Want to buy the best eyewear for your children? Keep in mind, finding the right pair of eyeglasses is extremely important. Sure there are countless pairs of eyeglasses on display to choose from, but you have to find such a pair that fulfills two basic criteria: a) your child should feel comfortable wearing them; b) they have to be resilient to counter rough and careless handling by children.
Chances are that if you go to buy eye wear for your kids without these prior ideas in mind, you may be confused and baffled in trying to make the right decision or make the wrong choices. To help with further decision-making, read on.
Does your Child Suffer from Nearsightedness or Farsightedness?
First determine the nature of your child’s eyesight problem. Kids who have to wear glasses are generally either myopic (nearsighted) or farsighted. The severity of the problem will determine how many hours he or she will have to wear their specs daily. For instance while your daughter may be asked to wear her spectacles only during studies; your son may be asked to wear his glasses all the time.
The Comfort and Style Factor
Along with the comfort factor, you may have to look into the style quotient as well. Children nowadays are very particular about their appearance; they want to look cool. So if your child doesn’t like thick lenses, you could go for the thin ones. This can appease his or her desire to look trendy. Also you have the option of plastic lenses instead of glass ones. They are very sturdy.
In case your optician has suggested constant use of eyeglasses for your child, you will have to strike the right balance between the following: make sure that your child is wearing his or her spectacles most of the time, but at the same time gives his or her eyes some breathing space. So when your child is straining his eyes studying or watching TV or playing computer games, then spectacles are a must. But occasionally let him or her be without any eye wear. Otherwise the eyes become too dependent on them. Also encourage daily eye exercises for a few minutes.
Keeping an Extra Pair of Glasses.
In case your child wears eyeglasses continuously, it is advisable to have a backup pair, in case the current pair breaks. Even for part time wear, a second spare pair may be advisable.
Fashionable Kid’s Eyewear
You may consider products made of polycarbonate (used in making bulletproof glass). They are lightweight, scratch resistant and also have a coating to protect from ultraviolet rays. You can also opt for prescription sunglasses and sports goggles. Prescription sunglasses have an additional layer of protection against harmful sunrays.
Nowadays metal frames, also known as wires, are in fashion. Earlier plastic frames were preferred because of their durability but recently markets have been flooded with different metal frames for kids. A word of caution here. Some metals may trigger off allergic reactions in some children, for instance nickel alloys. So do necessary research and also experiment before deciding on a metal frame for your kid.
Remember, your child will see his or her bright future through his or her precious eyes. That is why it’s very important to take good care of your child’s eyes and make the right decision when it’s time to buy them their eyewear.
Suzanne Hughes is an eyewear style consultant who specializes in reading sunglasses. Visit her website for great glasses and styles from top fashion designers such as Clic reading glasses, Scojo Vision, Seeqa and Others.