Conference moira::parenting

    You can buy the heavy duty frames and then just get new lenses when his
    eyes change.  I have used the same frames for several lens changes in
    the past.
    
    cheryl
    

    Be prepared for your son to outgrow his frames within 12 to 18 months.
    I have found that Pearle Vision Center was the best deal, because their
    eyewear is guaranteed for a year.  That way, you can buy a reasonably
    priced frame and if it breaks they will replace it.  Hold on to your
    receipt, and spend the extra money on things like the scratch resistant
    coating for the lenses.

    
    re .0
    
    I started wearing glasses when I was 8, I switched to
    contacts when I was 12. There's a long time ago, but FWIW,
    this was my experience.
    
    - I am nearsighted, so you may want to find out the expected
      progression for your son. I had new lenses every summer
      until I was 12 or so, ie. my eyes kept changing for about
      4 years.
    
    - I had to change frames every 2 years or so because my   
      head was still growing. Expensive frames weren't worth 
      the money. I would say plastic frames are more durable
      (then wire frames, no matter how well they bend) if 
      sports are involved. I had lenses popped out of wire
      frames on impact, but never with plastic frames.
    
    - For prescription that are not too strong, the regular
      plastic lenses do just fine. For strong prescription,
      the high density plastics and polycarbonyl (sp?) are
      worth the extra money, the lenses made of these newer
      material are thinner than regular plastics, so they
      don't come out looking like coke bottles. Kids are 
      pretty crude, I would say get the lenses that make 
      your kid look the nicest. It sounds like a lot of money,
      but the reality is kids do care about their appearance
      and their peer acceptance ;-(.
    
    - Wire frames do not hide thick lenses as well as plastic
      frames. 
    
    - The anti-scratch coating is worth the money, especially
      with children.
    
    - The anti-glare coating is not worth the money, it makes
      the lenses look less obtrusive, but they are wicked hard
      to keep looking clean. 
    
    - Do consider contact lenses when your son is old enough
      to keep his things clean. I had hard contacts at 12, the 
      same pair for about 4 years before I switched to soft lenses.
      Hard lenses are much easier to maintain than soft lenses
      and they can last for a long long time. 
    
    - I don't know what kind of discount you can get, but try BJ's
      and Walmart. Also, some HMO has allowance for prescription
      glasses, check your policy.
    
    - I don't know about farsightness, but laser correction may be
      the term solution. 
    
    
    Eva

>    My son was recently diagnosed as being extremely farsighted (how it had
>    apparently alluded us for so long, I do not know -- perhaps another
>    topic) so we are shopping for children's eyewear.  In doing so, I would
>    appreciate any feedback the readership of this conference can provide.

Far sightedness does not really impact near vision ... it basically means that
objects that should be visible at >30' are more hard to focus on ... he probably
has terrific vision at extreme distances!  It can be hard to tell your child is
far sighted except that he has problems seeing things at probably 30' to a few
hundred feet ... beyond a few hundred feet may be fine!
    
>    How often might we expect our son, who will be 7-years old in
>    September, will need new glasses under normal circumstances?  Will he
>    outgrow his glasses within, say, 1 or 2 years or (provided they are
>    kept in good condition) will he be able to wear them several years? 

He will probably need glasses all his life ... there is no surgery like
Keratotomy that is suitable for far sightedness.  His prescription will
probably change about every 6 months to a year until past puberty when it
will probably settle to once every 1-2 years.

>    Should we be looking for high endurance (= high priced) frames or
>    something less?

Depends on what kind of a child he is ...  superactive rough and tumble then the
best farmes are probably a good idea!  Meek and mild then regular frames will
probably do just fine.  In the middle, make sure the arms have "spring" hinges
that will allow over flexing of the arms ... this is where my glasses always
broke ... at the hinges.  Since he'll be wearing them all the time, the risk
of them being sat upon is slim!

>    The eyewear shop immediately adjacent to the eye specialist we visited
>    had some amazing frames -- the bridge and the stems can be bent into
>    virtually any position but return right back into their original
>    position -- but there is an equally amazing price-tag to go with
>    them... approx. $250 (for the frames).  Other, more standard, frames
>    were in the $125+ range.

Shop around for eyewear stores ... sometimes the ones associated with a small
optometrist's office can be cheaper ... The ones next to eye specialists can
be more expensive (you've gone to a specialist so you want the best and are
willing to pay!!!)  You can go to one of the discount places and get good
deals too.  I wouldn't go for any "2 for" deal because the rate at which his
prescription may change obviates any benefits!!!

Stuart  (Now where are my glasses ?)

    Be sure to check out note 78 and the 150+ replies. Lots of good info
    there...

    I've been wearing lenses (glasses since 4yrs old and contacts since 14)
    for most of my life and the one thing I hated were glasses with the
    nose pads.  I was active in my youth and they would always break off
    if I fell or got hit.  Then they would stab me in the nose.  The
    plastic lenses were the best, especially being a child I would 
    "Always" fall asleep with them on and bend them.  My 13 yr old 
    daughter is the same - falling asleep with them on.  I'm 30 yrs
    old and still sometimes do it.  The scratch resistant lenses
    are a must too.
    
    My 2 cents
    Rose
    also leave indentions that looked funny after long hours of use.

My 11 year old has had glasses for ~3 years (??).
We got them at LensCrafters, and I'd never go anywhere else.
I believe it was $140.00 for frames and lenses, and while he's managed
to scratch his way through a few sets of lenses, and lost one (it popped
out), he's never managed to damage the frames.  The sides bend all the way 
back.  His do have the nose pads, which was the only option for his very
skinny face.  

Also, LensCrafters will take other people's coupons, so you should be able
to get 2 pairs of glasses for that price -- an extra pair or sunglasses or
whatever.  And, all "in about an hour!"

We've had to replace 1 screw that came loose, but that's the only "trouble" 
we've had, and he's *NOT AT ALL* careful with them.  I usually find them on 
the floor, or lens-side down on the table/counter, on his bed - wherever they
land.

FWIW - LensCrafters will *ONLY* make children's glasses from polycarbonate
lenses -- it's supposedly the most break and scratch-resistant material
available.  There was also some sort of guarantee with them, if the lenses or 
frames got damaged, it was something like ~$25.00 to replace either, $40.00 
for both, but you'd have to check those details.  There might also have been 
some "insurance" deal (lower cost - free?) if the prescription changed within
a certain amount of time -- I really don't recall all the details.