Children's Eyeglasses: Durability and Safety Issues

While kids may want eyeglass frames with a specific color or brand, parents generally want something that's going to last.

Helpful Tips

Buying the Right Kids' Eyewear
Have your child pick out several frames they like. Then have the optometrist determine which ones provide the best fit.
Spring hinges improve a frame's durability, reducing your overall costs.
Polycarbonate is a very safe lens material and a great choice for children's eyeglasses. (It's the same material that bulletproof glass is made

Look for kids' frames with features such as spring hinges (which let the frame's temples bend in both directions) and flexible frame materials (which can withstand accidents such as sitting on frames or over-bending the temples when taking glasses on and off). These durability features reduce your costs over time.
Thinner, lighter and stronger materials, like stainless steel and titanium, are becoming very popular in children's eyewear. Frames made from these durable materials are great for kids who are hard on their glasses.
Also, most eyewear manufacturers and optical shops offer extended warranties on children's eyeglasses so you can feel more at ease about your investment in your kids' eyewear.
Polycarbonate or Trivex lenses are the best choice for children's eyewear. These lightweight and very impact-resistant lenses offer the best combination of comfort and safety.
Polycarbonate lenses for kids also are available with extra-durable lens coatings to make the lenses more scratch-resistant. Similar lens coatings can be applied to Trivex lenses as well.

What Kids Want in Eyeglass Frames

Today, many kids want eyeglasses that look just like the glasses their parents or older brothers and sisters wear. Plastic frames in elongated rectangular shapes, small, retro-styled ovals, and even thin titanium frames are all available for today's small customers. The availability of these fashionable frame styles for kids has them yearning to wear glasses more than ever before.

Cool brands, fun colors and adult styling all appeal to kids. Here, eyeglasses from Miraflex, TC Charton Kids, Tommy Hilfiger Kids, Koodles, Lilly Pulitzer, Shrek, Juicy Girls, Nine West Kids and more.

Pop culture icons and logos also are big in kids' eyeglasses. Cartoon characters are coming out of the television and into the eyewear stores with their own line of children's frames. Many of these are grown-up in appearance but with fun details, like glow-in-the-dark plankton on SpongeBob SquarePants frames or paw prints on Blue's Clues styles.
The popular Harry Potter books and movies have created a demand for frames "just like Harry's" among young children, while older kids are influenced by trendy brands and logos they see their sports heroes wearing.
No matter the style or brand, it's important for children to feel that they are a part of the frame selection process. Choosing eyeglass frames they like goes a long way toward getting them to wear their glasses and take good care of them as well.