Why does my child need glasses?

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If your child is prescribed glasses it may be for a variety of reasons. They may have poor vision, eyestrain symptoms, a squint that can be improved by glasses or a difference in prescription between the eyes which will lead to lazy eye (amblyopia) if not treated. If your child already wears glasses please bring them to the appointment so that vision can be checked with them on. We will be able to advise you whether a change is required. Children learn to see from birth until about 8 years of age. When young children are given glasses it is to promote normal visual development and so they should wear them as much of the time as possible to give the brain the best chance of developing good sight in both eyes. If your child is given glasses as part of the treatment of lazy eye they will need to adapt to them for several months before starting the second stage of amblyopia treatment which is usually wearing a patch (occlusion) on the good eye to force the brain to learn to use information from the weaker eye.