My 2 1/2 Year Old Needs Glasses

Don't feel bad. Just be glad it isn't anything worse. Remember there is nothing you could have done to prevent his needing glasses, just the way the Lord made him. My daughter needed glasses at 10 months old! There are some cute ones out there.

Hi D.,

My nephew got his glasses when he was about 2. He's 19 now and back then, the glasses weren't anywhere near as cute as they are now. Make sure you tell your son that he is special because he gets to wear thema dn how cute he looks in them. If you feel awkward about them, he will, too. If there weren't a lot of other kids needing them, there wouldn't be any cute frames. I saw a little girl the other day with Disney Princess frames -- they were darling and you could tell she felt like a princess in them!

Good luck!

Hi D.,
Few days back i noticed that my 2 years oldson started blinking his eyes just right after he had eye infection. I took him to the eye specialist and said that his vision was not totally normal. So will need to check his vision again to see the exact number. Im just worried that putting another drop (homatropine hydrobromide eyedrops) might effact it more.
Can you tell me what your sons pediatric eye pecialist said, why he doesnt need eyeglasses at all.
I was just so horrified thinking that my son will be needing an eye glasses at an early age.
Thanks.

My daughter Caitlin wears glasses. She is now 3 and started wearing them when she was 2. I cant tell you how many times a day I get stopped from people saying "she is so darling in those glasses, or look how cute" I think they make her look older and so adorable. She wears them because one of her eyes was turning in. So she will just wear them to correct that, or if she is still wearing them by the age of 6 or 7 she will have the surgery to correct it. You will see how cute your little boy will be though. It will take some getting use to, but you will love him just the same.

I have known a few toddlers who wore glasses, including myself. I started wearing glasses at 2 and it really wasn't a big deal! Today they have such cute little glasses for kids. I have a couple of friend's who have sons who wear glasses as well (both started when they were around 2) and they look SOOOOO cute in them! From the experiences I have had and my friends have had, it really wasn't a dramatic thing or a negative at all. Actually, some of their friends want to get glasses so they can be cool too :-)! Your son will take his cues from you, so however receptive you are to it, is how receptive he will be. Don't worry, it will turn out just fine!

Hi D.,

I have a 3 y/o that has to wear glasses. in no way shape or form should you be horrified that your child needs glasses...he needs them to SEE. My son had a hard time adjusting to the fact that he could actually see when he first started wearing glasses, but within a few weeks was completely in the habit of wearing them and only takes them off when he goes to bed. Be thankful that this was caught early enough and could possibly be corrected and not have to wear glasses in the future.

My son could read at age 28 months, so I never suspected he had a vision problem. Just before he turned 4, he got a little Doctor Kit for Christmas. I taped the eye chart to the wall, and had him cover one eye. He read it perfectly, down to the "made in" line. Then I told him to cover the other eye this time. His reply was, "Mommy, that's not funny...put it back." He couldn't see the chart AT ALL.
When he got his glasses a few days later, he was impressed at how much clearer Life was! He put them on when he got up, took them off when he went to bed (and bath time) and we accepted right away that that it was a Necessary Fact of Life. His soccer coach also wore glasses (as did his father and I) and bought him the "safety band" to keep them from falling off during the games.
The only problem we ever ran into was that 25 years ago, they didn't make kids glasses "kid proof", and we had to keep replacing the frames. Now they come with super-flex hinges.
My (step)grand daughter has worn glasses since I met her.
As long as you don't make a big deal out of it, your child will accept it as a part of himself. He IS "normal"...he just wears glasses! Be thankful this was discovered as soon as it was...and that he ONLY needs glasses. He might outgrow the need for them, or he might not. There are truely worse things that COULD have happenned. Count your Blessings, my friend!

What is important is that you took your son to the eye doctor and got the glasses he needs. My son got glasses when he was
3 1/2. At first he was a little hesitant about wearing them, but I am near-sighted, so I stopped wearing my contacts and wore my glasses all the time so that he could see that mommy needs them too. He wore them with no problem. I showed him how to take good care of his glasses by putting them in their case every night and cleaning them with a special cloth. I let him feel in control of wearing them. Also, it helps that there are so many cool styles of glasses now--I let him choose which pair he wanted, and that really made him feel like a "big boy." A lot of people commented on how he looked like "a little Harry Potter!" lol You needn't be upset that your son needs glasses--there are many kids who need them even from such a young age. Just think--it will really boost his self-esteem and help him learn quicker now that he can see clearly.

My sister's daughter needed glasses when she was just over a year and she is the absolute cutest thing ever with them!! We started noticing that she had a lazy left eye, and I can't remember if she is near or far sided. She is 4.5 years old now and she has always done so well with the glasses. I think since they are so young, they get used to them very quickly, and my niece is so much happier with them on since she can see better! Try not to worry, I'm sure your son will be darling with them!

Boy, can I feel for you, D.!

My son has worn glasses since he was 10 Months old! No Joke! He has something called Duanes Refractory Syndrome (DRS). This basically means one of his eyes will not turn outward, but inward only, and the vision in it is really bad.

Now, the biggest challenge you will run into is your child KEEPING the glasses on all the time, HIDING them because they don't want to wear them. I have found many pairs of glasses in the most un-imagineable places (think: Toilet, in the radiators, behind major appliances...LOL).

It will all be in the way you spin it to your child; Let HIM pick out the kind of glasses he wants and he'll be much more likely to wear them.

Another positive - you will get MORE attention from strangers who tell you how "ADORABLE" your child looks when he wears them.

Bottom line - thank God it's only glasses, and it's not something worse. Your biggest challenge will be having your son KEEP the glasses ON when he is supposed to! And now that my son is 5, and can tell the difference when he has them on and when he doesn't.

I understand how you feel, though because I went through the same thing. Please don't hesitate to email me directly if you have any questions: ____@____.com luck to you!