Bring her glasses with on our trip or not?

[gatorsmom]

Sisi is 4yo and is slightly nearsighted. She is suppose to wear her glasses all the time to help correct a wandering eye. Because she can see well enough without her glasses, she takes them off all the time and leaves them sitting around just wherever. We are leaving for a 7 day trip to WDW. I'm leaning toward leaving her glasses at home so that we don't lose them. We have been lucky so far but honestly trying to keep track of 4 kids and all their stuff is no easy job. I think if something were going to get lost, there's a good chance it will be her glasses.

WWYD?

[JElaineB]

If you want an honest opinion I would get a strap for her glasses and make her wear them everyday including on vacation. My best friend has a wandering eye that was not corrected in childhood. He is essentially blind in that eye and is still embarrassed how it looks and he's in his 40's.

[swrc00]

I would leave them at home, especially since she has a tendency to take them off and leave them places.

[gatorsmom]

If you want an honest opinion I would get a strap for her glasses and make her wear them everyday including on vacation. My best friend has a wandering eye that was not corrected in childhood. He is essentially blind in that eye and is still embarrassed how it looks and he's in his 40's.

if the wandering eye hasn't corrected itself in the next 2 years, her doctor has recommended surgery which we will do. According to her doctor there is a good chance it will correct itself if she wears her glasses. I would never let it get to the point of her losing her vision or being embarrassed.

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

As a parent both kids in glasses I vote bring them!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds1 has lost 2 pairs of glasses this year. His vision isn't that bad so he doesn't need them, thus doesn't wear them full time. If we were going to WDW and he'd have to take them off all the time to ride rides, I would be worried about them getting lost. If we were going on a different kind of vacation, I'd take them. So, in your case, I'd probably leave them at home.

[twowhat?]

I'd almost be tempted to use WDW as a distraction so that she doesn't think about taking them off and gets used to the feel of them on! LOL. Get a strap that maybe attaches to her shirt somewhere, if that exists. I imagine she'd be able keep them on for most of the rides since most are mild (I kept my glasses on for most of the WDW rides except for the roller coasters, etc).

I understand the "fewer thing to keep track of" thing though. If it's going to add onto your stress level to keep track of them, then I'd leave them at home and enjoy the vacation.

[hillview]

I voted leave them at home. I would get a strap for full time use but since it is so close I'd worry about losing them and a 4 year old will lose them.

[Gena]

I would take them and have her wear them. Get a strap to help keep them on. Croakies straps are great and very comfortable.

DS started wearing glasse when he was 2. I understand the concern about losing them, but the faster you can get her used to wearing them full time, the better.

[wellyes]

I would make her wear them.

[buddyleebaby]

I'd make her wear them and put my foot down about her taking them off whenever she feels likes it.

In our house, glasses only come off at bedtime or for showers/swimming. When they come off, they go right into their case, which is always in the same place.

[HannaAddict]

Another vote for wear them since she is supposed to all the time.

[mytwosons]

On your face or in the case. That's what our eye dr says....

Ds1 never took off his glasses for a ride and was fine. Coasters included.

We did bribe him to keep the glasses on when he first got them (4) and it was one of the smartest decisions I've made.

[gamma]

I would bring them. Not wearing them for 4 days can set back all of the progress in correction that she has made by wearing them. There is a window of time (before 7 years old) where correction is possible and prevents permanent vision loss. By wearing the glasses it sends a signal to the brain providing vision in that eye. Can you set up a reward system for her to keep the glasses on, such as a sticker at the end of the day for not taking them off and so many stickers equal some reward? I know it's not easy since 2 of my DC and 2 of my DGC have had hearing aids as babies and with a cost of $2000 on each ear, its a lot of work making sure they didn't pull them off everyday and especially when traveling.

[gamma]

Wondering of these might help?

http://www.amazon.com/Croakies-Kids-Eyewear-Retainer/dp/B004AE1WOU

[Hemlock]

I would bring them, but not make her wear them during the day while you are in the parks. She can wear them around your hotel / resort or in the evening.

[kijip]

Take them. It is not hard to find a glasses strap for kids so you can get one to while there if need be. You may be able to find one in the airport even.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Will the other kids have sunglasses or hats? I'd say that she needs to wear them. There are all kinds of kids at WDW and she may "identify" with other kids who are wearing them if she's wearing hers. Can another sibling be her "buddy" who helps to check and remember to check for her glasses?

[squimp]

It sounds like she really needs them so I would bring them. Those croakies straps are good. My DD has been wearing glasses since she was 3 to keep her eyes straight.

[eyedoc_01]

I would bring them. Not wearing them for 4 days can set back all of the progress in correction that she has made by wearing them. There is a window of time (before 7 years old) where correction is possible and prevents permanent vision loss.

Not to nitpick, but there isn't a hard and fast window. As for the age range when amblyopia treatment becomes less successful, it's more like 7-10 than right at seven. FWIW, is amblyopia even the issue here or is it strabismus (eye turn)?

I say this as an optometrist (and an often frazzled dad and six or seven time Disney veteran) so that if you decide against taking them you won't be wracked with guilt. If she was in that much danger of amblyopia she'd be on a patching regimen, I'm guessing. Also, IMO, a week of no glasses at Disney is highly unlikely to set her back in any significant way. Obviously if they were prescribed she should be wearing them, and I'm not advocating you don't cooperate with your doc's plan. But maybe this isn't this week to have a series of running battles over glasses.

I do agree with PP that if you're up for it this would be a great time to reward her for wearing glasses. A million chances for little rewards for getting through the morning, or keeping track of them on a ride, or not needing reminding to put them on before leaving hotel, etc.

[ABO Mama]

She needs to wear them, and keep them on. DS wears glasses, and knows that they have to be put in the same spot every night.

[sunshine873]

I wonder if you might be sending her a message by allowing her to skip wearing them when it's inconvenient. Personally, I'd start making her wear them immediately & take them along to WDW. Yes, there's a chance they might get lost - but I think that's part of the risk of little kids with glasses.

[citymama]

As a parent both kids in glasses I vote bring them!

:yeahthat: And now's the time to order a backup pair. My DD is 6 and has misplaced her glasses a crazy number of times. If they need them, you should have them. Keep them in your purse when you're out and about and have her wear them in the hotel room and when she needs them to see something far away at WDW. But don't leave them behind.