little four eyes

Danielle D. Crull (Miss Danielle) is an American Board of Opticianry Master-Certified Optician.   She specializes in fitting and dispensing glasses for children, and runs the website A Child’s Eyes, which has fantastic information about kids and glasses.

Miss Danielle graciously agreed to do an interview with me focusing on choosing and fitting children’s glasses.  The information she’s provided is invaluable!

Ann: What led you to your focus on pediatric eyecare?

Miss Danielle: I’ve been an optician for 21 years and have always felt that the pediatric portion of the eyewear market was underserved. Kids come in so many shapes and sizes, but the selection of children’s glasses was minimal. This was frustrating as an optician trying to get a really good fitting pair of glasses for my young patients. I always ended up modifying the glasses in someway to make them fit properly, for example changing temple lengths, replacing nose pads, etc. Unfortunately, most opticians are unwilling to do this. So I would end up seeing so many kids with poorly fitting glasses, only to have me refit them properly. I absolutely love helping kids with their glasses!!! So focusing on pediatrics seemed like the right thing to do.

Ann: On your site, you say that “children’s glasses are NOT small grown-up glasses.”  What are some of the main differences between children’s and adults’ eyewear?

Miss Danielle: The main differences are durability and wearability. Children’s eyewear is sturdier with spring hinges and tougher metals that can withstand a child’s activity level. They also have smaller bridges. Children’s glasses need to have the weight balanced particularly on either side the nose bridge because a child’s bridge isn’t fully developed yet.

Ann: One thing that was so overwhelming for us when we first started looking for glasses for Zoe was the number of choices in frames such as metal vs plastic frames, or type of nose piece or temples.  What are some of the reasons for going with one style or material over another?

Miss Danielle: It’s so wonderful to have a lot of choices for kid’s glasses nowadays. It’s much more fun than when I was little. Metal frames have the most adjustability in them. They have adjustable nose pieces that can be positioned separately for each side of the nose. I like these for most kids. Plastic frames have molded nosepieces for the most part and can not be adjusted. So it is imperative that they fit well from the beginning. Spring hinge temples (the ones that spring out on the sides and back again) are a must for every kid’s pair of glasses.

It’s important that you go to someone you can trust. There are a lot of “cheap” frames out there. I’m not talking about price necessarily but quality-wise. Things like solid solder points that you will never be able to assess on your own, so it’s best if you have someone who will recommend something of value. The last thing you want is a pair of glasses that is faulty in the soldering, which could be a real danger to your child.

Ann: What other things should we think about when choosing the frames for our children?

Miss Danielle: Make sure your child likes them!!! It’s is so important that they love how they look in them. Of course a little guidance goes a long way. If your child is the one who picks the most vibrant and craziest looking things and you can’t bear to see it on your child’s face for the next year, then stop by and pick a few frames out first that are acceptable to you and then let your child choose from what you have already deemed “OK.”

Ann: Although I just mentioned being overwhelmed with so many choices for frames, I know that many parents live far away from anywhere that specializes in eyewear for children, and they’re left with nearly no selection.  Do you have any advice for parents that can’t find glasses they like for their children?

Miss Danielle: Yes, drive the distance if you possibly can.  It is well worth it in the long run. Most likely you will only need to make the trip once, unless you need to use your breakage or scratching warranty. You can always get adjustments and minor repairs close to home, maybe at the place you bought your own glasses.  I always show the moms and dads how their little ones glasses should be fitting. This way they can make sure it is done properly at a local optical shop. I can’t emphasize enough how important fitting is. It literally can be the difference between OK vision and excellent vision. So, I think it’s worth the trip to get things started properly for your child.  I have patients who live in Iowa!

Ann: Given how quickly our children are growing, should we order frames that are a little big for our child’s face so they’ll fit longer?

Miss Danielle: No, this is not a good idea. It’s like buying shoes too big.  Glasses that are too big will likely slip down the nose and change their visual acuity to something less than what the doctor prescribed. That’s the best thing that could happen, the worst is that they are likely to look over their glasses, which means they will have no vision correction at all!  I see that out in public all the time, kids looking over their glasses.  What’s the point of spending money on glasses that your kids aren’t even looking through?    Would you buy shoes that are so big your kids can only tie knots in them and hang around their neck?

Ann: I feel like we’re visiting our eye glasses place for adjustments all the time.  Is it normal to need to get them adjusted every few weeks?  What signs should we watch out for that would indicate that the glasses need adjusting?

Miss Danielle: (Laughs) Everyday someone else comes in to my office asking if they come more than anyone else. I assure them that they are not alone. This is life with a little one in glasses. They go through phases, but more than likely you’ll become good friends with your optician. Personally, I enjoy seeing the kids often. If you notice any of the following you should stop by and have your child’s glasses adjusted:

• glasses that slip down,
• marks on the nose that are uneven or not symmetrical on either side of the nose,
• marks on the nose that don’t go away after about 5 minutes,
• glasses that are crooked on their face,
• any marks behind the ears.
• For the younger ones, if you notice any behavior changes, i.e.: doesn’t want to wear them, picking at their ears or rubbing their eyes, and watery eyes.

Ann: Any other advice or information you’d like to pass along to the little four eyes parents?

Miss Danielle: Glasses are very fashionable, but don’t loose sight (no pun intended) of what they are intended to do. Their function is to help your child’s visual system work properly. One thing parents often forget is to make sure the lenses are clean and free from scratches. I know cleaning your child’s glasses can be a full-time job, but it really is important. Remember, your child is still learning how to see until they reach the ages of 7-9, so make sure they are getting the best possible vision…and don’t miss those frequent visits to the eye doctor.

Many, many thanks to Miss Danielle for taking the time to answer our questions!

I just stumbled across this page – A Child’s Eyes – and was struck by just how much great information is here – information on different types of frames, how to know if your child’s frames fit right, age-specific hints to get kids to wear glasses, and more.  I’ll add it to our list of resources, but I wanted to post about it, too.  Danielle Crull (Miss Danielle) is a Master-Certified Optician (there are only around 330 in the US) who has specialized in fitting glasses to children.  Her masters thesis is “The Pediatric Optician: Dispensing for the Infant and Young Child” (links to pdf).  It includes a lengthy explanation of ways to measure the pupillary distance for young children, which I found particularly relevant given the discussion on the ordering glasses online post.

I’ve contacted Miss Danielle, and she has graciously agreed to an interview about the types of frames, how to fit them correctly, and glasses maintenance.  If you have any other questions that you’d like an expert optician to answer, let me know and I’ll add it to my list.

Chelsea has worn glasses since she was 2 and is currently doing vision therapy to strengthen one eye. She has graciously agreed to answer some questions about doing vision therapy. She previously did an interview with us on growing up with glasses. You can read more of her writing on her blog, Roots and Rings. – Ann Z

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Ann: You’ve written a few posts now on the vision therapy, are you still patching and doing the exercises each night?

Chelsea: I have been doing it since Feb. 11. I have only missed 2 nights. An hour each night is a lot to commit to! I’m about to go on a cruise and will be away from my computer for 7 nights. I have printed out word searches, puzzles, hidden picture games, etc. for me to do each night. Hopefully I won’t lose any ground on this trip.  [Note, she went on that cruise before this was published, I was a little slow getting this up - Ann Z]

Ann: Does your eye still feel tired after the exercises?

Chelsea: Yes and no. At the end of my exercise I am ready to go to sleep. However, it doesn’t feel strained anymore. I can definitely tell it has strengthened. (I can’t tell during the day, only when I’m doing my therapy.)

Ann: Have you noticed any changes?  Did your doctor talk about what improvement you might expect and how long it might take?

Chelsea: In my daily life, no. I first follow up isn’t until the middle of April. She was careful not to put a time table on it. Some people don’t respond to therapy. I assume she was really saying “Some people your age don’t respond to therapy.” It will work. I just know it will!

Ann: Do you think it makes it easier for you to do the therapy since you’re old enough to understand why you’re doing it, or do you think it would be easier if you were younger?

Chelsea: Yes yes. A thousand times yes. If I had to do an hour of therapy each night as a child, it would have been pure torture for my parents. I’m at an age where I appreciate the value of sight. This is all I’ve known. When I was younger, I didn’t know that I didn’t see well. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized I don’t use my right eye. Without the knowledge of my situation and the hope for what “could be”, I wouldn’t have taken therapy seriously.

Ann: Thank you so very much, Chelsea!

Chelsea has worn glasses since she was 2, and has graciously agreed to answer some questions about growing up with glasses.  The second part of her interview on doing vision therapy is here.  You can read more of her writing on her blog, Roots and Rings. – Ann Z

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Ann: You write that you’ve worn glasses since you were 2, do you remember getting glasses?  If so, what was that like?

Chelsea: I do not remember getting glasses. It’s all I’ve ever known. I hear stories from my parents about when they found out. It sounds a lot like many of you. They were devastated. They cried and felt awful for me. My mom said she went home from the doctor and turned on the TV. There was a special about a little girl with leukemia. She then decided she’d be thankful for my health and realized my issues were minimal.

Ann: Were there any things that your parents did to make wearing glasses more fun, or at least bearable?

Chelsea: My mom says I never fought it as a baby. She thinks that I felt better because I could see so I just never tried to take them off. One I was old enough, they let me pick the glasses I wanted. (I guess I can only blame myself for the nerdy glasses I chose!)

Also, they let me complain. They knew that being a little kid with glasses sucked! They knew it was a pain when I played games or went swimming. And they let me complain and told me that when I was old enough, I could get contacts and it would get much easier. If I thought that having glasses was the worst thing in the world, they sympathized with me. They’d tell me that they were sorry and they knew I hated it. But they’d also always tell me how beautiful and smart I was and that my glasses do not define me.

Ann: Any things that you wish they had done?

Chelsea: There was nothing they could have done differently.

Ann: I notice that Zoe has started pointing out people and animals that aren’t wearing glasses (yes, that means she points out nearly every animals, “kitty cat, no glasses.”)  Do you remember noticing other people who didn’t wear glasses and thinking it was strange that you wore glasses when they didn’t?

Chelsea: I don’t remember that young. I remember that none of my friends had glasses. I didn’t think that was fair. But I think I understood pretty early on that my eyes were different than most people. I had an older brother who didn’t wear glasses so my parents were able to explain it to me easily. God made us all different.

Ann: You’ve mentioned how much better glasses are for kids nowadays, any pictures of you as a kid in glasses that you’d like to share?  (Obviously only if you want to).

Chelsea: Of course!  [photo will show up once Chelsea gets to a scanner - Ann Z]

Ann: How bad was the teasing (tell it to us straight, even though I think this may be the question I fear the most).

Chelsea: Kids can be mean. I remember never being the “popular girl” in elementary school and the boys never liked me. I blamed my glasses. (Whether or not this is true, who know?!) I honestly can only remember one time that I was really hurt. My best friend’s older brother called me ‘four eyes’. He and his friend were picking on us, trying to make us mad. I remember crying. His mom made him apologize and he told me he never meant to hurt my feelings, he was just playing. I know this was true. But that didn’t make it hurt less. Coming from someone who I was so close to is what was so scarring.

I’d like to think that the normal ways kids are affected by this are just by people ignoring them. If a kid doesn’t understand why someone wears glasses or why their eyes look so big, they’ll probably just ignore him/her and not be their friend. I doubt many people are picked on physically or teased verbally.

Although maybe they are. And maybe I was. Kids bounce back. Of course it leaves a few scars along the way, but we adapt. And honestly, I’m a better person today because of it. I never teased anyone because I knew they could easily tease me back. I am confident and know my worth. And I know my worth does not depend on my physical appearance. The bottom line: Your child should not be defined by his/her eyes. Do not focus on them or he/she will focus on them.

Ann: Thank you so very much, Chelsea!

Dr. Bonilla-Warford is an optometrist with a passion for children’s vision.  He writes the Bright Eyes News blog, and has commented here a few times.  If you haven’t read his blog, you should absolutely take a look, it’s readable, and he writes often about news and advances in children’s vision research.  He graciously agreed to an email interview with me to talk about his career and interest in pediatric optometry, what to expect from eye exams, differences between optometrists and ophthalmologists, and much more.

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