A Vision to Behold

We recently took the little miss to the developmental optometrist (Dr. Randhawa) because a) this optometrist is amazing with little kids, and b) she is well-versed in vision therapy and visual processing issues. While I'm fairly certain that Little L had no need for vision therapy, I did want her to see someone who knew how to look for these kinds of things.

Up until this point, Little L had only seen one other optometrist, and for a mere 10 minutes. She was quite young back then, and had neither the patience nor the desire to sit through even the most cursory eye exam. This time, however, our visit was prompted by my kiddo, who must have been reading some books about getting glasses on her Epic Books or PlayKids Stories subscriptions.

Anyway, I've never seen someone so excited to go in for an eye exam. It was unreal. Little L *skipped* into the corner office, and tried her very best to be patient (which is a huge feat if you know how she normally is) while she waited for her name to be called.

When we finally got called in, Dr. R was patient and engaging, and used "princess magic" to help make this first eye exam enjoyable and fun. What wasn't fun, however, was learning that Little L spends a wee bit too much time in front of a screen. Mommy fail. While her vision is 20/20 and she has good eye muscles, at her age it is apparently preferable to have +1.00 vision. That we're at 0.00 now is a teensy bit concerning, given that my kid (and other kids of her generation) is going to be doing a lot more reading and screen-timing in the future.

One suggestion Dr. R made was for Little L to get blue-blocker glasses, which are glasses that block the blue light emitted from screens and enhance contrast to reduce eye strain. She advised that Little L use the glasses whenever she plays on her iPad or watches TV, because the blue-blocking lenses help prevent her eyes from "locking" into a curvature and position that might one day lead to myopia. She also volunteered that her own kids use these glasses when they play on their tablets. According to the doc, Little L should also refrain from wearing her glasses when she isn't in front of a screen. I'm guessing that this is because getting some blue light from the sun, during the day, is actually pretty good for you.

Anyway, we took her suggestions. Little L picked out a pair of Lacoste frames with turquoise arms and blue rims, and within a week the glasses were ready. It set us back about $300, which is way less than what I usually pay for my crazy high-index specs.

My little nerd. I love it.

And can I tell you? Little L looks freakin' adorable in her glasses. She loves them too! She wore them all day yesterday after we picked them up in the afternoon. We had to negotiate to get her to give them up for school and for bedtime and for all those in-between moments when she was playing and not on her device. We even had to promise her that we'd let her wear them for one full day, tomorrow, during her "Yes Day."

So all in all, I'm counting this as a win. Little L initiated the whole eye exam process, she didn't put up a fight when glasses were suggested, and now she loves wearing them. I'm relieved that we can protect her eyes a bit more, and hopefully keep them healthy for as long as we can. I'm also excited to see how this affects her circadian rhythms; if it helps her fall asleep easier (and earlier) at night, I might even pick up another couple of pairs ;)

What's your experience with eye exams and kids? How do you feel about getting blue-blockers for your littles?