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Glasses for children

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 11:02 pm
by onebigdilemma
If your child wears glasses you are probably aware that although these are free, prescription swimming and sports goggles are not.
It seems odd to me that the government talks about childhood obesity and the need to increase exercise but those that have their sight impaired are at a massive disadvantage.
It may not be needed that all children get them free, it could be just low income families or children who have a prescription that is a certain level.
At senior school my boys are not allowed to wear glasses for football or rugby, one son tackled his own team mate as he couldn't see who was who!!!
I have had to get my boys these and for 2 (after shopping around) it has cost £280, someone else I know has had to spend £249 on one pair due to her sons prescription.

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Re: Glasses for children

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:42 am
by JaneEyre
Hi OBD,

Thanks for the link. :D
Your post interests me greatly as my DS is suddenly more into rugby (what a joy for me! A last!! It took its time! And the most amazing thing is that it is his own decision, without even me mentioning anything :D ).
Last Friday, he got a new prescription for his glasses and he made the remark then of his problem of not seeing well when he plays rugby (he has not yet tackle one of his own team mate, but that might well happen if we do not tackle this issue :lol: ).
Our idea was to get some contact lenses for him (that he would put on just for rugby or on the day he plays rugby), but the optometrist did not mention at all the possibility of sport googles for him!
Can we buy these goggles at Specsaver?
I guess that sport goggles are better than contact lenses as no mud will enter the eye... But price wise, maybe lenses are more affordable?

May I ask what does other parents do for their short-sighted children playing rugby? We have the appointment for the contact lenses this Friday so I would be grateful to have your insight and 'or experiences. :wink:

Re: Glasses for children

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 11:15 am
by mike1880
IIRC sport goggles are not ideal for rugby (I looked into it years ago for eldest but he turned out to loathe rugby so I didn't need to do anything about it). I'd go with the contact lens route, the cost would be spread over monthly payments and I imagine the peripheral vision would be helpful for most sports. Once he's got them in you probably won't get him back to glasses though...

Re: Glasses for children

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 11:42 am
by Tinkers
DH used to play rugby, so I've just asked him.

Absolutely no doubt that you should go the contact lens route. Goggles will come off at the first tackle, either accidentally or get pulled off on purpose.

I'm a contact lens wearer. DH tried the daily disposables a few years ago, unfortunately his corneas are too flat, but they would be a good option for rugby and there's less worry about looking after them properly etc. You just take them out and chuck them.

Re: Glasses for children

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 11:47 am
by hermanmunster
Goggles can easily bashed and likely to cause more damage, I'm another fan of daily disposable contacts.

Re: Glasses for children

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 11:51 am
by mike1880
Optician's advice to us for daughter was fortnightly disposables. I queried that, bearing in mind typical teenage hygiene standards, but was assured that it's not an issue. I don't think mud would be any more of an issue than in an un-lensed eye. (My own biggest problem with them was remembering to take them out one-handed on days when I'd been chopping chillies.)

Re: Glasses for children

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 12:03 pm
by tense
Jane Eyre,

My very sporty son wears daily disposable contact lenses - I pay £26 a month. I thought he'd only wear them for sport, but as Mike found, these very quickly became an everyday item!

To start with I worried about all sorts of things - would he look after them properly (doesn't matter with daily ones); would he lose them (again, not a problem); would he forget to take them out (no!). I was also concerned about the length of time he'd keep them in, as there are limits. But he can wear them for 12-14 hours which pretty much covers his day. He tends to take them out as soon as his 'external' day is finished & wears his glasses around the house (whipping them off quickly if the doorbell goes - I'm afraid he's very vain :D ).

He has regular contact lens eye checks as well as the usual eye appointments which was reassuring for me at the start, although I don't give them a second thought now!

Re: Glasses for children

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 3:30 pm
by Moon unit
Both of mine are contact lens wearers. We do a mixture of monthly disposables but daily disposables for camping etc.
Mine are just about to try Ortho K which you wear overnight then the eyeball is reshaped and you then need nothing during the day. Mainly to make life easier for sport.

Re: Glasses for children

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 4:48 pm
by doodles
If you decide to go down the sports goggles routes please do some research first. I'm sure I remember reading (maybe on England rugby) there was a trial for the 2014/15 season but for U13 and younger but I'm afraid I can't remember the outcome. I may be completely wrong but it could be an expensive mistake and in the many many days I've spent in and around rugby clubs I certainly don't recall any older players wearing them.

Contacts would be the preferred option here too.

Re: Glasses for children

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 7:33 pm
by onebigdilemma
Hi
We have tried contact lenses and my sons really couldn't get on with them. I think if we try again in another 12 months maybe being a bit older they will get over the putting something on your eye and it feeling a bit funny.
A couple of players at school wear the sports goggles and seem to get on ok.