Hello,
I am new to this board. I would appreciate any advice on the following problem I'm having.
I have a 7 year old girl with PDD Nos and ADD--this a working diagnosis and there is a possibility both diagnoses are actually one--Asperger's Syndrome.
She has some sensory issues and anxiety issues also. She does have an IEP and has a TSS with her at school.
Our current problem is that she is fighting everyone on keeping her glasses on. Her optometrist states that she needs them on all day or her eyes will become weaker and she will need a stronger prescription.
Any ideas on getting her to wear her glasses without a fight ?
Thanks !

First thing is to make sure that the glasses fit perfectly. It's not uncommon to need to have the "ears" adjusted. When there are sensory issues, tightness or pinching just won't be tolerated.

You might take the eyeglasses to another facility (different from where they were made), and have the lenses read ( a special machine). Mistakes can be made in executing prescriptions, and when this happens it's hard for any child to explain what's wrong -- but things will look weird to them, they will suffer headache & eyestrain.

Are you confident that your DD was fully co-operative during the eye exam, and that the resulting Rx is optimal.

There are children's storybooks that show characters going through the process of getting glasses. Ask the children's librarian at your local public library. Read a few stories together. But don't turn the story into a sermon against your daughter.

What does your DD say about the eyeglasses? What is her reason for not wearing or for removing them? It's always wise to consider that input.

If for distance correction, has anyone explained to her that the sharpness is normal? It's another sensory thing to adjust to, if one is used to fuzziness.

Does anyone else in the family wear glasses? Even if they've graduated to contacts, why not wear glasses around your DD, make it a bit of a club. Special treats for all the eyeglass wearers, why not. Have a birthday party & give all the guests a pair of toy eyeglasses to wear during the party.

I would try to avoid engaging in disputes about the glasses. Rather, notice whenever she is wearing them, and give praise for maturity.

Have you tried a reward or token system to motivate her to wear the glasses.

Does your daughter's prescription have prism (bends the light) ground inl? It's not uncommon to need to "build up" tolerance to new eyeglasses, esp. if there is prism.

I wouldn't be in a total panic about the optometrist's pronouncement. Try to build understanding in your DD, try to increase time wearing. You & she are in this for the long term.

Best wishes.

I find this very interesting. I was the exact opposite. I desperately wanted glasses for some unknown reason. As a baby, I'd always pull off my mother's glasses or my grandmother's glasses and wear them. My grandparents' good friend (and one of mine, now) is an optician, so he gave me several pairs of empty frames to wear. There's many pictures of me from ages 2-5 wearing these. Then, I got my wish and actually needed glasses at age five, getting them at age 6 because I was too young. It was hardly surprising, considering I read all the time. I still wear glasses. I feel contacts would be a sensory issue for me. I'm very against putting something in my body that doesn't belong, that and the fact that I fall asleep so often with my glasses on, that I know I'd fall asleep with the contacts in, and I'd be scared to death of doing that because of a story my mom once told me. I agree with elmhar about the tightness/pinching. I had this a couple of times, and it's all I could feel. It's kind of strange because the eye doctor is the only doctor that I don't freak out about going to. I love it there, specifically the test where they ask you: "Which is better? Lens one or two? Three or four?" I could do that forever...
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

Ooooh Gatsby,

I wish you could take my place when I have to do that part of the opt test. It drives me nuts! My DS says it's his fav part as well ...

Thank you ! You gave me some great insight. I hadn't thought of explaining about the fuzziness without the glasses and the sharpness with them on.
I did just have her glasses adjusted, to make sure they were comfortable. I have ordered another pair--plastic instead of wire frame. I have tried rewards with 50/50 chance of success. She is sometimes indifferent to the rewards.
I also had not thought about telling my husband, the other glasses wearer in the family, to wear his glasses around her. He mainly wears his contacts.
You were very helpful to us. Thank you for the time and thought you put into your reply !

I wear glasses for reading. I read and work on the computer a great deal. I believe I will need an upgrade in my prescription very soon.