How to Buy Glasses for Your Child: A Simple Guide

Squinting; glaring; bumping into door handles. It’s clear as day: your child isn’t seeing quite as straight as he or she used to. Now, there’s only one solution: you have to buy some glasses.

The problem you have, however, is: you don’t know how to buy glasses for a child. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to provide you with all the info you need.

Without further ado, here’s how to get glasses for kids.

Obtaining the Right Prescription

First and foremost, you need to get the right prescription. This is no simpler than scheduling an appointment with an optometrist and having your child’s eyes tested. The optometrist will discover what type of vision your child has and prescribe a pair of glasses that can optimize that vision.

Note, there are both general optometrists and kids optometrists available. If you are, indeed, getting your child’s eyes tested, you’re advised to utilize the services of a kids optometrist. Optometrists who specialize in working with children tend to do a better job of, well, working with children.

Getting the Fit Right

Once you’re received a prescription or your child’s glasses, you need to try to get the right fit. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done. That said, with some diligence, it can be achieved.

Your best bet is to have your child try on several pairs of glasses. This way, he or she can get a feel for the attributes that are the most accommodating.

Kids’ glasses should hook around the child’s ears. You don’t want the hook to come too early on the ear, but you don’t want it to come too late either. It should fit snugly against the ear.

The bridge of the glasses should be firmly supported by the nose. Note, however, that there should be just a small gap of space between the top of your child’s nose and the bridge of the glasses.

Make sure that the bridge of the glasses possesses silicone pads. These are not only more comfortable for children, but more likely to keep the glasses in place as well.

Finding the Right Style

There is no shortage of glasses styles available on the market today. Whatever style you prefer, you can likely get your hands on it.

At the end of the day, it’s just important to let your child be part of the style selection committee. After all, you want him or her to feel comfortable in his or her glasses. This is only possible if he or she likes the way that the glasses look.

Now, this doesn’t mean that you don’t get a say at all. For instance, if your child chooses a style that’s over-the-top and ridiculous, you’re well within your parental rights to veto the choice. But you should allow for some creative expression on the behalf of the person who will actually be wearing the frames.

Assessing Durability

Kids aren’t like adults. They don’t proceed with caution and they don’t tend to value their possessions. As such, they’re much more prone to breaking their glasses than are their older counterparts.

This is why, when searching for glasses for your child, you must pay heed to durability. Simply put, some glasses are more resistant to damage than are others.

We advise avoiding glasses with narrow metal frames. Why? Because children can bend them into a monstrosity without a second thought.

Plastic frames are a better option. Note, however, that their hinges are incredibly rigid. As such, they can easily break if your child is not careful.

This is why it’s wise to opt for glasses with springs in their hinges. Glasses such as these are designed to withstand all types of wear and tear. Because they’re not as rigid as many other models, they tend to do a better job of absorbing shock.

Inquire About Warranties

Regardless of how durable your child’s glasses are, there’s still a decent chance that they’re going to break at some point. As such, it’s wise to choose a pair of glasses that are under warranty.

Warranties for glasses vary wildly. Some cover all damages free of charge while others require you to pay for certain types of repairs. The better the warranty, the better off you’ll be in the long run.

Assess your options and see which ones you feel most comfortable with. The key is to strike a good balance between reasonable initial cost and solid warranty coverage.

Consider Several Pairs

Now, there’s no doubt about it: glasses can be expensive. As such, it’s not always easy to purchase more than one pair at a time.

But you must know: having several pairs of glasses for your child can be highly advantageous. And if you buy the glasses from the right seller, you can actually get very good deals. This is particularly true when you buy from online sellers.

So, if you want to accommodate as many situations as possible, you should give multiple pairs of glasses some consideration. You could get Otis and Piper frames for formal situations; you could get goggles for athletic situations; you could get something standard for everyday situations.

It’s also nice to have a pair on deck, just in case the child’s primary pair becomes damaged. After all, your child’s going to have to use something to see correctly while his or her glasses are out of commission.

And That’s How to Buy Glasses for Kids

And there it is; that’s how to buy glasses for kids. Follow the steps discussed above and your child will be seeing straight again in no time.

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