Nov 2017

Fashion update
Style-Eyes
Woah, these specs are sick!
Top tips for getting kids to love their new glasses
Most patients take a while to adjust to a
new set of specs but if your patient is
a child, it can take considerably longer,
especially if it’s their first time wearing them.
To help smooth the way, here’s a few handy tips
I’ve picked up from people in the know, and from
being a mum! Before you know it, your younger
patients will be loving their new look, and their
parents will be loving you!
Talk to them…
Most children will listen and give your words far
more weight than mum or dad, simply because
you are the expert. This puts you in a unique
place to play both optometrist and psychologist!
If the child is old enough to understand,
explain in simple terms why they need glasses,
highlighting the positives but also touching
upon the consequences of not wearing them.
If they are on the younger side, consider using
visuals, such as books, to help you. If you are
particularly tech-savvy, you could create a short,
animated explainer or YouTube video they can
watch on an iPad or computer screen in your
office. If you can’t do one yourself, there are
plenty of options online.
Whatever form your advice takes, mum and
Dad will appreciate it and use it as much needed
back-up when reinforcing the value of wearing
glasses to their child, ie. “The eye doctor said …”.
Nickelodeon Sponge Bob Squarepants
Also consider touching upon the ‘teasing’ issue,
telling the child their new look may prompt
some comments from their friends, but assure
them it’s only because they look different to how
they used to and their friends will quickly get
used to it, as they will.
Highlight the positives
Many studies have shown glasses wearers
are perceived as smarter, more attractive and
are even more likely to be hired for a job than
non-glasses wearers! Depending on the age of
the child, share the most appropriate stats with
them to bolster their confidence, and use as
ammunition if they do get teased. They can tell
their friends some people even wear fake glasses
to make themselves look better or increase their
chances of landing a job! It’s true.
Build-up the ‘cool’ option
Continue this theme, especially with older
children, by highlighting celebrities, movie stars
and singers that wear glasses such as Harry
Potter, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber. Mum or
Dad might even want to point out a few “cool”
looking, glasses-wearing celebrities their kids
can identify with, perhaps providing a poster
or letting them create a collage of their child’s
favourite cool people wearing glasses.
Older children might be more easily swayed
and consider their glasses uber cool, by adding
a few special options to their specs, like
photochromic lenses.
Etnia Barcelona Junior
Let them choose
Allowing the child to pick their own glasses
instils a sense of ownership, making it more
likely they will wear them and love them. If
parents are unsure about their child’s taste,
BY RENEE LUNDER*
you can suggest each
of you picks one or two
favourites and then
you both decide on the
final pair together. This
also presents a good
opportunity to discuss
the value of a purchasing
a spare set of frames,
Little Paul & Joe
highlighting normal tips
such as, glasses are not something they will grow
out of in two months’ time; that breakages and
lost glasses are common with younger patients;
and that you offer discounts on a spare pair or
insurance or whatever deal you may have.
Keeping ‘em clean (the specs, not the kid)
Add to the specialness of owning and caring for
their new pair of specs, by explaining to the child
how important it is to clean their wonderful new
glasses properly, while offering them a special
cleaning kit, only they can use (with mum and
dad’s help if they need it of course).
Inface Kids’ Collection
Set up a wearing routine
Consistency is key to getting a child’s compliance
and eventual acceptance of wearing their new
glasses. If the child persistently takes their
glasses off, then the parent should persistently
put them back on, with all the positive noises
about why they should do this and how good
they look. The process can wear thin, but being
consistent is usually the only thing that works
well, consistently.
If the child needs to wear glasses all the time,
suggest to the parents they incorporate them
into their ‘waking-up’ routine ie. when you take
your covers off in the morning, put your specs on,
then you can get up, go to the bathroom and eat
your breakfast.
This may be difficult for younger children so the
advice I’ve been given is to start slowly. Ask their
parents to suggest they wear them for an hour
at a time, preferably doing something they enjoy,
and then build up wearing time gradually. A
good move is to suggest they watch a favourite
movie for more extended wear practice; while
subtlety highlighting how lovely they look, and
how well they can see with them on versus off.
Jonas Paul Eyewear
Praise is positive
Ask any child psychologist, positive
reinforcement works. Encourage parents to
praise their child if they put on their glasses of
their own accord. Beware the dreaded reward/
treat path, however, as that can sometimes lead
to unwanted effects, ie. the child refusing to
wear their glasses unless they get a lolly! Rather
than any immediate gratification, parents could
suggest a more delayed form of reward – a day
out at the zoo say, after a month of wearing their
wonderful new specs. ▀
*Renee Lunder is an Australian freelance journalist and proud
specs wearer.
Ogi Red Rose
Ogi’s new Red Rose collection introduces timeless and
elegant eyewear, made from high-density acetate and
industrial-quality stainless steel. The cat-eye shaped,
vintage-looking Carrara model is handmade from highdensity
acetate, an ultra-lightweight material with extreme
durability, said the company. Also available in ‘Aloe Green’ and ‘Rose Dust’. The
crosshatched-patterned, stainless-steel temples add texture and detail and have
adjustable tips wrapped in acetate. Available from BTP International Designz.
Spy+ eyewear
Californian company Spy+ has launched a
new range of optical frames and sunglasses.
Model Loma featured here (top), is available
in different classic colour combinations
and is handmade using acetate and metal
eyewire, with adjustable silicone nose pads,
5-barrel hinges and 6-base lenses. While
Walden (also featured) features a semiwrap
style and panoramic view, handmade
acetate and lightweight, hypoallergenic
aluminium, available with matte black and
“happy grey green” polarized lenses. All Spy’s
sunglasses come with the company patentpending
‘Happy’ Lens technology and can be
fitted with Spy’s ‘Happy’ Rx sunglass lenses.
Distributed by Misty Optic.
Younger launches
NuPolar promotion
With the sunglass-selling season fast
approaching, Younger Optics has
launched a new in-store campaign for
NuPolar polarised prescription lenses available free
to all independent optometry practices.
The campaign, featuring the dragonfly, which
has extraordinary sight and can perceive the fullcolour
spectrum, UV light and light polarisation,
includes new point-of-sale (POS) materials. These
are “a dramatic departure from past campaigns and
other sunglass advertising, which will stand out
encouraging patient intrigue and allowing practices
to differentiate themselves,” said Craig Johnston,
Younger Optics ANZ sales and marketing manager.
The POS materials include counter cards,
First – eyewear for school kids
Carrying the distinctive Mykita aesthetics, Mykita’s ‘First
collection’ includes 14 new models; seven optical and seven
sunglass frames. Specifically designed for children aged eight and
older, Mykita says the frames are sturdy yet light. All glasses are
sealed with a rubber coating, intended to give the frame a robust
and scratch-resistant surface. Mykita First sunglasses are fitted
with tinted Zeiss lenses providing maximum glare control, plus
100% UV protection. Distributed by Eyestyle Asia.
Hello sunshine!
CR Surfacing, Misty Optic and Sunshades Eyewear
have teamed up to offer a new frame and lens
prescription sunwear offer, called ‘Hello Sunshine’.
Available on selected frames from Elle, Esprit,
Morrissey and Oroton, the package includes the
frame and Nupolar polarised lenses in brown, grey
or green for $129 for single vision and $169 for
progressive, with personalised point-of-sale and no
set RRP.
The offer is being led by Misty Optic and is open to
everybody, said CR Surfacing’s Linton Dodge. What
makes it special is
the ease of it, he
added. “There’s
four really strong
brands to choose
from; the designs
are fantastic; they
are all stocked in
Christchurch so
the turnaround
is fantastic too
and you can stock
whatever quantity
of the range you
like and there’s no
forced RRP.”
Stars and their eyes:
Kate Moss
Model, fashion designer and mum, Kate
Moss has intermittent, right exotropia,
proving that perfect symmetry is not
the secret to her modelling success. Amblyopic
Moss has modelled for some of the biggest
names in fashion, but admits she was not always
glamorous. “When I was young I had a lazy eye.
I had to wear a patch and pink glasses,” she
told media, adding, “I’ve heard that JFK had
a wandering eye… yeah, it’s almost like that.”
Despite boyfriend and drug scandals, Moss has
won many accolades for modelling, is named by
CR Surfacing’s Linton Dodge and Misty Optic’s
Tom Frowde at NZAO17
Kate Moss from young girl to international supermodel
Forbes as the second highest-earning model and
by Time magazine as one of the world’s 100 most
influential people.
brochures and window displays featuring a large
poster and decal. Practices can also order social
media content and digital advertising for their
websites and e-newsletters, said Johnston. “We
know that only a small proportion of all lens sales
are polarised. This represents a substantial growth
and profit opportunity for practices because the
benefits of quality polarised lenses will appeal to
most patients,”
NuPolar is suitable for most frames including
large fashion, wraps, sports and rimless frames.
It comes in a wide range of prescriptions and
materials, and is available in three gradient tints
and five solid tints. For more see ad on p5 ▀ .
16 NEW ZEALAND OPTICS November 2017