4 Year Old Has Glasses

Updated on July 07, 2012
J.G. asks from Rochelle, IL
3 answers

Ok, my 4 year old daughter just got her first pair of glasses.I can't say that I am surprised that she needs them. I wear glasses, all of my siblings wear glasses, my husband wears glasses, all of his siblings wear glasses... we are just a big bunch of glasses wearing people.
My daughter had been complaing that she couldn't see some things, like when I would ask her to pick up toys or point out letters/words in books. I wasn't sure if she honestly couldn't see or if she was being lazy. I took her to her well child visit and mentioned it to the doctor who suggested she go to the optomestrist. We went, and low and behold my lovely little girl has my eyes. (As in we have almost the exact same prescription) She is farsighted with astigmatism in both eyes. We made sure that this was a very positive thing for her. She loves her glasses, and is very happy about them.
On to my question, She is so stinking cute in her little glasses, but what is the best way to help her get regular in wearing them, and looking through the lenses. I didn't get glasses until I was 12 and my husband said he didn't get them until he was 12 as well, so I am not totally sure how to get a 4 year old to understand that if you want to see better, you need to look through the lenses. I see her looking over the top of the frames or below, and I remember doing that when I first got them because I wasn't used to seeing through them yet. I also need to find a way to help her to remember to put them back on when she takes them off, like when she gets up in the morning or after a bath/swimming.
Has anyone had experience in this? I know it's not completely uncommon for children this young to get glasses, but how did you help them to remember them and to look though the lenses?

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So What Happened?

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I think a lot of it is just her getting used to having them. I will give a few of the ideas a try.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Our doc had the kids wear their glasses for up close work. They are a different situation of course but it helped them to associate they could see better with them on. They don't wear them while playing and other stuff. Just when they are doing stuff they need to concentrate on.

I don't know if that is something that could work for you or against you. If she truly needs to wear them from sun up to sun down it might teach her she can decide to not wear them at times when that may be bad for her eyes.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.K.

answers from New York on

My son got them at 2. Extremely farsighte with astigmatism. He immediately saw the difference. Actually he walked around for days touching things and was just fascinated with what he could see. So for him
he never forgot to put them on because he needed them desperately and
realized it early on. If he got upset over something, he would occasionally
hide them! Now at 34 he does not get out of bed without putting them on.

1 mom found this helpful

F.M.

answers from San Antonio on

I had glasses when I was 3 yrs old - bifocals no less. And an eye-patch over one eye.

Mom tells me that I was just "required" to wear them all the time. I mean I woke up, put them on, got dressed, ate breakfast, went about my day, wore them while playing outside, wore them while I ate, when I read, when I colored, when I watched TV, etc. When I took a bath, I took them off, then I WANTED them back on b/c I could see better with them. If you are tired of constantly reminding her, you could try:
- put a sign or two up with a picture of glasses to remind her
- punish her when she doesn't remember her glasses
- reward her when she remembers "Yay! I'm so glad you remembered to put your glasses on! Yay! Let's put another quarter in the ice-cream-earning-jar!"

As for looking thru the lenses - perhaps they need to be tightened if they fall to far down her nose? Or get her a tight strap that keeps the glasses covering all of her eye. Also, remind her that you know that it's not easy at first. New prescriptions always take some getting used to. If she can look thru the lenses for two whole weeks you'll have an extra-special reward for her (a sparkly nail polish that she can pick out?) Or again - punish her when she doesn't wear them correctly, reward her when she does wear them correctly. Have her look in the mirror and teach her the correct and incorrect ways to wear the glasses.

1 mom found this helpful
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