My 4yo dd needs glasses - anyone think of any idea to make it seem more exciting?????

Mics_chick

tina_nelson wrote: »

if you just explain to your health visitor that there is a possibility your child may have poor eyesight eg. other family members, they should refer you to your local clinic for an appointment with an orthoptic. My experience of them is brilliant, my sons eyes were checked every 3 months from about 6 mnths old. Obviously it is extremely difficult for them to be specific but they can monitor development & improvement or lack of it. Dropes can be put into the eyes for the Optometrist to prescribe if necessary and my son had his first glasses just before his 2nd birthday. As he has regular checks every couple of months they are also keeping an eye on my baby, now 8 months. When I mentioned my concerns about the baby to my GP she told me I would have to wait for an appointment and we should wait until she was at least 1. The Orthoptics don't see any point on making a formal appointment for one so young as obviously they can only do brief checks but their advice is most definately, the earlier the better, they can really assist with any possible deteriation. My advice, contact your health visitor and ask her to sort it. good luck.

They gave my dd drops before they did the eye test - she didn't like it

She didn't like the test either - she didn't want to keep the eye test specs on and kept looking at what the optician was doing rather than where she was told to look.
Some of the things they asked her to do (like look to the side while they've shone a bright light straight into eye) they've asked me to do when I've had an eye test and I've found it difficult and really had to concentrate hard so how they expect a 4yo to I don't know :rolleyes:

skylight

Madmel wrote: »

We met the Red Arrows yesterday and they do have a female flight engineer. The pilots are so nice and all signed the DDs brochures - one advantage of DH being a member of the local flying club!

My Lara would have killed for this!!!!!!

Madmel

lol at your DD!

Tina is right with her advice. I had had a squint as a child, and although we were never told to look out for it, I noticed one evening that DD1's eyes weren't looking in the same direction. I rang the HV the next day and within a month (including Christmas) we were under the care of the Eye Unit at the hospital. DD2 was also checked as it is inherited. Even though she was only about 9 months old, there were things they were looking for in such a little one.

As regards eye drops - UGH! The first time, the orthoptist was brilliant and very quick. Whilst the kids hated it, it was over fast. After that, because they were well-behaved, they did the tests without them. I would advise taking something like chocolate buttons so when they open their mouth to scream, throw a couple in. It soon shuts them up!

If you get an experienced orthoptist, I have found them to be wonderful with children. The lolly stick things always have cartoon characters on them. My kids used to ask what they had today (Tweenies, Garfield, animals) as we were going every 6 weeks.

We also had to do patching with DD1. To begin with, I gave her a scarf tied over her head and a cardboard sword to pretend she was a pirate. Her favourite toys had a tiny piece of micropore tape stuck over her eye too. I set the oven timer to beep to begin with after 5 minutes. She got a chocolate button (great bribes). Then I gradually increased the time between the treats until she had worn it for the correct time. Altogether we patched for about 15 months. DD1's eyes are lovely and straight now, and we make a point of talking to people who are out and about with eye patches on - DD says "I used to wear them and now I don't need to".

Mics_chick

We picked her glasses up today and she was very happy with them until she realised she had to wear them all the time...
I'm a little worried that they're not the right prescription though coz she keeps wanting to take them off to see. :rolleyes: Is this a normal reaction?

helenhugs

My son wears glasses & has since he turned 5. My main piece of advice is DONT PAY FOR GLASSES. Don't add any of the extras the shop might try to sell you, the special protective coating etc you need to pay extra for. You will get new glasses if they are scratched etc & you don't have to pay for them so why spend money you don't need to.
I learnt my lesson with my sons glasses. Thankfully I was too poor at the time to buy them & it wasn't until after I realised you could get them free when you really needed to. My son has gone through about 9 pairs of glasses. The 1st pair he had I was so worried about him getting them I was willing to pay up to £50 for a pair he liked. I was lucky his fav were a free pair. He broke them within a month.
Hope she takes to her new glasses well.
Hugs
Helen