Glasses

By Notes From the Trenches on Tuesday, February 19, 9:19 am EST

Last year I discovered my son needed glasses. I was shocked. Completely and totally shocked when he failed the eye exam at the pediatrician's office. And then even more shocked when we went to the eye doctor and I learned how deficient his eyes were. You would think he would have noticed that he couldn't see? But I guess not.

And being a 10 yr old boy he was adamant that he was not going to wear glasses. I refused to argue with him about it, figuring that he would change his mind. Or I would duct tape the glasses to his face. But still, for days and weeks leading up to the appointment he would carry on about how he was absolutely not going to wear glasses, no matter what.
Last year I discovered my son needed glasses. I was shocked, completely and totally shocked when he failed the eye exam at the pediatrician's office. And then even more shocked when we went to the eye doctor and I learned how deficient his eyes were. You would think he would have noticed that he couldn't see? But I guess not.

And being a 10 yr old boy, he was adamant that he was not going to wear glasses. I refused to argue with him about it, figuring that he would change his mind. Or I would duct tape the glasses to his face. But still, for days and weeks leading up to the appointment he would carry on about how he was absolutely not going to wear glasses, no matter what.

The day he actually got the glasses he decided he loved them. As we pulled out of the driveway at the glasses place he stuck his head out the window and exclaimed, "I can see the leaves! I can see the grass! I can see the signs!" And then he read them all for me for the entire way home; making sure that I was following the speed limit.

It was funny, but after that he never again mentioned that he didn't want to wear glasses. Especially once we got home and he realized that he could see the television clearly from across the room.

Yesterday morning he woke up and suddenly his glasses were broken. How exactly they broke is something of a mystery. According to him, he put them on and they just broke, of their own volition, in a seemingly spontaneous act of self-breakage.

When I broke the news that he might have to wait a few days for a replacement pair he was distraught. How would he see? I was tempted to remind him of how much he had whined the previous year. How many days and weeks he had argued with me that he was not going to wear glasses. How many tantrums I had to endure. And now? He was doing the opposite because his glasses had broken.

It is a thankless job, this parenting thing.

We ended up fixing the glasses in a manner that would make MacGyver proud, with the inside of a ballpoint pen and some tape. It just so happens that he has his yearly eye exam next week so we will be waiting until then to replace his glasses. I am sure that when he needs to get a new prescription and new frames it will somehow be my fault too.

But what would I so without someone to tell me from the back seat how many gray hairs I have on the back of my head? And what would he do without a mother who will show photos of him in his taped up glasses to any future prom dates?

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Kathy from NJ

I have had glasses (and

2/19/2008 at 12:01 pm

I have had glasses (and teeth) spontaneously break for no apparent reason.

steff

I have never worn glass but

2/19/2008 at 3:56 pm

I have never worn glass but my McGyver antics are improving as my son is going on his 3rd year of wearing glasses. Recently we broke out the super glue to repair while waiting for the new frames to arrive!

kristin

Prom date torture

2/19/2008 at 10:20 pm

What a fabulous idea for future embarassment! I never fully appreciated how much enjoyment my parents got from embarassing me sometimes. Then I became a parent. The embarassment arsenal can never be too big... Oh...and I remember being in 4th grade and finding out I needed glasses. I'm pretty sure I remember actually doing a little happy dance. And I LOVED my glasses. How funny...

maria

glasses

2/20/2008 at 8:38 am

I've worn glasses since I was 7 and can't imagine going further than the bathroom without them. Thanks for fixing his glasses - They really are a necessity. Think about spending the day looking through a fuzzy camera lens - or put on his glasses and see how funny everything looks. That said- I have a feeling my kids are destined for glasses and I dread the day those wild beasts have to wear something expensive on their face. I wonder if they sell them in rubber or by the case.

Dot

Fixing them is NO BIG

2/20/2008 at 9:19 am

Fixing them is NO BIG DEAL!!! But when they LOOSE them before the credit card bill even comes in - that is when it is a big deal. Congratulations to your son for making it almost an entire year before breaking them (that would be a record in my house). My son will have to go about in a fuzzy world till I can come up with another $200 to replace the NEW lost ones.

Courtney

spontaniously breaking glasses

2/20/2008 at 9:20 am

I was on vacation with my mom and sister, I had taken a shower after a day at the beach, before going to dinner, I sat down on the bed, opened my glasses, put them on and they broke. I had and still have the type that the glass is held in place with filament wire. It gave out. Fortunatly I had my prescription sunglasses with me and the next morning we went to the local Walmart, which had an optometry place and they fixed them for free. I remember getting my first pair of glasses, I didn't realize how much I couldn't see, I was eleven.

Ruth H

At my great age I still

2/20/2008 at 9:45 am

At my great age I still remember my first glasses. I was also 10, good in school, a great reader and never realized other people saw the world differently than I did. I have an identical twin. We both describe the world we saw when we walked out with our first glasses. It was rainy, a fall night and dark already, the lights of main street had come on. It was a most beautiful sight. Then in the morning we discovered the leaves, the blades of grass, fine print in the newspaper.... It was a brand new world. It is still beautiful after 61 years of wearing glasses.

Melanie

Edit

2/20/2008 at 9:57 am

Hey your first paragraph is duplicated.

Tracey

This will be the first of many!

2/20/2008 at 1:27 pm

My son has regularily broken or lost his glasses every six months since he was in Grade 1...he's 13 now and they ARE lasting longer, thank goodness :-) Luckily for me, at our eye dr., his glasses are under warranty for the year and have always been replaced quickly and efficiently (we keep the last old busted pair around to wear in emergencies, while the latest pair are being fixed/replaced) I have actually had my glasses spontaneously break as I was driving to the grocery store, so his story could be true :-) In Quinn's case, it is usually getting a foot in the face whilst wrestling with his little brother. Or a soccer ball to the face...no being goal tender with glasses! Good luck and get used to it! LOL

Janet

Glasses, wonderful glasses

2/20/2008 at 6:14 pm

I remember the day that I got my first pair of glasses. I had NO IDEA that it was possible to see leaves from across the street. What a revelation. The world was suddenly shinny and new! Even now, I swear that I actually hear better with my glasses on. Chris, just an idea. If you find that his prescription hasn't changed or has only changed a little bit, you could order a new pair of the same frames he currently has, along with his new pair. Have his current lenses put in the new frames. That way he could have a spare pair. Everyone who is dependent on glasses should have a spare if it is at all possible.

Anonymous

Keeping frames

3/1/2008 at 11:15 pm

Here's something wonderful I learned at Walmart... they can trace your frames while you are in the store, and then you can take your old glasses with you! When the new lenses come in, they just fit them into your frames and tighten the screws. No need to buy new frames just so you can keep your glasses during the transition.

Becky

Aw, you're such a brilliant

2/21/2008 at 12:29 am

Aw, you're such a brilliant mom for being so quick about it. I broke my glasses..roughly a year ago in art class. I put them down on the ground next to the piece I was working and, well, yes. My own mom keeps promising that we'll get new glasses for me soon, yet here I am, with my wonderfully taped glasses still awaiting the day I look less nerdy.

carrien

I remember thinking my

2/23/2008 at 2:58 pm

I remember thinking my teachers in junior high were getting really careless at cleaning the chalkboards because the words were fading into the background. I would get all huffy and walk up to the front to read and copy notes like it was their fault that I couldn't see it. It didn't even occur to me that my eyesight was failing until one of them suggested I visit an optometrist.

mumof7anglz

Glasses

2/26/2008 at 4:52 pm

I myself started wearing glasses when I was about 18 months old and have worn them ever since. All of our children, and my husband wears glasses. I remember the horror I felt when the pediatric opthamologist recomended that my first son then 6 months old should start wearing glasses. I thought there was no way that I was going to be able to keep them on him. I remember calling my mom for advice just sure there was no way I could keep glasses on a 6 month old. To my surprise I was completely wrong. It seems that as soon as he put them on and saw the world through clear vision he was never going back. He never messed with them from minute one and in fact as a small baby 6-9 months when he got up from naps or in the morning and I was slow in getting them on him he would reach for mine right off my face. Each of my other 6 children started wearing glasses between 3-9 months old and all of them adapted just as easily. Because our prescriptions are so complex our glasses are ussually about 500.00 or more each pair every year! They defineatly have accidents and they get broken and yes we have had several pairs in the the last 11 years break spontaneously. A few words of advice #1 if you can find a pair they like in the "flexon" frames (these are feames that are totally flexable you can crumple them in your hands and they bounce right back) thats great. #2 If you cant find the flexable frames insist on a pair with flexable hinges (the hinges have a little backwards give). #3 Ask you Optometrist if they have breakage protection insurance. and #4 The next time one of yours accidently breaks their glasses just take comfort from my family of 9 that it defineatly could be worse!

Informed New Mommy

REAL Eye Exams by an Eye Doctor

2/28/2008 at 12:30 am

All children should be sent to the optometrist or ophthalmologist for an eye exam starting at the age of 6 months and then every year after that. Pediatrician's screenings are NOT eye exams. Nurse's screenings at school don't count, either. Why is it that parents know to send their kids to the dentist when their first tooth comes out? Expecting a child to tell you they can't see is like having them tell you they need their immunizations. Parents need to get on the ball and send their child to their pediatrician (annual checkups,for immunizations and when they are sick), dentist, and optometrist annually. Children don't know what they need, parents ought to know that. Parents are obligated to give their children the proper care they deserve and need.

t in hd

Informed New Mommy: And just

3/5/2008 at 5:48 am

Informed New Mommy: And just how are parents supposed to know that "All children should be sent to the optometrist or ophthalmologist for an eye exam starting at the age of 6 months and then every year after that" if no one ever tells them that? How are we supposed to know that pediatrician's screenings are not eye exams if the pediatrician does not tell us? My husband and I are smart, university educated people and good parents but we're not bloody eye doctors or pediatricians. The tone of your comment is patronizing. offensive and rude. Signed: an experienced-and-long-time-mommy

marvin claflin

Rock n Ride Pony

2/28/2008 at 1:23 pm

My grandson was hurt bad on rock n ride pony from walmarts.He was just riding it and the whole pony went over forward landing him on his face and perhaps breaking his nose,We will know later today and I will update.This toy and others like it the bull,etc. have the rockers way too short in front and back allowing it to go over forward ,hurting your child.Please do not buy these and if your child has been hurt please ,perhaps we can get these products removed or fixed.Thanks Marvin

Life is Colourful

Parenting is a skill

6/12/2008 at 5:18 pm

When I read this thoroughly, I could remember how adamant I was in my childhood. I always used to do something opposite of whatever told by parents. But never realized in childhood, that what they suggested was right most of the times. I need to learn these skills when I would be going through the same phase in life.

Mart

i remember when i found out i needed glasses

7/5/2008 at 9:55 pm

When i was about 8 or 9 i found out that needed to ware glasses. At the first i was a bit exited about it being so young. It took about a week for me to realise that it was horrible, the amount of jokes and name calling that i had made me a depressed young kid.