 | Jon Herrscher
has worked as an optician for nearly 30 years, beginning his career with a part time after school job in a Garden City Optometrist's basement lab where they literally made eyeglasses by hand using a glasscutter & cribber. In 1989, Jon left Kansas for Houston, Texas to teach young opticians the trade, returning to Wichita in 1996 to be closer to family. In August 2003 he purchased Myoptix Fashion Eyewear, an optical boutique, located at 4714 East Douglas in College Hill. Jon can be reached at (316) 651-0887. |
Eyewear & Fashion
2005-01-01 09:20:00
Getting children to wear glasses
: How do I get my child to wear his glasses?
ANSWER: Sometimes it's difficult for children to understand why they have to wear glasses when most of their friends don't. Here's how to help keep those glasses where they belong, on your child's face!• Do your best to help your child understand why he needs to wear glasses; even some toddlers can understand when you explain that the glasses will help them see better.• Let your child help to choose his frames by offering a selection of frames within your price range. Children won't wear glasses they hate.• Avoid buying glasses for your child to grow into. These will be uncomfortable, as well as less effective than glasses that fit properly.• Resort to bribery if necessary. Offer pretty stickers as an incentive to wear glasses, or as a reward for keeping them on for a certain amount of time.• Make it clear to your child that certain activities require glasses. If your toddler or preschooler brings you a book, insist that he put his glasses on before your read it.• Find some stories or picture books that show children wearing glasses or that deal with the issue of getting glasses.• Try to avoid conflicts and battles of will; if your toddler takes his glasses off after half an hour, wait for a while before putting them back on him.• Clean the lenses regularly. Your child is more likely to keep them on if he can actually see through them. Show him how to clean them himself if he's old enough.Tips:• If possible, get polycarbonate lenses. They are scratch-resistant and durable.• If you don't wear glasses regularly, consider getting some empty frames to wear around your child, just to show that you will willingly wear glasses too.• If redness or sore patches appear on your child's nose or temples, take the glasses in for readjustment.• If you need to bribe your child to keep his glasses on, don't use food. This could lead to food-related emotional issues later in life.• Don't forget to check screws and other fittings regularly to make sure the glasses don't fall apart.Make sure that the visits that you and your child share with your eye care professional are upbeat and fun. They should look forward to the trip, not dread it.
