Page 126 - The Indian Optician Digital Edition September-October 2022
P. 126
Solving common problems encountered
while fitting eyewear to children
Assuring compliance with wearing and
caring instructions
PROPER FRAME SELECTION
When selecting proper frames for children,
the dispenser needs to satisfy two people - the
child and the parents. There must be some steps
in the mind of the dispenser while selecting a
frame for children. Read the steps below:
The first thing to do is to assure the parents
that there is no stigma to youngsters wearing
glasses since the modern style has made
spectacles an “in” thing.
The new wearer must be allowed to handle
several frames to get the “feel” of them and
also to help move past the fear of having to
wear them.
Ask the child about their favourite colour
and try to select a suitable frame that
complements their individual style, eye
colour, complexion, and hair colouring. ACCURATE INTERPUPILLARY
DISTANCE MEASUREMENT
Of course, parents would like to get into
the process but it is important to make the Unless sophisticated equipment like
effort to convince them that children enjoy a pupillometer is used, taking pupillary
their glasses much more when they have a distance manually on children can be very
hand in the decision. Also, the optician will frustrating because children’s eyes wander
definitely be involved every step of the way so all over the place. To maintain proper fixation
that the child does not choose a frame that is while taking manual PD on these patients,
unbecoming or ill-fitting. several interesting devices that delight the
children can be used. Moreover, after the PD is
Avoid particularly large sizes. There is no measured, the respective device can even be
rationale for making glasses too large since
they lead to excessive and unnecessary shown to the child.
weight only. Also, it is better to not stress PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH
about very small-sized frames as they will not DISPENSING GLASSES FOR CHILDREN
fit properly and will tend to slide forward.
A basic concept for fitting and adjusting
Avoid extra narrow shapes for children. eyewear is to distribute the frame’s weight
A good check for determining a proper over the greatest bearing surface, thus
bridge is essential. A Keyhole bridge is a keeping the pressure points to a minimum.
better choice in almost any case except the Essentially the bridge of the nose has to carry
infants whose frames come in sizes of 34 to the frame’s weight while the temples stabilise
40 mm as their nasal bridges are flat and the frame and prevent it from sliding forward.
almost non-existent. These young children Besides, a continuously sliding-down spectacle
should be fitted with thick plastic saddle leads to poor visual performance due to
bridges or metal frames with adjustable strap changes in vertex and the introduction of an
bridges to keep the frame off the cheeks. unwanted prism.
122 | THE INDIAN OPTICIAN | SEPT-OCT 2022 KIDS EYE HEALTH
