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Glasses can greatly help students in their academics and life as a whole, however, wearing glasses can be challenging, especially when heading back to school. If your kids just got their first pair of glasses, they may struggle to adjust to them or they may not want to wear them either because they’re worried about what others might say or they don’t like how they look or because they’re uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help your children with glasses head back to school.
#1. Know If Your Child Needs Glasses
First things first, it’s important to know that most children under the age of 12 won’t know if there’s something wrong with their vision. As such, they’ll suffer in silence and their academic performance can take a huge hit. Keep an eye on your kids, especially as they head back to school. If you notice them sitting too close to screens or holding books or notes closer than usual, they may be having vision problems.
As part of your back-to-school routine, schedule an eye exam. If your child needs glasses, it’s best to take care of this before the school year starts, but better late than never. Vision problems can impact learning, behavior, and confidence. Proving your child with glasses as needed is essential to their educational and social development.
Studies show that students who were in the bottom 25% of their grades showed significant improvement after getting glasses. Corrective lenses allow your children to see the world clearly, reduce eye strain and headaches, and complete their school work or fun activities more easily.
#2. Ensure The Glasses Fit
If your child’s glasses don’t fit correctly, they won’t want to wear them. Glasses must be comfortable and suitable for your child’s head in order for them to actually want to wear them. Your optician will be able to help your child find glasses that are comfortable and adjust them as needed.
Pay attention to what your child says about their glasses too, such as if they are pinching their nose or behind their ears or something. These are signs that the glasses don’t fit properly.
#3. Let Your Child Pick Out Their Frames
Within reason, such as budget, of course. They’re the ones who are going to have to wear them after all! The more your child likes their frames, the more they’ll want to wear their glasses. There are more children who wear glasses now than before, reducing the risk of bullies and their “4 eyes” comments. Since glasses are more and more commonplace, having cool frames could even help your child make friends!
Even adults are reluctant to wear glasses if they don’t like the frames, they feel like they don’t suit their face, or they’re uncomfortable, and children are no different. In this back-to-school season, check in with your child and ensure that they like their frames and are wearing them as needed.
#4. Focus On The Benefits
If your kid has never needed to wear glasses before, they may not understand why they need to. Explain to your child why glasses are a good thing and how they can help them. You can talk about how glasses will improve how they see the world, reduce headaches and eyestrain, help them participate in fun activities with their friends, and more.
Having your child start wearing their glasses during activities they enjoy can help them notice the difference and form a positive association with them. It’s easier to want to wear glasses if your kid sees that, oh yeah, they really do make it easier to read this beloved fantasy novel, as opposed to, can you see the whiteboard any better?
#5. Teach Your Kid How To Take Care Of Their Glasses
Kids are rougher on their glasses than adults tend to be. There are some things you can do to help their glasses last as long as possible, like picking sturdy frames and good lens material. However, your child should also know how to take care of their glasses. If they get dropped or fall off in the school hallway, they could need fixing from your optician. If the glasses get dirty in class, your child may just wipe them off on their shirt.
Teach your child about proper eye hygiene. We have a previous blog with more information about this that you can read here: 3 Essential Eye Hygiene Tips.
These are just 5 tips that can help your children with glasses as they’re heading back to school. To learn more about proper glasses fit or for questions about frames we carry and the like, please don’t hesitate to contact the experts here at Wolcott Optical.
