If your child is autistic, there’s also a high chance that they struggle with vision issues. Between 20 and 44% of children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have visually significant refractive errors, one-third struggle with strabismus (eye misalignment), and one-fifth have amblyopia (lazy eye).
Wearing eyewear like prescription or reading glasses helps them see clearly and makes it easier to do their daily activities. However, many children with autism struggle with sensory issues or might be at risk of breaking their eyewear when stimming. Keeping your child’s glasses on can be challenging, but guiding them through the process can help them adjust and be more comfortable wearing them. Here’s how to encourage your child to wear their eyewear:
Opt for flexible and durable frames
Autistic children may have a hard time wearing their eyewear and keeping them on. They may frequently take them off if they don’t like how they feel on their face, or they can fall off if they stim by rocking back and forth or flapping their arms. Choosing eyewear that’s designed to withstand some rough handling can save you the trouble of repairing it or buying a new pair. Fortunately, many children’s glasses are flexible and durable. One of the key players in the kids’ eyewear market is Jonas Paul Eyewear, which creates children’s frames with lightweight materials and flexible hinges. They can stay put on the face but if they do fall off, they won’t break easily. Your child can enjoy clear vision and a cute pair of glasses while you can save yourself time and money.
Personalize the experience
Children have different vision needs, preferences, and lifestyles, so it can help to find a pair of glasses that suit your child’s unique attributes so they’ll feel more encouraged to wear them. For instance, your child may need reading glasses if they have trouble reading or focusing their eyes. You can help your child choose a fun and stylish frame with the appropriate strength to give your child the most comfortable and clear experience. Reading eyewear retailer Readers.com showcases how fun these frames can be, with models like The Ellie and The Bookwork that feature fun shapes and patterns they may enjoy. You can also get blue light readers, like The Dash model, if your kid often uses devices for stimulation or communicating with others to protect their eyes from blue light. You can give them the option to browse through frames to choose one they like so they’re more likely to wear them regularly.
Lead by example
Children with autism may not be able to immediately process that they need eyewear to see clearly, so they may reject them at first. To ease them into wearing them, you can lead by example and wear your own frames to teach and show them how they work. When doing activities together, you can wear your glasses—or even just the frame if you don’t need vision correction—and talk about how they help you see. Show them how they can make important skills, like reading and socializing, easier to do. They may learn through the visual cue of you wearing your frames. You can also allow them to try on a test pair or have them explore the frames through tactile learning to get a feel of their weight and clarity. They may feel more receptive to wearing their own pair if they’re able to understand how they work beforehand.
