Wearing glasses for the first time can be a difficult adjustment for any child.

Being able to see clearly might not always seem worth it to them compared to how strange the glasses feel on their nose and ears or what their peers think, so what can you do as a parent to help them get in the habit and really love their glasses? We’ve come up with five good approaches you can use to make childrens glasses cool.

1. Make Sure Their Glasses Fit

Ill-fitting glasses, no matter how perfectly they correct your child’s vision, are not going to be fun to wear, and they will be taking them off every chance they get. Whether they fall too easily or pinch too hard, we have tools at our practice to correct the fit of glasses. If your childrens glasses don’t fit properly, come see us so we can adjust them.

2. Set Goals For Your Childs Glasses

For a child who isn’t willing to wear their glasses full-time from the start, a gradual ramp-up might be a good idea. You can begin small by expecting them to wear their glasses for just a half-hour, then increase to an hour, then two, and ultimately they’ll be wearing them all day. You could offer small prizes for achieving these milestones to give them more motivation.

3. Find Bespectacled Role Models

A great way to combat your child’s worries that they’ll be made fun of for wearing glasses is to remind them that some pretty awesome people wear glasses too. Show them pictures of some of their favorite actors or inspirational figures wearing glasses, and point out that characters like Harry Potter, Superman, and Supergirl wear glasses (even if the latter two only wear them as their mild-mannered disguises).

4. Let Them Choose Their Glasses

Another essential for helping your child feel confident in their glasses is to let them pick out their own frames! Glasses are like a customizable facial feature, and that makes them a wonderful expression of personal style. So forget about your own ideas of color coordination and fashion, because your child has their own idea of what cool glasses look like.

A similar factor to think about is how the glasses make your child look for their age. A toddler should wear glasses made for toddlers, but older children will feel embarrassed to wear “baby glasses.” They want adults and other kids to respect them for how grown-up they seem, and their glasses are part of that.

5. Stand Firm And Enlist Help

Perhaps the most important thing to do is to remain firm in your expectations. Even with the perfect, well-fitting glasses and good role models to look up to, if you aren’t a stickler about making sure your child meets their glasses goals, it might not matter. And for the times and places when you aren’t around to check that the glasses are on, you might be able to recruit other adults, like their teachers, to help.

We Can Help Too!

Another group of adults who can help your child grow to love wearing glasses is the team at our practice! We’re the biggest fans of childrens glasses you’ll meet, and we’re happy to share our enthusiasm and success stories. We’d love to hear from you, whether these five tips did the trick or if you need a few other ideas to try.

We can’t wait to see your child looking happy and confident in their glasses!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.

Fine works of art, delicious cheeses, and beautiful antiques all take on special qualities as they age. Old eyeglass frames may look stylish, but wear and tear will eventually take its toll.

Whether you’re sporting a pair of vintage specs, or you’ve simply had your frames for a while, we can help you recognize the signs when it’s time to update to a new pair of lenses or frames.

“How Do I Know When It’s Time?”

Of course, the number one sign that you should be considering new lenses and frames is if you’re noticing changes in your vision! How long has it been since you updated your prescription? The American Academy of Optometrists recommends a comprehensive eye exam every two years, or more often if certain risk factors are present.

Most of the time, such vision changes are so gradual that you don’t think about it until it becomes a problem. Come visit with us and let’s check your vision and prescription.

Other signs that you shouldn’t ignore include:

• Frames with stripped screws
• Heavily scratched or worn-down lenses
• Bent frames that just don’t fit right
• A loose fit that’s difficult to keep adjusted
• Headaches more often than usual
• Irritated skin at frame touch points

When It’s Time, Find New Frames That Fit YOU!

You can reduce everyday stress with a new pair of glasses that fit you comfortably and correctly. With properly fitting frames, there will be no more worrying about them sliding off or breaking—or going through the day with a vision-related headache.

While it’s important to find frames that fit you comfortably, you also want to find a pair that compliments your face shape. If you need help identifying your face shape check out the video below or visit us at our practice!

While You’re At It, Get Frames You Really Like!

Yes, the primary purpose for eyeglasses is to help you see better. But in addition, great-looking frames are fun to wear and boost your confidence. We’re experts at recommending frames that both compliment your individual look, face shape, and fit your lifestyle—and we have lots of awesome choices for you to consider!

When It’s Time, We’re Here To Help

Does getting new glasses feel overwhelming? If so, let us help you find the perfect frame with the perfect prescription. Call us to make an appointment soon.

We appreciate having you as our valued patient. Thank you!

It’s that time of year again! Have you used all of your remaining vision insurance benefits?

What Is Vision Insurance?

Whether you received your vision insurance through an employer or you enrolled in a plan on your own, you may be curious how it works. Each plan differs based on your insurance provider and your level of coverage, but most plans have the same basic function.

Vision insurance plans are health and wellness plans designed to lower the out-of-pocket cost of routine eye care. This often includes eye exams and prescription eyewear. Some plans even offer discounted rates on vision correction surgery. Each provider has a wide range of benefits, so be sure to speak with your employer or insurance provider to understand what benefits are available to you.

Check out the video below to see why you should take advantage of the comprehensive eye exams included in your insurance plan:

Vision Insurance Differs From Other Insurance Policies

Most vision insurance policies differ from other major medical policies. For instance, many regular health insurance policies provide unlimited benefits after you pay a certain co-pay or meet a predetermined deductible. Vision insurance plans, however, are known as discount or wellness benefit plans that offer specific benefits and discounts when you pay an annual insurance premium.

Because of this key difference, it’s important you get the most out of your vision insurance each year! Many plans offer significant discounts on comprehensive eye exams, eyeglass frames, eyeglass and contact lenses, and lens enhancements such as anti-reflective coatings. Since these benefits are discounts based on an annual premium, they don’t roll over to the next year if left unused—meaning you’d lose out on free or drastically discounted services.

Make An Appointment Before It’s Too Late!

We want to help you get the most out of your vision insurance benefits each and every year. If you have any questions about your vision insurance plan, feel free to give us a call! We’d love to work with you to meet your family’s eye care needs.

Thank you for continuing to place your trust in our practice.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

The NWI Times 2016 Best of the Region contest is back!

Levin Eye Care Center has been serving Northwest Indiana for over 40 years and we need your votes to win the best of the region contest. We are asking our patents to take a few minutes to vote for us in the link below! Your vote could decide who is the best of the region and will be  2016 The Times Best of the Region winner.

Go to the link below and Vote us “Best Vision Care” in the “Healthcare” section