Several different eye conditions can affect a child's vision, and if your darling needs glasses early on, the right experts can help her get the proper prescription, lenses and frames.
And while you might feel nervous about how your cutie will welcome this addition to her face, toddlers are amazingly adaptable — she'll probably get used to her specs in no time at all. Here's a 20/20 look at the facts about glasses for toddlers.
How do doctors know what prescription glasses to give babies?
Before your baby or tot can receive a prescription for glasses, she'll need to visit an eye specialist, like an optometrist or ophthalmologist, who will give her an eye exam.[1]
Be prepared for some skittishness or tears. A new situation — especially one in a dark room with a strange person near your child's face — can feel scary for some toddlers.
Since she's too young to read an eye chart (or anything, for that matter), the doctor will make your child feel more comfortable and determine if she has an eye problem like near- or far-sightedness by using a few other useful tools.
Retinoscopy
One technique is retinoscopy, which involves shining light in your child's eyes and observing the reflection.[2] Using a series of lenses to see how the reflection changes, the specialist determines whether your little one needs a prescription for glasses.
Lea test
The Lea test is similar to a regular eye chart, except that instead of letters, this one has four shapes that even young children can identify: a circle, a square, an apple and a house.
Snellen "E" test
Eye doctors can also use a variation of the regular eye chart called the "Tumbling E" eye chart. This test uses a capital letter E facing in different directions (with the "fingers" of the E pointing up, down, left or right). During this test, children can use their fingers to show which direction the E is pointing.[3]
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Dilating drops
Dilating drops make the pupils of your child’s eyes bigger, which allows the eye doctor to examine the inside of your child's eyes.[4]
Just like other doctor visits, chat with your little one before the appointment to let her know about what may happen, including any possible "ouches" — such as any sting from the eyedrops. That should subside in the blink of an eye.
How to choose toddler glasses
Your eye doctor can recommend a store that specializes in glasses for toddlers. One place you shouldn't buy them is online. That's because getting the right prescription is only the first step.
You'll want an optician to fit your sweetie for specs in a store. This way, her glasses will stay securely on her face without pinching her nose or wobbling, even when she does.
You'll also want to look for these special features to match your tot's very active (and accident-prone) life:
- Lenses that last. For safety's sake, choose lenses made of plastic or polycarbonate, which is a strong, shatterproof and lightweight plastic. While these materials break less easily, they're also more prone to scratches — so ask for a protective coating 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 breakage. Some frames feature flexible hinges, which enable the specs to take a licking without coming apart at the seams. If they ever do become loose, you can always take them back to the doctor's office or store and ask the optician to adjust them.
- Cables (aka cable temples) that are comfortable. Instead of earpieces that press against the side of a child's head, cables curl around your toddler's ears, making them extra secure and comfy.[5]
- A design that's toddler-approved. Naturally, comfort and fit are foremost when it comes to frames, but your tot might love her specs even more if you let her have a some say about what they look like. There are many different styles of glasses for toddlers, though you may find more of a variety at an eye doctor's office that caters to children.[6] Get her the glasses she has her eye on — perhaps she can choose the lens shape or frame color at the very least.
How to get a toddler to wear glasses
Your toddler likely loves to learn — and she does so by using all of her senses. That's why she'll probably like the idea of seeing things better than she does now when you explain that glasses will help her do just that.
The blurry squirrel in the tree? With her glasses, she'll see its fuzzy tail! And Elmo's face will come through crystal clear when she watches Sesame Street with her glasses on.
Read her books with characters who wear glasses (Mirabel from Encanto, anyone?), and point out the many people in her world who wear glasses — like a beloved grandparent, her totally cool teenage babysitter or her pal at preschool.
If you emphasize the fact that lots of older kids wear glasses, she'll probably welcome the chance to look (and see) like a big girl. Plus, once she realizes just how well she can see with her glasses on, she'll become less likely to take them off.
The bottom line: Keep an upbeat attitude about her spectacles and she will, too.
How long does it take for a toddler to get used to glasses?
It generally takes about two weeks for a child to adjust to wearing glasses. Ideally, she'll wear them all the time, except for when she's bathing or sleeping.[7] You can even buy your toddler specialized glasses for running around in, called sports goggles, or, for water-loving tots, prescription swim goggles.
But it can be a challenge to get your toddler to wear her glasses as much as she should. Be patient but persistent — try not to get too frustrated when she takes them off or leaves them around the house. Just perch those specs back on that adorable nose with a gentle reminder that her glasses help her see better and that she must wear them.
In time, she'll get used to wearing them, and won't even remember — or want — to take them off.
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