My daughter started wearing glasses when she was 4 years and 11 months. At the time, my husband and I were very upset, because we hadn’t realized she had a vision problem. She would have to hold our hand as we walked on the sidewalks by our home because she would trip and fall. We had NO clue that it was her vision. The month before her 5th birthday, we took her and her older brother to get their eyes checked. We figured that her older brother may need glasses, considering our family history — never realizing it was our little girl who couldn’t see. Once we got her glasses, she started improving in her school and becoming more alert. It was a world of difference for her. She couldn’t verbalize that she couldn’t see. And this is why I was so honored to be invited to meet Kids by Safilo recently at an event in NYC.
They get it. Made in Italy, Kids by Safilo is a ground-breaking new eyewear collection for children 0-8 years of age.
It’s conceived for children’s needs, designed with pediatric opthalmalogists, engineered by advanced technologies and materials. Safilo’s wants children’s eyewear to be for children, not just adult glasses shrunk down to children’s sizes.
The glasses are made of a bio-based plastic (so if your child nibbles on them, they aren’t nibbling on something toxic). There’s a low bridge for a correct, comfy fit. The soft joints in the glasses are made of a safe, flexible rubber. The temple ends are straight, so they don’t put pressure behind the ear. The hinges are shockproof and without exposed parts that could hurt a child in the event of an impact.
We heard from a panel including Dr. Andrea Thau, OD, Vice President of the American Optometric Association; a New York- City based infant’s and children’s vision specialist; Dr. Ken Nischal, MD, Director, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Adult Motility, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC; and Bruce Abramson, Director of Brand Management, Safilo North America.
I was particularly struck by Dr. Andrea Thau, who had some pretty sobering stats.
-Experts estimate that as much as 80 percent of a child’s learning occurs through his or her eyes.
-If vision is not functioning properly, reading and learning ability, social and emotional development, and even participation in sports can suffer.
-Sadly, one-in-four school-aged children is currently suffering from a vision problem that could have been effectively treated if it had been properly detected.
-Unfortunately, vision and eye health conditions too often go unnoticed because parents or even other health care providers think that if no symptoms exist then there is no problem.
-Millions of children have coverage for annual comprehensive eye exams and needed vision correction treatment – including eyeglasses – through their private insurance, including under the Affordable Care Act, or federal programs like Medicaid and, in many states, CHIP. We take kids to the dentist, why not the eye doctor?
-Don’t just rely on class vision screenings, it leads to too many children’s eye and vision issues undiagnosed and untreated.
– Your Child’s Eye Exam is COVERED! The AOA fought for and won ACA benefit making children’s direct access to eye doctors for regular comprehensive eye exams and treatment (including eyeglasses) an essential benefit.
AOA InfantSEE Program is a comprehensive eye and vision assessments for ages 6 months to 1 year. www.infantsee.org
Parents and teachers can visit AOA.ORG or thinkaboutyoureyes.com for more information and to find an eye doctor near you.
For more information about Kids by Safilo or to find a retailer, go to http://safilo.com/kids/.
You can also get Kids by Safilo’s Children’s Eyewear online at http://www.solsticesunglasses.com and search for Safilo Kids.
Does your little one get their eyes checked every year?
I received a travel stipend and a gift card from Solstice Sunglasses for attending this event, as always, all opinions are my own. Photos courtesy of Laura Cohen Photography.
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