NSBR: Toddlers with glasses?

[Teresa]

Hi everyone...

It's been a LONG while since I've popped my head in here and posted, but SSD will always have a special place in my heart (even if I very rarely have time to scrap or hang out in the digi world very much anymore).

I'm hoping some of you might have some advice for me. My almost two-year old was diagnosed yesterday as being farsighted and will need to wear glasses full-time to avoid developing a lazy eye in the future and correct her vision.

I'm having a hard time with this from a mommy perspective...obviously this is small in the grand scheme of things, but after my own bad experiences with glasses as a kid (much older, though), I hurt for her already and need a little time to process...

But my biggest question is...does anyone have recommendations for toddler glasses? I want to avoid the plastics (Miraflex and Solo Bambini) if at all possible. But am I setting us up for lots of broken frames and trouble by searching for a metal alternative? We have no idea what she's going to keep on her head (if anything!) without a fight. We're going to an office with a much bigger selection of frames tomorrow and I'd love to have your suggestions for what might work.

THANK YOU in advance to anyone who has some advice. (hugs)

[Nettio]

I have no advice but I did want to say hello! We've missed you around here!

[emmasmommy]

my oldest daughter got glasses right before she turned 3. we always have gotten her the hard plastic frames. the one pair of wire rimmed frames we bought her wound up getting destroyed. she's had the same frames for the past 2 years. i think it really just depends on the kid. mine is one of those 'wise beyond her years' types, so we haven't really had a problem.

[Sweeet]

I have a toddler, but we'll be heading to the eye doctor soon, so I won't know if she'll be like me as a toddler (yep, with glasses). I remember having metal frames and I loathed them, but then again, that was um oh so like 3 decades ago (*gasps* I'm an artifact LOL), so I'm sure the styles have changed drastically and I can only hope for the better. *giggles* I don't have a clue as to what the styles look like either..not yet, that is. BUT here are some simple/friendly guidelines I came across that make perfect sense.

• Lenses that last. For safety’s sake, choose lenses made of plastic or polycarbonate (a strong, shatterproof, lightweight plastic). The upside is these materials are hard to break, but the downside is they’re prone to scratches — so ask for a protective coating to be applied when you order your toddler’s glasses.
• Frames that really fit. With all the running, jumping, and falling little ones do, it’s important that toddler glasses stay put and intact. Some make use of elastic straps instead of earpieces to minimize the possibility of breaking that thin piece of plastic or metal. Some frames feature flexible hinges, which enable the specs to take a licking without coming apart at the seams. And look for comfort cables (aka cable temples), which replace earpieces that press against the side of a child’s head with ones that curl around toddler ears, making them extra secure and comfy.
• Delightful designs. Naturally, comfort and fit are foremost when it comes to frames, but your tot might be more likely to love her specs if you let her have a (little) say about what they look like. There are many different styles of glasses for toddlers: Perhaps she can choose the frame color or lens shape, or at the very least, get her the glasses case she has her toddler eye on.

[rach3975]

One of my kids started wearing them at 5. You'd think by that age they'd do okay with them, but this is a child who destroys anything and everything. We went with metal frames because they had a pair that could be bent any which way and just spring back to their normal shape. Wow, do these glasses live up to that! They've been stepped on, thrown repeatedly, bent in all directions on purpose, and are still going strong a year later. We had 1 minor repair after they were stepped on, but that has been it. I'm pretty sure DS would have broken hard plastic frames several times over by now. I don't know whether they make a toddler version or not, but I can say that some metal frames can handle whatever your toddler does to them.

I may be a little biased, but I think they're nice looking. I mean the glasses, LOL. The boys too, though.

[scrap2day]

Check with Lenscrafters and see what their One-Year eyewear protection covers in case they do break. You could also ask them which pairs they think last longest for young kids.

Always keep them in a hard case when she is not wearing them (those soft cases are useless at protecting the frames).

Try to look on the positive about her wearing them in 2012. When I was a kid we had the choice of "we have a boy pair and a girl pair" and the lenses were made of glass and were heavy on little ears.

I'm sorry that you had bad experiences with glasses as a kid. Your daughter is little. She is probably not going to even have the same experience that you did. And you are ready to support, love and encourage her.

If you think she may have difficulty accepting them you may want to get a toy pair for her favorite doll/stuffed animal. Sometimes JoAnn Fabrics has them in the doll making section (but I'm not sure if those are for over age 2 or age 3. It will say on the package). If not you could make a pair of frames out of some felt that she could play with for her doll.

ETA: Or maybe you want to get her a new doll with glasses or get a new doll and draw the glasses on before you give it to her.

[marlathrall]

My husband starting wearing glasses at 13 months old. They realized he couldn't see when he starting walking into stuff. His eyesight was really bad back then but has since improved and he can walk around the house without his glasses and not hit anything. lol. Since she was diagnosed so young, there is a very real chance that her eyes could improve.

I'm going to have to go home and find an old picture of Colby in his glasses. They were so cute!

[isaacsmom]

My son had to get glasses for a lazy eye at about 18 months. I have a very active, somewhat accident prone, 100% all boy kiddo. We went through....16 frames in two years. Ugh. However, we had found a local place that had a 2-year guarantee on the frames. So...long story short - in that 2 years, I paid for one pair of frames. So I guess one thing I would suggest is to check around and see what different places have for policies. I was amazed by how different all of the warranty and guarantees were. The one nice thing is that if they truly need them to see, they will wear them without difficulty in my opinion. The problem with Isaac is that he had balance issues, so probably 90% of the frames breaking were from when he fell. We had metal frames. Hope you find/found something that works.

[kscwgirl]

J's been in glasses since he was 2. We started with the metal frames but switched to plastic when several times, i would go to get him out of his carseat and he'd hand me his glasses, which he had formed into a ball. Drove me batty.

Anyway, we used Walmart, b/c their frames were cheap and they had a warranty on the frames. $38 a pair.

[dover6473]

I have no real help to offer but you could order her a couple of pair to keep from http://www.zennioptical.com/?pd_nav=single&gender[]=745 just in case she breaks hers. I have ordered from this site for years! I usually end up getting a pair of glasses under 20 bucks and that includes shipping!

[Andrea Gourley]

No ideas on the glasses but ... hello!! It's been far too long since you've been around here x