10
Tips for Buying Kids' Eyewear
If you're
a parent in search of the right pair of eyeglasses for your
child, you probably know that walking into an optical store can be confusing.
There is no shortage of children's eyeglass frames. The problem is: how do you figure out which
ones: a) your child will be willing to wear; and b) will last longer than the
ride home?
To begin
with, most children who need eyeglasses are either nearsighted or farsighted.
Depending on the degree of visual correction necessary, your eye doctor will
prescribe glasses for full- or part-time wear. Some kids will be instructed to
take their eyeglasses off for schoolwork, while others need to have them on
every waking moment. Sometimes the eye doctor will
make specific recommendations about suitable eyeglass frames; but more often
that decision is left up to you, your child and the optical dispenser who fits
the glasses.
Here are 10 items to consider to
make your trip to the optical shop an enjoyable experience and to ensure that
you get children's glasses that will endure.
1. Lens Thickness
The eyeglass prescription is always the primary consideration in choosing
glasses. Before you start looking for the frames, consult with the optician about lens considerations.
If the
prescription calls for strong lenses that are likely to be thick, it is
important to keep the frames as small as possible to reduce the final lens
thickness. Also, smaller lenses tend to have fewer higher-order aberrations near the edge of the lens than large lenses
of the same material and prescription, so there is less risk of blurred or
distorted peripheral vision.
2. Fashion Forward
Whether they are full- or
part-time eyeglass wearers, most kids get at least a little teasing about their
specs, especially the first time they wear them. So it's very important that
they avoid frames that make them look "uncool." You also should steer
your child away from frames that clearly are objectionable, too expensive or
inappropriate.
Just keep
in mind that the real object is to get your child to wear the glasses. Extra
enticement may be found in ultra cool features like photochromic lenses with tints that darken outdoors, which may
help inspire any child to want to wear glasses.
3. Plastic or Metal?
Children's
frames are made of either plastic or metal (also called "wire").
Double bridges are found on boys' frames, while frames with
single bridges are either unisex or
strictly for girls. Many manufacturers copy adult styles for children's frames.
Kids may be attracted to these styles because they look more grown-up. It's not
unusual for kids to ask for glasses that look just like Mom's or Dad's.
In the past, plastic frames were
a better choice for children because they were considered more durable, less
likely to be bent or broken, lighter in weight and less expensive. But now,
manufacturers are making metal frames that incorporate these features as well.
Metal composition varies, so ask the optician which one is best for your child,
based on experience with different alloys.
Ask for hypoallergenic materials
if your child has shown sensitivity to certain substances. For example, some
people are allergic to frame alloys that contain nickel.
4. Proper Bridge Fit
One of the toughest parts about
choosing suitable frames for young children is that their noses are not fully
developed, so they don't have a bridge to prevent plastic frames from sliding
down. Metal frames, however, usually are made with adjustable nose pads, so
they fit everyone's bridge.
Most manufacturers recognize this
difficulty with plastic frames and make their bridges to fit small noses.
Each frame must be evaluated
individually to make sure it fits the bridge. If any gaps exist between the
bridge of the frame and the bridge of the nose, the weight of the lenses will
cause the glasses to slide, no matter how well the frame seems to fit before
the lenses are made.
It's important that the glasses
stay in place; otherwise kids tend to look over the top of the lenses instead
of pushing their glasses back up where they belong. An optician usually is the
best judge of whether a frame fits properly.
5. The Right Temple Style
Temples that wrap all the way around the back of the
ear help keep glasses from sliding down or dropping off a child's face
completely.
For babies and toddlers, this Dilli Dalli frame called "Half Pint" has cable temples that wrap snugly around the ears to hold eyeglasses in place. Please click on the image for a close-up of this and other available Dilli Dalli styles.
These
wraparound temples, called "cable temples,"
generally are available on metal frames and are especially helpful to keep
glasses in place on toddlers.
Another option is a strap that
goes around the head.
Eyeglasses with cable temples
and/or straps are not a good choice for part-time wearers, however, because
they are a bit more awkward to put on and take off. For glasses that go on and
off frequently, it is better to have regular, or "skull," temples
that go straight back and then curve gently around the back of the ear.
6. Spring Hinges
A nice feature to look for is
temples with spring hinges. These special hinges allow the temples to flex
outward, away from the frames, without causing any damage. Although they
sometimes cost a bit more, spring hinges can be a worthwhile investment for
children's eyewear.
Kids are not always careful when
they put on and take off glasses, and spring hinges can help prevent the need
for frequent adjustments and costly repairs. They also come in handy if the
child falls asleep with the glasses on or just has a rough day at play. Spring
hinges are strongly recommended for toddlers, who sometimes get carried away
playing with their new glasses.
7. Lens Material
Once you and your child agree on
frames that you both like, the next consideration is the lenses.
Children's
lenses should be made of polycarbonate or Trivex. These materials are significantly
more impact-resistant than other lens materials for added safety. Polycarbonate
and Trivex lenses also are significantly lighter than regular plastic lenses,
which makes the eyewear more comfortable — especially for strong prescriptions.
Polycarbonate
and Trivex have built-in protection against potentially damaging ultraviolet (UV)
rays, and the lenses are scratch-resistant coated by the manufacturer or fabrication
lab.
The price
for polycarbonate lenses generally is comparable to the cost for regular
plastic lenses with UV and scratch-resistant coatings. And
with polycarbonate, kids get that extra margin of safety to protect their eyes.
Keep in mind that Trivex lenses may cost a little more than polycarbonate.
The least desirable material for
your child's lenses is glass. Although it must be treated for impact
resistance, glass still shatters when it breaks, and broken glass — even safety
glass — is a hazard to the eye. Glass lenses also are significantly heavier,
which makes them less comfortable to wear.
Because of safety and liability
issues, most optical stores in the United States do not sell children's eyewear
with glass lenses.
8. Sports Eyewear
Polycarbonate is such a safe lens
material that you may be tempted to let your child play sports in his regular
glasses.
Here's
the drawback: Although polycarbonate is the lens material used for sports
eyewear, regular eyeglass frames do not provide enough protection from large
objects such as balls and flying elbows. So if your kid is involved in sports,
a proper sports goggle with polycarbonate lenses will provide the
best protection against eye injury.
To
provide optimum protection, sports goggles must be fitted properly — so consult
with an eye care professional before making a purchase. Although it sounds
counter-intuitive, a sports goggle should have a larger vertical eye opening,
rather than a smaller one. If an impact should occur and the goggles are pushed
toward the face, a large eye opening keeps the impact points far above and
below the eyes. With a small opening, however, the goggle hits right at the
edge of the eye socket, which can damage the globe of the eye.
9. Warranties
Many optical retailers offer a
warranty plan that will replace eyewear at no charge or for a small fee in case
of damage to the frames or lenses. Consider opting for the warranty, especially
if your child is a toddler or a first-time wearer.
Be aware, however, that not all
warranty plans are the same. Check lens replacement costs with and without the
warranty plan. Generally, if the warranty costs you less or about the same
amount as the fee to replace one single lens, it is worth the price.
Make sure
the lens warranty includes a replacement provision if the lenses become badly
scratched from normal wear. In addition to causing glare and blurred vision, surface
scratches can compromise the impact resistance of the lenses, putting your
child's eyes at risk.
Fun colors and patterns make these new Lucky Brand Kids frames particularly appealing. This frame style, the Willow, can be purchased with engraved fairytale dragons and peace signs. Please click on the image for close-up photos of Willow and other styles.
10. Backup Pair
Because children can be tough on
their eyewear, it's always a good idea to purchase a second, or backup, pair of
eyeglasses for them. This especially is true if your child has a strong
prescription and cannot function without his or her glasses.
Ask your optician if special
discounts apply for second pairs — they often do if the backup pair is
purchased at the same time as the primary pair. In some cases, sports goggles
can be used as a spare pair of glasses. Or, if your child's prescription has
not changed significantly, keep his or her previous eyeglasses in a safe place
for use as a spare.
If your
child wears glasses full time (including outdoors), photochromic lenses or prescription sunglasses also should be considered
to decrease glare, increase visual comfort and provide 100 percent protection
from the sun's harmful UV rays.
To reduce
costs, ask your optician if the lenses in your child's previous glasses can be
tinted to transform them into sunglasses. If the prescription is essentially the same as your child's
current glasses, this is a viable option to purchasing a new pair of
prescription sunglasses.
