Key Features to Look for in Your Child's Prescription Eyeglasses

Do you want to look after your child’s health and well-being as they grow older? Our post recommends making sure they’re equipped with some key essentials. 

Quality footwear, for example, is crucial for comfort and for preventing them from running into foot problems in later life. Children’s bodies are also still learning how to regulate their internal temperatures, so you’ll want to dress them according to the weather—such as tank tops and shorts when it’s warmer and jackets, scarves, and gloves when it’s colder. It’s also ideal to get them some safety-enhancing accessories, like reflective vests that can make it easier to keep track of them in low-light conditions. 

Given emerging health trends, however, you’ll also want to place prescription eyeglasses higher up on the list. As more children spend time glued to the screens of their devices, an increasing number of them are becoming nearsighted. In fact, a Daily Guardian report reveals that one in every three children globally now have myopia. Canada is no exception: in Alberta alone, 25% of Grade 1 students start the school year with undiagnosed vision issues. 

If your child needs a prescription, you’ll thus want to get the best glasses possible. To ensure they can effectively prevent vision issues from worsening, look for the following key features:

An updated prescription 

The best prescription eyeglasses for your child will be those that correct their vision to the degree they need. Glasses with the wrong prescription can cause eye strain and headaches, so it’s important to have your child undergo an eye exam to ensure the pair you get for them uses the correct one. Such tests are important for two reasons. First, an assessment will determine what specific condition your child has. Second, it can track and address the progression of that condition over time, helping protect their overall eye health as they grow. That’s why Alberta Health Services recommends booking pediatric eye exams at least once a year for children aged six to 19. You can do so for free if you’re covered by Alberta Health, so don’t hesitate to get these as often as possible to get the right pair of specs for your child and replace the lenses as needed.

Durable frames

Children can be both active and clumsy. That’s why you’ll want to invest in eyewear that can withstand all the activities they try—as well as all the times they’re likely to drop them. The eyeglasses from Ray-Ban, the world's biggest eyewear brand, showcase the features you can look for to achieve this. Its bestsellers, like the Aviator and Wayfarer Ease Optics, use frames made of propionate and titanium. These are considered among the best materials for eyewear because they’re extremely durable, flexible, lightweight, and hypoallergenic. That focus on quality extends to the brand’s ranges of children’s eyewear. Designed for wearers aged 0 to 13, Ray-Ban junior eyeglasses like the Elliot and Thalia Optics Kids use similarly strong materials like acetate and nylon. Look for the same features in the pair you get your kids, then consider investing in additional anti-scratch lens coatings. You’ll end up with a pair of prescription glasses that can withstand pretty much everything—including your child’s antics. 

Appealing designs

Though prescription eyeglasses are crucial for ensuring clear eyesight and long-term eye health, your child may feel insecure wearing them. That may be because it makes them feel like they’re not “normal,” especially if they know few other people in their life who wear glasses. If they’re likely to remove their new specs while your back is turned, their eyesight is more likely to worsen over time. It can thus help to buy a pair with “cooler” and more appealing designs. The specs from Oakley, one of the brands leading the market for children’s eyewear, can give you a good idea of what that looks like. Popular Oakley sunglasses, like the Holbrook and Sutro, are best known for boasting durability designed to enhance sports performance, so you can be sure of their quality. As evidenced by viral models like OVERTHETOP, the brand is also known for its eye-catching frame designs. You can expect to find these same features in its Oakley Youth collection of children’s eyeglasses. Models like the Cartwheel don’t just come in vibrant hues like orange—frames like the Top Level were even made in collaboration with popular children’s brands like Fortnite, which can help you choose a pair that aligns with your child’s preferences and further encourages them to wear glasses more often. As an added precaution, consider getting your child’s opinion on the eyeglasses design you’re looking at before finalizing your purchase.