1076

my daughter started wearing glasses in October at the age of 2, i noticed she had turns in both her eyes, i took her the dr's and he referred us to the hospital. They checked her eyes and she is also +4.5 in both her eyes. The glasses correct her turn when she has them on, she loves them she's got pink ones and a spare pair incase she breaks them. We went to specsavers they had an offer buy one get one free.

They have glasses for babies that fit around the ear so they stay on my daughter wouldn't have these on because she could feel them. She's 3 now and loves them she always reminds me of a morning to put her glasses on and she tells her grandad off when he has forgotten to put his on. She had her first appointment at the hospital last week since getting them and they were very pleased with her progress.

I'm sure once he's got them on he'll get used to them and after time won't even realise he's got them on.

Good Luck
Clare

teeni

My daughter started wearing glasses at 8 months the glasses had rubber ends to curl round her ears, her prescription was 9.0+ and 9.75+ she suddenly realised she could see and keeping them on was easy,She was walking at 9 months too was a lot less accident prone once she could see where she was going. All the weeks of worrying had been for nothing!!!
My son was 10 months when he had his glasses and although his sight wasnt quite as bad he was used to his sisters and got used to them quickly.

Mutter_2

Contact lenses may be the way. You as Mum, pop them in and out.

My lens supplier, caters for 6 month olds.

pusscat

I got my first pair of glasses at about 6 months old and can't ever remember life without them.

Please don't worry at all - most people who "hate" wearing glasses are those who started wearing them later in life - to me they are just a part of my body. I have been known to get in the shower with them on.

Also, when you start wearing them early you learn to "look" differently. It was a driving teacher who told me this - I was a teen and wearing my contact lenses and he noted that I would normally wear glasses as I turned my whole head to look, never just my eyes - appparantly this is good for a driving test as it really shows the examiner that you are looking! I really can't understand people who say the frames annoy them - if you start wearing them early then you just don't see the frames because you move your head!

Anyway, my Mum used a hat and a ribbon to tie them on me as a baby, by the time I had learned to crawl they were just so much a part of my life that they did not fall off - ever. She also used to tie a piece of elastic tightly accross the back when I was climbng trees etc- but I never needed it. In nearly 40 years I have never seriously broken a set of glasses (and only lost 1 spare pair) when they are that much a part of your life it is just not a problem, I put mine on in the morning when I open my eyes and take them off last thing as I lie down - I rarely touch them in between.

I did think you could use one of the bungee cords for ski glasses if need be - something like these http://eyewearstraps.com/default.htm

or these http://www.koolsun.co.uk/acatalog/Beaba_sunglasses.html (not the sunglasses but the style of bungee cord)

I am so glad that kids styles have moved on from the "National Health" ones - luckly my Mum decided (very trendily inthe 70's) that as they were going to be such a big part of my life that as soon as I was used to them I would have "nice" glasses, not NHS ones.

Hope this helps a bit

Puss
xx