Boca Raton - Total Family Eyecare - Kidz' Optical

Kidz' Optical

At Total Family Eyecare we have a large selection of children's eyeglass frames to choose from! But how do you figure out which ones your child is willing to wear and will last longer than the ride home?

To begin with, most children who need eyeglasses are either nearsighted or farsighted. Depending on the degree of visual correction necessary, an Dr. Lampert or Dr. Sheiner will prescribe glasses for full - or part-time wear. Some kids will be instructed to take their glasses off for schoolwork, while others need to have them on every waking moment.

Sometimes the doctor will make specific recommendations about suitable eyeglass frames, but often that decision is left up to the parents, the child and our frame and lens specialist who will help fit the glasses. Here are 10 items to consider to make your trip to Total Family Eyecare enjoyable, and to ensure that you get children's glasses that will last a long time:

1. Lens Thickness
The prescription is always the primary consideration in choosing glasses. Before you start looking for the frames, we will have you discuss Dr. Lampert or Dr. Sheiner’s recommendations with our lens and frame specialists. If the prescription calls for strong lenses that are likely to be thick, it is important to keep the frames as small as possible in order to eliminate any distortion in the lenses. The specialist can give you a good idea of how thick the lenses will be and can recommend suitable frames to mask some of the thickness, as well as ways to make thick lenses appear thinner.

2. Fashion Forward
Whether they are full- or part-time eyeglass wearers, most kids get at least a little teasing about their specs, especially the first time they wear them. One way to help make your child more comfortable with wearing glasses is to allow her to choose her own frames. Your kid won't want to get anything "uncool," yet you don't want her wearing something you find objectionable. However, keep in mind that the real object is to get him/her to wear the glasses.

Look for soft bridge pads, comfy nose pads and sturdy spring hinges Our lens and frame specialist can tell you which frames are popular and can point you to the classic styles.

3. Plastic vs. Metal
Children's frames are made of either plastic or metal. Double bridges are found on boys' frames, while frames with single bridges are either unisex or strictly for girls. A lot of manufacturers copy adult styles for children's frames. Kids like these styles a lot because they are more grown-up. It's not unusual for kids to ask for glasses that look just like Mom's or Dad's.

In the past, plastic eyeglasses were a better choice for children because they were considered more durable, less likely to be bent or broken, lighter in weight and less expensive. But now manufacturers are making metal frames that incorporate these features as well. Metal composition varies, so ask our lens and frame specialist which one is best for your child. Ask for hypoallergenic materials if your child has shown sensitivity to certain substances.

4. The Right Temple Style
Temples that wrap all the way around the back of the ear are helpful in making sure that the glasses don't slide down or drop off a child's face completely. These wraparound temples, called "cable temples," are generally available on metal frames and are especially helpful to keep glasses in place on toddlers. These pretty frames with cable temples are great for an active child or a very young one who tends to tug at her glasses.

Cable temples are not a good choice for part-time eyeglass wearers, however, as they are a bit more awkward to put on and take off. For glasses that go on and off frequently, it is better to have regular, or "skull," temples that go straight back and then curve gently around the back of the ear.

5. Lens Material
Once you and your child agree on frames that you both like, the next consideration is the lenses. Children's lenses should be made of polycarbonate, because it is the most impact-resistant material around. (It is actually the same plastic that bullet-proof glass is made of!) In addition to being the safest material, it is also lighter in weight than regular plastic lenses, a nice advantage for strong prescriptions. Polycarbonate has built-in protection against potentially damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays, and the lenses are scratch-resistant coated by the manufacturer or fabrication lab. The price for polycarbonate lenses is generally comparable to, if not less than, the cost for regular plastic lenses with UV and scratch-resistant coatings. And with polycarbonate, kids get that extra margin of safety to protect their eyes.

The least desirable material for your child's lenses is glass. Although it must be treated for safety, glass still shatters when it breaks, and broken glass — even safety glass — is a hazard to the eye. Glass lenses are also a little heavier, which makes them less comfortable to wear.

6. Warranties
Total Family Eyecare offers a 2 Year Exclusive Warranty that will repair or replace your eyewear at no charge in case of damage to the frames or lenses. It is easier to scratch a lens than to do almost any other kind of damage to the glasses. If a lens is scratched, you must replace it, because it can compromise your child's vision development.

7. Backup Pair
If your child's vision is such that he or she has difficulty functioning without their glasses, you may want to purchase a backup pair of glasses in case something happens to the primary pair and they are out of commission for a week or so while being repaired.

7035 Beracasa Way - Suite 101 (Powerline and Palmetto) Boca Raton, FL. 33433
E-mail: totalfamilyeyecare@comcast.net