Health

Children wearing glasses

Tell-tale signs
With some children it may be obvious to their parentsthat they have a problem, with others there may be more subtle signs. You may notice that they seem to have trouble focussing and hold books or toys very close to their face. Do they sit very close to the television? They may have headaches or sensitivity to bright light. You may notice them blinking and squinting, and when they are tired one eye may seem to travel or turn. Perhaps they get frustrated doing things like jigsaw puzzles or anything that involves close work.

Testing
Babies and small children have their eyesight routinely checked at their various health checks. They receive a basic sight test at their pre-school check when they are three or four and again when they start school. If any problems are suspected at any of these checks they will be referred to an optician or an optometrist for a more thorough examination.

If either parent has problems with their eyesight then their children can unfortunately inherit those problems. It's probably worth occasionally taking them with you when you have your annual sight test to be checked. A child's eyesight is not fully developed until they are about eight, so early detection of problems and wearing glasses when they are small may mean that they won't have to wear them when they are older in some cases.

Buying glasses
Up to the age of sixteen, children are entitled to free eye care with an NHS voucher. This includes free eye tests, free spectacle frames from a specific NHS range and free lenses. Having said that, different opticians offer different deals for children and it is worth shopping around a little before you decide. Some opticians will offer a completely free service, others may not charge for the lenses but you will have to pay for the frames.

When buying glasses try and let your child have a say in choosing their own frames. After all they are the one who is going to be wearing them. Some things to bear in mind are that if your child needs fairly thick lenses then plastic frames are probably best. If you decide on metal frames then ones with spring hinges are more durable.

There is a vast selection of frames available for children these days. But be warned, if you want designer frames for your child you'll pay designer prices and children's glasses have a nasty habit of getting lost or broken. It's a good idea to instil some good habits right from the word go.

Top Tips

• Get your child to always put their glasses back in their protective case when they take them off.
• Never leave glasses on the floor or on a chair - they'll get trodden on and scratched or sat on and broken.
• Always leave glasses in the same place. This will avoid a last minute scramble to find them every morning before school.
• Clean them every day with a special cloth.
• When playing sport use a special elastic strap to keep them on.

Some children may not be too keen on wearing glasses - it's surprising how soon children become self-conscious. If you are disappointed that your child has to wear glasses try really hard not to show it. Be positive and upbeat about the whole thing. Some children may be worried about looking "different", but this might not be such a problem if mum or dad wears glasses.

When a friend of my children found out she had to have glasses they all chorused "Why can't we have some too?" Another mum said that her little girl "felt like she was the bees knees" when she started wearing her glasses to school because she was the centre of attention.

If wearing their glasses does start to become a problem then, as with the majority of things with children, praise them when they are doing what you want them to do, i.e. wearing their glasses. This often works much better than simply nagging at them. You could try a system of rewards when they do wear their glasses. Star charts often work well as incentives. Have a quiet word with their teacher and ask them to keep an eye on the situation as well.

Teasing
If your child is unlucky enough to be teased about their glasses, then try telling them to say to whoever is doing the teasing that they are hurting their feelings and making them feel sad. Get your child to explain to them why they are wearing glasses, that it is to help them see well. Maybe enlist the help of the teacher to explain to all the children that not everyone has the same shape eyeball and that is why some children cannot see as well as others and need to wear glasses.

Just recently glasses seem to have become a lot more acceptable to children. The extraordinary success of the Harry Potter books has probably got something to do with it. Specsavers opticians say they frequently get children coming in and asking for glasses "just like Harry's." With the imminent release of the new Harry Potter movie, the trend looks likely to continue. Film stars and pop stars are also often seen sporting their latest pair of specs and looking great in them.

Contact lenses
Teenagers may want to start wearing contact lenses, for cosmetic reasons or because they play a lot of sport. At what age contact lenses are suitable depends on the individual child. They must be old enough and responsible enough to be able to clean and disinfect their lenses every day for example. However if your teenager really wants to have contact lenses then there are various low maintenance lenses available these days. For example daily disposable lenses, although these are inevitably more expensive. Some children may also have problems inserting the lenses and taking them out. .