How To Choose The Right Eyeglasses For Your Child
Choosing the perfect pair of glasses can be a stressful ordeal. Having options is great, but when there are so many different frames and lens materials to choose from, it can be overwhelming to say the least. Not to mention, you can’t forget the importance of eye protection, long-term durability, and warranties – these are a must!
To help you on your quest of finding the right kids glasses, here are a few easy tips that will come in handy along the way:
1) Fashion is #1
If you are going through the hassle of finding glasses that your child will take care of and love to wear, paying attention to style is key. If your child doesn’t feel good or doesn't enjoy wearing a pair of glasses, then it will be very difficult to get them into this routine.
By all means, take safety and UV-protection into consideration, but don’t forget to listen to your child’s opinions. After all – they will be the ones wearing the glasses every day and the last thing you want is for them to get teased or picked on because their parents gave them “uncool” glasses.
2) Lens Thickness
The thickness of the glasses’ lenses will depend on your child’s eye prescription. Stronger prescriptions need thicker lenses and weaker prescriptions can be corrected easily with thinner lenses. However, thicker lenses tend to be heavier and need to be fitted with frames that can protect them properly.
3) Plastic or Metal?
When it comes to frames, both plastic and metal (wire) frames are durable. In recent years, many eyewear manufacturers have begun to duplicate adult eyewear designs into children’s glasses. That means you may even be able to find a mini-version of your own pair of glasses for your little one.
4) Lens Material
After you’ve found the perfect frames, the next step is choosing lenses. When it comes to children’s eyewear, polycarbonate lenses are highly recommended. They are extremely durable, scratch-resistant and offer excellent optics. Not to mention, they have built in protection against harmful UV radiation and can be made for any eye prescription.
It’s wise to stay away from glass lenses as these can easily break and cause serious eye damage.
5) Sports Eyewear
If your child has an interest in contact sports, it may be a good time to invest in a pair of sports goggles.
Although regular polycarbonate lenses are durable enough, normal eyeglasses frames do not hold up so well when subjected to trauma. Sports goggles offer that little bit of extra protection and strength while providing the same great vision as normal prescription glasses.
And there you have it! Hopefully these tips will come in handy when you’re choosing the perfect glasses for your children, and while you’re at it, a pair of backup glasses probably wouldn’t hurt either.. At Vision Direct we offer several of the best-selling kids' eyeglasses including the Gucci 5011 model and the Dolce & Gabbana DG3205 models. Check out our full range here.
