Really awkward kids fit - Any help greatly appreciated!!

**tsfall** · 05-11-2012, 09:26 AM

Hi all of you, a big hello from windy, wet and miserable England!

Right, so I've got this 5 year old who is amblyopic, but with a good chance of improvement with specs. He's quite small for his age, and some of his facial characteristics are a little unusual for a child of his age.

He's got quite a small face (currently in a 39x18 round shaped kids frame), literally no bridge of a nose and a short length to bend.

The main problem we're having is that no matter what we seem to do, they still slip a bit. He's having to push them up with one finger every now and then, and that's really getting on his nerves and making him not want to wear his glasses!!

So far I've fitted a cable conversion (with as tight a fit as possible), strap bridge, skull fitted the arms of the frame...and now I'm at a loss. If I tighten the cables, then the lenses just 'smoosh' into his eyes, so thats not an option...

Help me Optiboarders, you're my only hope!!

Tom

**CCGREEN** · 05-11-2012, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by tsfall

Hi all of you, a big hello from windy, wet and miserable England!

Right, so I've got this 5 year old who is amblyopic, but with a good chance of improvement with specs. He's quite small for his age, and some of his facial characteristics are a little unusual for a child of his age.

He's got quite a small face (currently in a 39x18 round shaped kids frame), literally no bridge of a nose and a short length to bend.

The main problem we're having is that no matter what we seem to do, they still slip a bit. He's having to push them up with one finger every now and then, and that's really getting on his nerves and making him not want to wear his glasses!!

So far I've fitted a cable conversion (with as tight a fit as possible), strap bridge, skull fitted the arms of the frame...and now I'm at a loss. If I tighten the cables, then the lenses just 'smoosh' into his eyes, so thats not an option...

Help me Optiboarders, you're my only hope!!

Tom

I find that useing cable temples with adjustiable nose pads work very well along with making sure that the temples are not to snug against the skull. Most children have very round heads and its best to put a little bit of bow in the temple. It would be kinda like squeezing a greasy marble between your fingers. Squeeze it hard enough its going to go somewhere.

BTW if he has "no bridge of a nose" then why are you trying to use a strap bridge? (im assuming it is a metal frame with adjustable pads?) If he has no bridge that is all the more reason to use a frame with nose pads.

**Judy Canty** · 05-11-2012, 09:54 AM

I might try a length of very narrow elastic (1/8 or 1/4 inch) as a sort of band that could be covered by his hair.

This could work as well: http://www.fabric.com/notions-patter...stic-3-8-.aspx

**tsfall** · 05-11-2012, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by CCGREEN

I find that useing cable temples with adjustiable nose pads work very well along with making sure that the temples are not to snug against the skull. Most children have very round heads and its best to put a little bit of bow in the temple. It would be kinda like squeezing a greasy marble between your fingers. Squeeze it hard enough its going to go somewhere.

BTW if he has "no bridge of a nose" then why are you trying to use a strap bridge? (im assuming it is a metal frame with adjustable pads?) If he has no bridge that is all the more reason to use a frame with nose pads.

Hi CCGREEN,

Love your description of a kids head as being like a greasy marble, that did make me laugh! With regard to a little bow in the temple, thats what I was trying to get at when I said I'd skull fitted the frame (might be a UK term, sorry if it is!). The arms of the frame are matched to the curvature of his skull, so that they should grip better on his head.

It is indeed a metal frame with standard adjustable pads, however we tried it with the standard pads originally (and larger silicone ones, and upside down non-symetrical pads) and there was still a lot of slip. The small silicone strap bridge we've fitted has certainly helped, but it's still not perfect!

Thanks for the reply =)

Tom

**tsfall** · 05-11-2012, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by CuriousCat

I might try a length of very narrow elastic (1/8 or 1/4 inch) as a sort of band that could be covered by his hair.

I'd been wondering about doing something like that...we've got some elasticated neoprene headbands that are designed to fit on the end of normal tips and then grip round the head...problem is, he's so small that the neoprene band is actually loose! Also, as I said in my first post, because of him literally having no bridge, if I make them any tighter they just 'smoosh' into his eyes!

Tom

**Judy Canty** · 05-11-2012, 10:00 AM

My thought is that with a length of elastic, you can customize the fit.

**tsfall** · 05-11-2012, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by CuriousCat

My thought is that with a length of elastic, you can customize the fit.

Definitely gonna give it a try, he's a lovely little kid...he brings me drawings he's done at school, how cute!

**finefocus** · 05-11-2012, 03:04 PM

Search for sky hook - you construct a "bridge" with a small plastic hook attached (riveted) to a headband. Cover the headband strap with pictures of airplanes or dinosaurs or...

**Judy Canty** · 05-11-2012, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by tsfall

Definitely gonna give it a try, he's a lovely little kid...he brings me drawings he's done at school, how cute!

I have a collection of hand made art from young patients as well. They are great memories.

**eyechick1969** · 05-11-2012, 04:29 PM

opti-grab!!
haha from the "Jerk"

**eyechick1969** · 05-11-2012, 04:36 PM

on a serious note, you mentioned skull fitting the arms. I am assuming that means you widened the temples (arms) then added curve (wrap) to bring them back in & make them fit naturally to the shape/width of the child's head. Just like wrap sunglasses fit. But the width between the 2 temples needs to be exactly the width of his head, giving total grab through his temple area along the sides of his head.

AND

there's the Chum that has a bead that will allow you to snug up the fit to ANY size head.

An example of the adjustable Chums: http://www.amazon.com/Chums-Original.../dp/B001JKW8D2

**tntborden** · 05-11-2012, 04:51 PM

Next time Miraflex

**eyechick1969** · 05-11-2012, 04:57 PM

I'm being bad!
Back to my favorite invention, the opti-grab from the movie, "The Jerk".
If you are an optician & you've never seen this, then you ain't seen nothing baby!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5jTH89HjTA