Have you ever heard that early readers are more likely 2 need glasses?

[Blessedfamily]

Or that they need glasses earlier than they likely would have. It seems I read that on some physician's site but I can't find anything now.

 

I suspect dd needs glasses and I can't help wondering about all the reading she's done at a young age. I thought I read that it's a strain on young eyes. Anyway, she has an appt tomorrow and I hope she doesn't need them because she's so rambunctious. She may have needed them anyway because dh and I both wear corrective lenses but we didn't need them until much older.

[In The Great White North]

I don't think it's when they start to read, but rather how much time per day they spend focusing close up. Dh needed glasses during grad school, but when he started driving hours a day (focusing farther out) he didn't need them anymore (even for reading).

[LisaKinVA]

Yes, I agree, it has much more with how much they read, not when they started reading.

 

So far, not one of my children require glasses (and I needed them before 1st grade... I was a voracious reader).

[Blessedfamily]

The size of the print is what bothers me. I try to steer her to larger print and read the smaller print books to her but she does not let a book go on one reading. If we read together, she takes the book and reads to herself when we finish.

 

I would LOVE to have her outgrow the need for glasses like you ds. My husband says his brother did that as a kid.

 

I'm jumping the gun a bit because I don't know for sure if she needs them but I think she does. She doesn't hold books close or squint when reading. However, when I ask her what time it is she walks over about three feet from the stove to see it's clock. I can see the numbers on the clock from across the room (with my contacts).

[Blessedfamily]

Yes, I agree, it has much more with how much they read, not when they started reading.

 

So far, not one of my children require glasses (and I needed them before 1st grade... I was a voracious reader).

 

Since she likes to read so much, I try to break it up. She'll read some and then we'll do board work, you know. We switch it up. I don't know if it's working or not(obviously).

[Puma Mom]

My experience says there's no correlation. I read early, in large quantities, and often in very low light (under the covers, in the car as the sun went down, etc.). Only recently, at age 45, have I noticed the print getting smaller close up. Ds18 reads more than I did and has very strong eyesight. Both of my brothers read voraciously, and neither wears glasses.

 

I'm guessing it's more about genetics, or we're just weird.

[Blessedfamily]

My experience says there's no correlation. I read early, in large quantities, and often in very low light (under the covers, in the car as the sun went down, etc.). Only recently, at age 45, have I noticed the print getting smaller close up. Ds18 reads more than I did and has very strong eyesight. Both of my brothers read voraciously, and neither wears glasses.

 

I'm guessing it's more about genetics, or we're just weird.

 

Thank you for the encouragement. Thank you all. I don't mean to over-react. After all, the main thing I want to hear tomorrow is that her eyes are healthy. After that, well.... I guess if she needs glasses she just does.:mellow: But I gaurantee they won't last long.

[KAR120C]

One theory is that kids who are already nearsighted (instead of farsighted, which is more common among the very young) are more likely to read early. That is, the nearsightedness makes reading easier, rather than the reading making them nearsighted.

 

DS was an early reader but farsighted. Weird kid. ;) However, his ability to spell improved as his vision improved.

[Blessedfamily]

I hope she cooperates enough for them to tell. At the pediatrician's she refused, and they were showing her a chart with shapes even though she can read.

 

We are unfamiliar with doctors here, and none of our acquaintances' kids wear glasses so we just had to pick someone( I hate that). We talked to the doctor who says the equipment is electronic and helps with reluctant children. Dh said she's (Dr.) very bubbly so I hope that helps.

[In The Great White North]

They can actually get the correct prescription without much cooperation at all. That's how they do babies' glasses.

[Blessedfamily]

They can actually get the correct prescription without much cooperation at all. That's how they do babies' glasses.

 

That's good because she just went for her annual check-up this morning and "couldn't" read a single thing on the eye chart. Dh thinks she just wouldn't. Online it says you have to be legally blind not to see the top line.

 

I am more nervous than ever to get to the optometrist this afternoon.

[beansprouts]

One theory is that kids who are already nearsighted (instead of farsighted, which is more common among the very young) are more likely to read early. That is, the nearsightedness makes reading easier, rather than the reading making them nearsighted.

 

 

This is what an opthomologist told me when my daughter was about three. He said her near vision was very well developed for her age, and predicted that she would need glasses by the time she was 6 or so. We delayed as long as possible, then bought her first pair shortly after her 8th birthday.

[Blessedfamily]

DD did in fact need glasses. I should be glad her eyes are healthy but apparently she needs them more than I thought. I was hoping for a very light prescription like her father, but she's a little more near sighted than he is.

 

I told dr. it's a little upsetting because I didn't need glasses that young neither did dh. She says they just have better screening now and catch it earlier. This may be true. Dh and and my sister both say they "faked it" for a couple of years so they wouldn't have to get glasses.

 

I just don't get why she didn't say anything and I didn't see any signs except the clock thing. For as much as she reads, I was looking for her to hold the book close, but she didn't do anything like that.

 

Anyway, she'll be in her new glasses soon.:001_cool:

[Blessedfamily]

This is what an opthomologist told me when my daughter was about three. He said her near vision was very well developed for her age, and predicted that she would need glasses by the time she was 6 or so. We delayed as long as possible, then bought her first pair shortly after her 8th birthday.

 

I wish I could wait a little longer, too:001_smile:.

[frogpond1]

a child's ability to see close up isn't completely perfected until around age 8, or something like that. I cannot remember the exact age, but he wore glasses for a little less than a year. After that he was fine. DD was 3 when she began to read and she never needed glasses and had no problems at all. My other 2 kids didn't need them either. I was glad I got them for DS 1 though because his eyes were getting very tired compensating for his undeveloped close up vision.

[Blessedfamily]

I read that kids can be farsighted at first and then their vision matures. I guess since my dd is nearsighted she'll be stuck with ever-increasing glasses like me. :rolleyes: I'm afraid of laser surgery.

[mom2att]

I told dr. it's a little upsetting because I didn't need glasses that young neither did dh. She says they just have better screening now and catch it earlier. This may be true. Dh and and my sister both say they "faked it" for a couple of years so they wouldn't have to get glasses.

 

I just don't get why she didn't say anything and I didn't see any signs except the clock thing. For as much as she reads, I was looking for her to hold the book close, but she didn't do anything like that.

 

 

Don't worry about it, glasses and kids are no big deal. My dd has been in glasses since she was 2.5, and a pretty strong prescription at that. I was surprised because in spite of being very farsighted, she loved books and all print, which I assumed wouldn't be the case if she was having difficulty seeing. When she got her glasses she actually looked around the room and smiled because suddenly she could see! She's 12 now and still in glasses, but since she's worn them as long as she can remember it's no big deal to her.

[beansprouts]

I just don't get why she didn't say anything and I didn't see any signs except the clock thing. For as much as she reads, I was looking for her to hold the book close, but she didn't do anything like that.

 

 

She doesn't realise that her vision isn't normal. My daughter was funny after she got her first pair of glasses and began exclaiming about the detail in her world she was suddenly able to see (leaves on trees and so forth). :lol:

[beansprouts]

I read that kids can be farsighted at first and then their vision matures. I guess since my dd is nearsighted she'll be stuck with ever-increasing glasses like me. :rolleyes: I'm afraid of laser surgery.

 

 

I was also reticent at first, but I think at this point the procedure has been tried and proven. I am willing to go in now and see if I qualify. My vision is -11 in one of my eyes, and the other isn't much better. :eek:

[KAR120C]

She doesn't realise that her vision isn't normal. My daughter was funny after she got her first pair of glasses and began exclaiming about the detail in her world she was suddenly able to see (leaves on trees and so forth). :lol:

Every time I get a new prescription, it turns out I've gotten so used to not seeing things, it's just shocking how much there is to see! LOL!! I've got some depth perception issues and new glasses make everything suddenly look like a 3D movie. :lol:

[beansprouts]

Every time I get a new prescription, it turns out I've gotten so used to not seeing things, it's just shocking how much there is to see! LOL!! I've got some depth perception issues and new glasses make everything suddenly look like a 3D movie. :lol:

 

Yep! In fact I just recently got a new prescription so I know exactly what you mean.

[Blessedfamily]

When I took dd to the optometrist we all got examined at the same time. I couldn't believe what I couldn't see when I took my contacts out! My dd had to wave so I'd know what chair she was sitting in. :001_smile:

 

I don't like the feeling of not being able to see, so I have been sleeping in my contacts more than I'm supposed to. The doctor could tell. I got a "talking to" about it because the blood vessels in my eyes showed blood coming to the front trying to get oxygen.(A sure sign of over-wearing contacts). This can cause eye damage so now I'm back in glasses with occasional contacts until the blood goes back over the next year.

 

I ordered the glasses Wed and they were ready yeaterday. With the polycarb lenses and small frames you can't even tell I'm blind as a bat!:coolgleamA: I'm happy with that.

 

But the lesson for the day is definately "Never over-wear contacts!" It does silent damage.

Edited October 25, 2008 by Blessedfamily

[klmama]

I think it just depends on the individual. My earliest reader has the best vision in the entire family.

[Storm Bay]

Yep! In fact I just recently got a new prescription so I know exactly what you mean.

 

I'm just going through this now that I need reading glasses. If I read while I eat a bedtime snack, it's amazing how much detail I can see in that food. Of course, this is a normal age related thing, but I'm realizing that since I used to have better than 20/20 vision, and now it's testing 20/20, I'm not seeing as much detail far away as I used to. Okay, "normal, but not "normal" for me, ifykwim.

 

When my 10 yo was younger, she used to have an astygmatism. I had no idea what that really meant, until she got a pair of glasses, stepped outside and told me that everything looked slanted. When I took her in to complain, they told me it was because she'd become accustomed to seeing everything at an angle and was finally seeing things straight.

 

My latest reader is my ds, who is not only very far sighted, but has astygmatisms. In addition, eye maturity varies from 7-9 usually, and I think his eyes are just maturing now (he's 8.) He just started wearing a patch because his right eye was weaker. Not weak enough for the opthamologist to want to patch, but I thought it a good idea & he agreed to try it. After 2 eeks, ds's reading has made a huge jump. He also is having a much easier time doing things when wearing the patch, with or without glasses, so I think it's making a difference already, even though it hasn't been very long. But the true test will be when he gets checked by the eye doctor.

Edited October 30, 2008 by Karin

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

Yeah I heard it. I was an early reader and have no vision problems. My daughter also has no vision problems. One of the neighbor kids who didn't start reading until she was 4 has glasses.

[Desert Rat]

I think it depends on how much time he/she spends reading. My early reader started wearing glasses last year at age 7 just for reading (and video games). It helps with his eye strain. I also needed them last year.

[DinoMom]

when my dd was diagnosed with myopia at 4 yrs old, i started researching around what can i do to help correct her vision. Her vision was perfect at 3 yrs old when she was tested at school. I couldnt find the link to that article, but it stated that children need to spend at least 2 hrs outdoor due to the intensity of the lights outdoor compared to indoors.

[Misty]

Thank you for starting this thread! My 11yo daughter has started having trouble seeing print from far away that I can easily read. She has hyperlexia (along with Asperger's) and has obsessively read since the age of three... And I mean OBSESSIVELY. I was wondering if this had anything to do with her reading so much because dh and I both have near perfect vision.

 

Thanks again!

[DinoMom]

Pro-longed reading is a problem because the eyes muscles is not trained to see far.

I am still working hard how to correct the damage already done. The eyes are still at their development phase for toddlers.

 

It is very important to bring the kids out to the park. Limit reading books at night due to the lights in the house. It would strain the eyes. Instead, do read-alouds. Also, keep an eye on the posture. Don't slouch. When writing on the table, make sure the table is and chair is at the right distance so that her nose is not touching the surface.

 

Once it was believed that carrots helped with vision. But recent studies argued against that. A friend at her 30s, told me that she is now completely glasses-free, because she eats wolf-berries and red-dates every day.

 

I wish I have a successful story to tell. But I am in the same boat as everyone here.

[AuntieM]

My early readers have excellent vision. But I do order large print books when available from the library for one of my sons, and will probably do that for my littlest who is ready for chapter books.

[Reya]

I don't think it's when they start to read, but rather how much time per day they spend focusing close up.

 

 

Yep. Nature and nurture.

 

Think of it this way: The more you can do to make her bad cannon fodder, the better.

[DinoMom]

That's a good one. I think the prints are too small for chapter books. I noticed that normally hardcover books has bigger prints. Wonder how do we tell which version / publications is of larger print besides the cover?

[Blessedfamily]

Dinomom,

 

Thanks for responding to the thread. My dd definately needs to spend more time outdoors and less time reading small print. I just can't get myself organized, and am always behind. :001_smile:

[margoargo]

I have a hunch that early reading has something to do with needing glasses earlier.

 

My son needed glasses at 9 - and I really do believe it is related to all the reading and close up focusing he did in his early years.

 

I just had an evaluation for the overnight contacts that reshape the cornea while sleeping, and was told that when kids who spend too much time focusing up close - the brain starts thinking it doesn't need to use the distance vision, and kind of turns it off. He said the 20 minute rule should be followed. That is, after 20 minutes of close up focusing stop and focus on distance for about a minute or so. I wish so much I had known this! My son loves sports - hates wearing glasses - and we have a problem on our hands.

 

I would rather he had been a late reader with good eyes! Hope this helps.

[Desert Rat]

My early reader got reading glasses at age 7. These days he only wears them when his eyes are bothering him or because he's reading a book with small print. He needed glasses because he complained of eye strain. I think it has more to do with the amount of reading versus his genetics. My dh and I both have great vision thus far.

[Misty]

I have a hunch that early reading has something to do with needing glasses earlier.

 

My son needed glasses at 9 - and I really do believe it is related to all the reading and close up focusing he did in his early years.

 

So does he wear the glasses only for reading or does he wear them all the time? My daughter is exactly the same... She was a very early, obsessive reader and still obsessively reads. And now at age 11 she is having a hard time seeing print from a distance (billboard signs, etc.). Both dh and I have perfect vision. We have an appt. to the optometrist next week. I'm wondering if your son only needs his glasses for reading or for all the time?

[margoargo]

"So does he wear the glasses only for reading or does he wear them all the time?"

 

He never wears them for reading, only for distance vision. This is where the breakdown is. He insists he doesn't need them to read (which I believe) and then after reading he just forgets to put them back on.

[Storm Bay]

"So does he wear the glasses only for reading or does he wear them all the time?"

 

He never wears them for reading, only for distance vision. This is where the breakdown is. He insists he doesn't need them to read (which I believe) and then after reading he just forgets to put them back on.

 

 

I think there has been some debate over this--are earlier readers more likely to already be myopic, or does this develop if they spend too much time reading and looking so close up?

[skaterbabs]

I don't believe there's a correlation. I was a late reader (past 7 yrs old before I really got proficient enough to do it willingly) but had glasses from the time I was 6. My DD has been reading for a year already and is slightly farsighted. (She's 5 1/2.) According to our eye dr, that's a GOOD thing because kids tend to become more nearsighted as they age. Essentially, her vision is perfect.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Or that they need glasses earlier than they likely would have. It seems I read that on some physician's site but I can't find anything now.

 

I suspect dd needs glasses and I can't help wondering about all the reading she's done at a young age. I thought I read that it's a strain on young eyes. Anyway, she has an appt tomorrow and I hope she doesn't need them because she's so rambunctious. She may have needed them anyway because dh and I both wear corrective lenses but we didn't need them until much older.

 

My wonderful optometrist from childhood told me that early readers tend to *want* to read more and do, and that this is a factor. He says that in his practice he prescribes glasses quite often and sometimes for the first time to law and medical students who become myopic because of the massive increase in the quantity of their reading.

[RanchGirl]

My vision has fluctuated since age 8 and one of my sons has had vision issues as well. He went through a year of vision therapy and is waiting right now to find out if he needs to wear a corrective lens. We learned that thing to help us voracious readers is to look up after each page and focus on something out the window on the horizon for a few seconds. Same thing with computer use. I find that it really helps me a lot, I haven't needed my glasses in years.

[Blessedfamily]

My vision has fluctuated since age 8 and one of my sons has had vision issues as well. He went through a year of vision therapy and is waiting right now to find out if he needs to wear a corrective lens. We learned that thing to help us voracious readers is to look up after each page and focus on something out the window on the horizon for a few seconds. Same thing with computer use. I find that it really helps me a lot, I haven't needed my glasses in years.

 

I remember reading a doctor's advice about varying kids activities- something close-up like reading shouldn't be consistently followed by another close-up activity like sewing. I'm trying it.

[zaichiki]

It is not true, across the board, that early reading leads to the need for glasses. Two of my children are reading. The one that DOESN'T need glasses started reading chapter books at 5. The one that is just getting to chapter books now, at 7, is the one with glasses.

 

My early reading kiddo would sit and read for hours at a time, so I don't think there is a definitive link between focusing close up for long periods of time when young and the need for glasses. My guess is that we could find one kid with no need for glasses for every one that ends up needing them (after reading lots and early).

 

Doctors (and others) come up with all sorts of theories. But can they prove them? :)

[HeatherInWI]

I've heard that, but there have also been some studies showing that reading while lying down is more damaging than while sitting up, and that having any light at night while sleeping is damaging.

 

I'm extremely nearsighted and my dh & I are both glasses wearers. However, our dc, who were both reading very early, are both adolescents with perfect vision.

[budeb]

"Have you ever heard that early readers are more likely 2 need glasses?"

 

I guess my ds (6) will be needing them with all the reading he does. :001_smile:

[Oak Knoll Mom]

DS was an early reader but farsighted. Weird kid. ;) However, his ability to spell improved as his vision improved.

 

I was a very early reader and I'm far-sighted in one eye and near-sighted in the other! I had a doctor mention once in passing that my early reading may have something to do with that, but he didn't elaborate.

 

It's interesting though that you mention spelling. I was always a terrible speller--absolutely terrible. I was 12 before my parents even realized I needed glasses. Because I had one near-sighted eye and one far-sighted I never really had problems seeing. The eye-doctor put me straight into contacts b/c that's normal protocol for near-sighted/far-sighted people. I refused to wear them and didn't have my sight corrected again until I was 16 and wanted to get my driver's license. Guess when I magically overcame my spelling problems? Interesting.