Author Archives: Ann Z

Guest post for What to Expect

I was recently invited to write a guest post for What to Expect‘s “Word of Mom” blog, and in a move surprising no one, I decided to write about having a young child in glasses.  It was a good exercise: to look back and write up the story of learning the Zoe needed glasses, especiallyContinue reading “Guest post for What to Expect”

Pie chart responses to questions about kids in glasses and eye patches

Yesterday in our facebook group (if you’re not a member, you should be!), Jessica shared an upsetting story which she gave permission to share here.  She was with her son in the waiting room of their eye doctor.  Another woman was there with a young boy, and the woman told the boy that if he didn’tContinue reading “Pie chart responses to questions about kids in glasses and eye patches”

Call for photos for a calendar

Jessica D is putting together a calendar with pictures of kids with glasses, eye patches, or other vision issues, and little blurbs of why your little one wears glasses or what vision impairment they may have. All proceeds from the sale of the calendar will go 50/50 to help with next years Great Glasses Play DayContinue reading “Call for photos for a calendar”

Reader request: advice for keeping glasses on a severely disabled child

SNP Teacher left a comment asking for some advice.  I’m hoping someone out there has some experience and insights to share.  – Ann Z Do you have any advice for keeping glasses on a severely disabled child? She is almost 5, but functions more in the range of a 12 month old. I am herContinue reading “Reader request: advice for keeping glasses on a severely disabled child”

Great Glasses Play Day 2013 is almost here!!

Festivities for the Great Glasses Play Day kick off in just a few hours.  I can’t wait to hear how all the celebrations go, and I’m looking forward to making some new friends at our event in St. Paul. Even if you’re not able to make one of the meet-ups, make sure you take aContinue reading “Great Glasses Play Day 2013 is almost here!!”

Poll: Nursing your little one in glasses

There’s been a lot of discussions on the facebook group recently about how to nurse kiddos when they are wearing glasses.  I know we took Zoe’s glasses off, but she was 14 months old when she got her glasses, so at that point she was mostly only nursing before nap and bedtime. While I’m curiousContinue reading “Poll: Nursing your little one in glasses”

Reader post: letter to an eye patch

Every one is writing letters to their eye patches these days (Melissa shared hers recently, too)!  Missy shared her own letter to her son, Austin’s patch.  What would you say in a letter to your child’s glasses, contacts, or patch?  – Ann Z Dear EyePatch, I despise what you do to our mornings. “A” dreadsContinue reading “Reader post: letter to an eye patch”

Preparing for your child’s first eye exam

Maybe your child failed a vision screening at the pediatrician’s visit and you were given a referral, or maybe you’ve noticed that there seems to be something off about the way he looks at things, or maybe her teacher mentioned that she crosses her eyes, or maybe you’re being proactive and making sure his visionContinue reading “Preparing for your child’s first eye exam”

2013 Great Glasses Play Day details

Last year, when we started the Great Glasses Play Day, I hoped that we’d have at least one or two locations for local meet-ups.  Thanks to some amazing volunteers, we had 5 (Portland, Philadelphia, outside Washington DC, Madison, and Minneapolis), and it was awesome and fun.  And now this year, we have 16 confirmed locationsContinue reading “2013 Great Glasses Play Day details”

thoughts on the Consumer Reports article on buying eyewear

Consumer Reports magazine has a feature in their August, 2013 issue called “Save Big on Eyewear.”  The article isn’t free online,  but if you don’t have a subscription, you can still read their Eyeglass Store Buying Guide.  I’d still recommend seeing if you can find a copy at a library if you’d like a moreContinue reading “thoughts on the Consumer Reports article on buying eyewear”

update on the Great Glasses Play Day

We’re less than a month away now from the 2nd annual Great Glasses Play Day, and we’re starting to get details on many local events.  We’ll start posting those details on the Great Glasses Play Day site next week! We also have fantastic t-shirts this year, designed by the very talented Jessica of Eye PowerContinue reading “update on the Great Glasses Play Day”

Survey for families in the UK

Vicky, who runs the facebook group, Kids in Specs UK, has a short survey about support for UK families when they learn their child needs glasses.   It is completely confidential. She wants to use it to highlight to NHS services how important it is to provide parents/carers with some support after a child is prescribedContinue reading “Survey for families in the UK”

What keeps me up at night: uncorrected refractive errors in children

Do you know what keeps me up at night?  It’s the fact that there’s a really high percentage of kids out there who need glasses to see well, and they don’t have them.  It sounds overly dramatic to say that, but there are a lot of kids out there, who, if they had glasses, wouldContinue reading “What keeps me up at night: uncorrected refractive errors in children”

Book Review: The Princess who wore glasses, by Laura Hertzfeld Katz

For kids in glasses who love princesses, there’s a new princess book to check out.  Princess Liana is the heroine of the book The Princess Who Wore Glasses written by Laura Hertzfeld Katz and lavishly illustrated by Jacob Duncan. The story follows Liana as she explores the natural wonders of her kingdom with her parents.  ButContinue reading “Book Review: The Princess who wore glasses, by Laura Hertzfeld Katz”