If your toddler wears glasses...

ashiscute

Do they want to wear them at all?

So DD (3.5) was diagnosed with amblyopia and farsightedness in March and got glasses not long after.  She took to them pretty well and wore them most of the time right away.  However, she is pretty indifferent to them and if we don't put them on her she would never wear them.  I obviously don't expect her to be responsible for them or anything.  But I feel like if they are really helping her to see that much she should want to wear them at least sometimes right?  I just think it's odd that she never wants to wear them.  I'm probably being silly but she's always asking why she needs them and I say to help her see and she doesn't seem really convinced.  It's not like she seems particularly bothered by them when they're on other than the fact that she has to be careful about them.  

Thoughts?  Am I just being silly?  

margaritachikita

Hi, I am an optometrist. Its very important that she wears them all the time if she is farsighted with amblyopia. If she does not she could end up with an eye turn (cross-eyed) and could have lifelong poor vision in her weaker "lazy" eye. The reason she doesnt seem to "need" them is because with a farsighted prescription most kids can see pretty well even without glasses. BUT in order to see well they are having to strain their eyes extremely hard, which is what leads to the crossed eyes. Try crossing your eyes once, that strained feeling is kind of how it is for farsighted kids when they try to look at anything close up. So it is extremely important for her to wear the glasses to help her eyes relax and not have further problems down the road. Hope this helps! Lmk if you have other questions. Also, dont forget to continue with routine exams every 6 months to one year, even if she seems okay. Kids eyes change very quickly at that age!

ashiscute

margaritachikita said:

Hi, I am an optometrist. Its very important that she wears them all the time if she is farsighted with amblyopia. If she does not she could end up with an eye turn (cross-eyed) and could have lifelong poor vision in her weaker "lazy" eye. The reason she doesnt seem to "need" them is because with a farsighted prescription most kids can see pretty well even without glasses. BUT in order to see well they are having to strain their eyes extremely hard, which is what leads to the crossed eyes. Try crossing your eyes once, that strained feeling is kind of how it is for farsighted kids when they try to look at anything close up. So it is extremely important for her to wear the glasses to help her eyes relax and not have further problems down the road. Hope this helps! Lmk if you have other questions. Also, dont forget to continue with routine exams every 6 months to one year, even if she seems okay. Kids eyes change very quickly at that age!

Thanks for your input.  We actually see a pediatric ophthalmologist at our local children's hospital every 3 months.  We are still patching an hour each day on top of the glasses.  

She is very good at wearing them and keeps them on unless she's doing something where they could get broken.  Or sometimes if she's sick she asks not to wear them.  I guess I'm just used to DH grabbing his glasses first thing and needing them where it seems like she doesn't react any differently to having them off or on. 

It's so hard to know what's really going on with a 3 year old and hard to explain why they have to do things they don't like.  I appreciate your response.