Your Child's Glasses
Tips on what to do when your child first starts wearing glasses and how to make them comfortable.
Whether your child's glasses are for close up or distance vision, it's important that he or she wear them exactly as prescribed by the eye doctor. You may want to tell your child's teachers or other adult guardians that your child needs glasses to see well and should be wearing them at school or away from home.
When Glasses are New
During the first few weeks of wearing glasses, ask your child to let you know if they are having any problems. Are they too tight or loose? Can your child see clearly with them on? Has your child had any headaches or eye strain while wearing them? If your child reports any problems, let your eye doctor know as soon as possible.
Your child may not like wearing glasses at first. Remind your child that lots of kids and adults wear glasses to help them see. Point out people in your family, your child's class and characters in books and movies who wear glasses. Children mimic what they see, so you can also set a good example in how you wear and care for your glasses.
Glasses and Sports
If your child plays sports, remember that regular glasses don't provide protection from injury. Make sure your child wears the right kind of sports safety eyewear at all times when playing sports.
Glasses Tips
The following tips may help your child feel more comfortable about wearing his or her glasses:
- Remember that glasses are easy to break, scratch or damage.
- Never place glasses on any surface with the lenses facing down. Any dust or dirt can scratch the lenses.
- Carry an eyeglass cloth with you to wipe away smudges.
- If your glasses get dirty, use a soft cloth, a little water and some liquid soap to wash them.
- Use both hands when you take your glasses off to protect the hinges.
- Do not throw your glasses.
- Do not try to bend any part of the frames. If your glasses feel too tight, tell your mom, dad or an adult family member.
- Never place your glasses any place where they can be stepped or sat on.
- Do not let friends try on your glasses or play with them.
- Do not wear your glasses on top of your head. This can cause your glasses to lose their shape.
- If your glasses start to slide off your nose or become lopsided, take them back to the eye doctor for an adjustment.
- Sometimes the tiny screws on your frames become loose. If this happens, tell mom, dad or an adult family member right away.*
- Make sure you wear safety glasses whenever you play sports like baseball or soccer.
- Always keep your glasses in their case when you aren't wearing them.
*Note to parents: eyeglass repair kits are available at most retail stores and come with a small screwdriver that can be used to tighten the hinge. if the hinges are still too loose, take them back to the eye doctor's office to have them adjusted.
Contact us or call us at 1-800-331-2020 to request a free tip sheet for your child's eyeglasses.