Why your child might need to wear glasses

Transcription

1 Wearing Glasses Most people need to wear glasses at some time in their life. Your child should have an eye test at an opticians at least every 2 years. After their eye test the optician may say they need new glasses. SeeAbility Easy Read Factsheet Why your child might need to wear glasses To see things close to them: reading and writing looking at magazines and photos using a computer Glasses can help your child see clearly To see things further away: watching TV, the cinema screen a football match, or a show a whiteboard, in the playground Film 15 SeeAbility is the operating name of The Royal School for the Blind founded in Registered Charity Number Page 1

2 Wearing the right glasses will help your child to see clearly Some people need to wear glasses all the time. X Your child's optician will tell you why your child needs glasses They will give you a prescription which tells you and others about your child's eyesight. You can go to any optician to buy your child's glasses. You need to take your child's prescription with you. Name Prescription SPH CYL AXIS PRISM ADD R L Optician Date We have a form called The results of your child s eye test You can ask the optician to fill this form in. It will explain why your child needs glasses. Go to to download a form. Page 2

3 Your child may need 2 pairs of glasses One pair for seeing things close to them. One pair for seeing things further away. Your child needs to remember which glasses are for which activities. They could have different colour glasses, different colour glasses cases, or use stickers on the case to show what activities they are for. There are different types of glasses to choose from Bi-focals or vari-focals are glasses that have special lenses. The lenses will help your child see further away and close to them Your child can get glasses that help them see clearly that are also sunglasses. Some glasses have lenses that go dark when the sun is out. There are also special frames that are very strong, very thin or very flexible. The optician will help your child choose the right glasses for them. Page 3

4 It is important that your child wears their glasses. Tell people who support your child about their eyesight. They need to know what your child wears their glasses for. Write why your child wears glasses in their health action plan or personal records. You may need to pay some money for your child's glasses Talk to the optician about the cost of their glasses. You will be able to get a voucher that makes your child s glasses cheaper. The optician will make sure the glasses chosen fit your child They will measure your child to check the glasses fit well and will be comfortable. It may take a week or more for them to make your child's new glasses for them. Page 4

5 It can take time for your child to get used to their glasses They may need to practice wearing them. People may need to support them to wear them until they are used to them. Your child's glasses need to be kept clean and safe When they take them off keep them safe in the glasses case. You can clean them gently with the cloth in the glasses case. You may need to go back to the optician If your child's glasses don't fit, are broken or uncomfortable take them back to the optician. They often do small repairs for free. If your child finds it difficult to see through their glasses their eyesight may have changed. It is important to book a new eye test. See our other factsheets For more information see our other Easy Read Factsheets about eye care and glasses. Go to: Some photosymbols used go to Follow us on Facebook and Twitter Page 5