How to Choose Eyeglasses and Frames for Kids

Choosing the Perfect Glasses for Your Child

Your child’s vision is crucial for their development and overall well-being. Selecting the right spectacle frame is essential for optimal vision correction and comfort. Here are some things to consider when choosing a frame for your child.

1. The right fit

When choosing kids’ glasses, prioritise frames that fit snugly without being too tight. Look for frames that sit comfortably on the bridge of their nose and don’t press against their temples, or rest on their cheeks. This ensures the glasses stay in place while your child is active. Your child’s pupil ideally should sit right in the middle of the lens to allow the best clarity of vision. They need to be large enough so your child can see in all directions and their vision is not hampered by the edge of the frame, but also not so large as to slip down. One of the frame ranges that we recommend for our younger patients is the “Lipo” range. These feature a grid on the lens so our trained dispensers can measure exactly where your child’s pupil is sitting and ensure they are looking through the optical centre of the lens, ensuring the best visual outcome.

For very small babies and toddlers we often recommend glasses which come with a strap to ensure the spectacles stay in place. The “Solo Bambini” range include a free strap with all their paediatric frames and are a good choice for babies and young toddlers.

2. Choosing the right material

Glasses shouldn’t impede your little one from playing and being a kid! We recommend choosing durable and flexible materials which withstand the rough and tumble of daily life and are less likely to break from normal daily wear.  We mostly recommend a strong and flexible acetate frame for young children for this reason. Titanium frames can be a good choice for older children, but for babies and toddlers we prefer a softer and more flexible frame to prevent injury while playing.

It is also worth noting that some children have allergies to materials that have nickel in them, so we recommend choosing a hypoallergenic material to avoid irritating sensitive skin. Both acetate and titanium are hypoallergenic.

3. Pick frames your child will love wearing

It is important not to underestimate how important it is that your child loves their frame. If they feel happy and confident in their glasses, they are more likely to wear them! We recommend allowing your child to get involved with the process, allowing them some input on the colour and style

4. Lenses

Our qualified dispensers will be able to advise you on a frame that will easily accommodate your child’s lenses. We sometimes need to consider using a thinner and lighter material, if the script is on the high side. Higher scripts generally mean heavier lenses, and these can be cumbersome for our youngest patients. We will ensure that we choose a frame that minimises lens weight and thickness, and let you know if we feel like they would benefit from a high index material. We also have some tougher materials available, like polycarbonate and trivex, which are more impact resistant and safer for use in spectacles for young children. This helps to protect your child’s eyes in the event of a fall or sporting mishap.

If your child is of school age, we often recommend an anti-reflective coating. This reduces glare in a classroom setting and gives better visual clarity.

It is also very important especially here in WA to consider UV protection for our youngest patients, as the eye is much more vulnerable to sun damage as a child. We recommend that you consider either a transition lens, which changes colour when exposed to UV light, or a separate pair of prescription sunglasses for when your child is outdoors. 

5. Temples and nose bridges

A part of the spectacle frames you should pay particular attention to is the temples, and not only if you have very active children or toddlers. The temples should not cause uncomfortable pressure while the spectacles should stay in the right position. Ideally hinges should either be spring hinge or hinges that are made entirely from plastic to allow for some growth in little faces! 

The nose bridge for children's spectacles should have a contact surface as large as possible. The younger the child, the more important this is, since young children do not have a well-defined nasal bridge on which spectacles can sit. When the contact surface is large, the weight of the spectacles is also distributed better. 

We carry several paediatric ranges which are completely adaptable on the nose bridge and temples to fit your child perfectly. Both the “Lipo” and “Tomato Glasses” ranges allow us to customise the fit for the littlest of faces to allow a snug but comfortable fit. Our trained dispensers and optometrists will aid you in selecting a frame that meets all these criteria

6. Sports glasses for children

Ball sports, martial arts and gymnastics are particularly challenging for children wearing spectacles. Many good spectacles for children are suitable for sports. We also provide sports spectacles for children which, depending on the model, are made completely out of plastic, with temples that do not have hinges. An elastic strap on the temples which is worn around the back of the head can also ensure that the spectacles sit securely.

If your child is a keen swimmer, it may be worth purchasing swim goggles with prescription lenses.

Last but not least

As your little one adjusts to wearing glasses some patience might be needed, it sometimes takes weeks for a child to get used to wearing their new spectacles! We encourage you to drop in if you need them adjusted or cleaned in our ultrasonic cleaning bath to ensure your child is getting the most from their prescription. Your Fremantle optometrist or ophthalmologist will advise how frequently they recommend checking the script and progress with your child’s vision.