Kid Vision Heroes: Lens Safety, Performance, & Comfort
By Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC
| Helping parents and kids understand that investing in the right lenses can increase performance at any task, plus increase kids' visual and everyday comfort, can go a long way to making sales and cementing lasting relationships. Poly and Trivex lens materials are inherently UV protective, ideal for kids' safety impact-wise and as shields from UV radiation, are thin and light, and provide excellent performance. |
"I use Trivex for moderate and higher Rx's and those with more than 1.50D of cylinder. For kids that mostly wear contact lenses, I usually default to poly unless their Rx is greater than -4.00D or +3.00D."
Susan Resnick, OD, Drs. Farkas, Kassalow, Resnick & Associates, New York and Roslyn, N.Y.
| Comfort: |
|---|
Comfortable lenses are a blend of lightweight and thin. Image, above, courtesy of Profit Optix; below: Younger Optics Lightweight: Lightweight is especially important for kids, whose noses may have very flat bridges (nosepads are essential here) that cause their eyewear to slip, decentering the Rx and causing visual and wearing discomfort. Approximately 80 percent of all Rx's fall into the +/- 3.00D category. For prescriptions that are outside of those parameters, teaming aspheric and/or atoric designs for thinner, flatter lenses, combined with a premium lens material like poly or Trivex in a small frame, can help keep kids' eyewear lightweight. Thin: Who wants a chunky, clunky pair of glasses? Thick minifying (high-minus Rx) and magnifying (high-plus Rx) lenses are cause to hide or "lose" their eyewear. Thin lenses look better and are more comfortable, and today's lens material choices, combined with small frames, can help keep eyewear on kids' faces where it belongs. Poly and Trivex can be surfaced to 1.0mm center thickness for dress wear, but for high-impact standards, 2.0mm centers are necessary. |
Safety: !
POLARIZED: Price, warranties, and third party insurance can all be top issues when it comes to eyewear purchasing and practice loyalty.
IMPACT RESISTANCE: Impact resistance may be the most important point to bring up when selling to kids and parents, since kids are rough on their lenses and need a tough lens material to withstand unforeseen impacts that may cause eye injury. Wearing impact-resistant lens materials like poly and Trivex help wearers avoid eye injury and ECPs avoid potential lawsuits.
ULTRAVIOLET (UV) PROTECTION: An important part of dispensing kids' lenses is educating kids and parents on the dangers of UV to young eyes and letting them know that their lenses do more than just help them see better. UV demonstrators are a hands-on way to show parents and kids the importance of protecting eyes from harmful UV rays and get them engaged in the lens selection process.
| "I want to eliminate my liability any way I can, so our practice fits only polycarbonate or Trivex lens material for high impact resistance. This helps eliminate risk to our business and makes life safer for our young patients." Roger Corley, FNAO, certified optician at Oculens Optical in Garland, Texas |
Performance:
Anti-reflective: Many ARs now offer better performance, including premium scratch resistance and durability. Being creative with AR and positioning by working with manufacturers and labs can ensure better AR buy-in.
Scratch-resistant: Better-performing scratch resistance means kids may scratch their lenses less, making lenses last longer. Scratches can compromise lens' strength and a patient's visual acuity, so educate kids and parents on how to clean their lenses properly.
Photochromic: With lenses truly clear indoors, more ECPs are recommending photochromics for kids than ever before.
The best lenses for kids offer a combination of comfort, performance, and safety. Image courtesy of Vision-Ease Lens
![]({"src":"/media/lujnatpw/62009.jpg","focalPoint":null,"crops":[{"alias":"thumbnail","width":1110,"height":700,"coordinates":null}]})