10 Tips for Buying Kids Eyewear
Get tips from the Docs on how to pick the best eyewear for your kids!
Ask the specialists at Fashion Eye Center what qualities to look for while choosing frames that will last your child longer than their shoes. Make an appointment for your child today.
1. Lens Thickness
The eyeglass prescription is always the primary consideration in choosing glasses. Before you start looking for the frames, consult with the optician about lens considerations.
If the prescription calls for strong lenses that are likely to be thick, it is important to keep the frames as small as possible to reduce the final lens thickness. Also, smaller lenses tend to have fewer higher-order aberrations near the edge of the lens than large lenses of the same material and prescription, so there is less risk of blurred or distorted peripheral vision.
2. Fashion Forward
Whether they are full- or part-time eyeglass wearers, most kids get at least a little teasing about their specs, especially the first time they wear them. So it's very important that they avoid frames that make them look "uncool." You also should steer your child away from frames that clearly are objectionable, too expensive or inappropriate.
Just keep in mind that the real object is to get your child to wear the glasses. Extra enticement may be found in ultra cool features like photochromic lenses with tints that darken outdoors, which may help inspire any child to want to wear glasses.
3. Plastic or Metal?
Children's frames are made of either plastic or metal (also called "wire"). Double bridges are found on boys' frames, while frames with single bridges are either unisex or strictly for girls. Many manufacturers copy adult styles for children's frames. Kids may be attracted to these styles because they look more grown-up. It's not unusual for kids to ask for glasses that look just like Mom's or Dad's.
In the past, plastic frames were a better choice for children because they were considered more durable, less likely to be bent or broken, lighter in weight and less expensive.
But now manufacturers are making metal frames that incorporate these features as well. Metal composition varies, so ask the optician which one is best for your child, based on experience with different alloys. Ask for hypoallergenic materials if your child has shown sensitivity to certain substances. For example, some people are allergic to frame alloys that contain nickel.
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