By Troy Patterson
When it comes to pairing eyewear with children, the fit, comfort and style all play a role in helping young people develop “the habit” of wearing glasses.
Once children have taken that step to have an annual eye exam to confirm if they need eyewear correction, parents need to start considering factors important to ensure they enjoy wearing their glasses and know the importance of them to help their sight.
The Vision Council says parents should guide their children’s eyewear choices based on their vision needs and active lifestyles, with careful consideration of the various lens and frame options available on the market.
“When it comes to frames, carefully evaluate what will feel best on your child’s face and the types of activities they participate in to ensure maximum safety and comfort, and of course, optimized vision,” said Vision Council’s Jessica Lutz. “Lots of frame companies take adult trends and translate them to children’s eyewear, giving way to lots of fashionable frame options for little ones.”
Depending on the reasoning for your child wearing glasses, there are a variety of lenses with specific purposes to choose from. But if the frames don’t feel good on their faces, children are less inclined to make wearing them a habit.
And regardless of a child’s age or if they need a prescription, all children should get in the habit of wearing sunglasses or other UV-protective eyewear every time they go outside.
Optical Prism caught up with brands like Marchon, Alternative Eyewear/Plan B, Ogi, WestGroupe and Marcolin to see what they’re offering parents for their children’s eyewear needs.
ALTERNATIVE/PLAN ‘B’
Colour continues to be big for kids, with frames like Nano Vista.
Nano Vista is available from Alternative Eyes / Plan B Eyewear
“Our children’s line Nano Vista is all about offering kids options – as each child is unique they need a collection that can fit their unique style and sizing needs,” said Alternative/Plan ‘B’ Eyewear’s Cassandra Slepian. “Our camo frames continue to be very popular for little boys as well as our blue and orange colour options. Purple, blue and pink reign supreme for little girls.”
All of the company’s Nano frames are made from Siliflex which is a nearly indestructible material that is proving to be popular with parents while still giving a classic ‘acetate’ look that kids want to mimic.
Each frame includes a unique “two-in-one” headband fixing system that allows the frame to go from normal temples to comfortable headband for a secure fit during active play.
Made from lightweight Siliflex, these frames are guaranteed to last, lightweight, easy to modify, comfortable and designed specifically to meet the eyewear needs of children and their parents.
WESTGROUPE
Both the Superflex Kids and Tony Hawk Kids lines offer children a variety of options through WestGroupe.
SuperFlex Kids -177 is available all colours.
Superflex Kids winks at the past with a retro-themed collection that is stocked with popular acetates and colourful, detailed metals. All models come with spring hinges for increased flexibility and durability so that kids can be their exuberant selves without the fear of damaging their eyewear.
For boys, Superflex Kids has new acetate models, including designs like the “trendy wayfarer” inspired shape of model SFK-173 or for girls the SFK-177 is a stainless steel/acetate combination frame that plays with the popular colour-blocking trend. The modified square eyeshape has a gentle upsweep, which creates a more flattering, feminine profile.
Tony Hawk Kids 15 – Olive
From Tony Hawk, Model THK-016 is a metal/acetate combination frame that combines a sporty, stainless steel, semi-rimless front with custom-designed acetate temples that feature a faux–wood sleeve. Or maybe Model THK-015, which is a clean, modern acetate model with a deep rectangular eye shape and a universal fit bridge with patterns taken from artwork used on Tony Hawk skateboards.
MARCHON
The Nike Young Athletes line features performance frames that are “the perfect mix of sport and style.”
Nike 5001 – 400
The Nike 5001 is a lightweight injected frame design for comfort and durability, with openings in the temple arms to prevent fogging and moisture accumulation and integrated cam hinges that snap firmly into place. The Nike 4678 features over molded Flexon allowing them to bend in every direction to best fit an active lifestyle. They also feature a flexon concealed memory metal bridge for increased durability and consistent fit, dual injected rubber temple sleeves with pop colour accents and core wire temples for adjustability and custom fit.
OGI
Ogi Kids are a fashion-forward line of children’s eyewear that has released an exciting summer collection headlined by two new standout styles.
OGI Group – OK329
The OK329 and OK333, youth-sized versions of two of Ogi’s most popular adult optical frames, combine quality materials and innovativetechnology for looks that are both stylish and engineered to withstand active lifestyles.
OK329 has been handcrafted from vibrant two-tone acetate—pairing a pop of colour with classic tortoiseshell. The OK333 has been crafted with the highest standards from resilient stainless steel and features brilliantly bright acetate accents and temple tips.
MARCOLIN
The new GUESS Tween Eyewear Collection is all about functional, easy-to-wear styles.
Guess Tween – GU9172
Bright, vibrant colours combined with trendy, modern, fresh styles are available in a range of rectangular and fun, cat-eye inspired shapes. A young, dynamic collection designed for the little ones. The rectangular shape of unisex acetate models GU9172 and the slightly cat-eye shape of the girls’ GU9169 are available in a wide chromatic palette. The GU9174 boys style has a rectangular, clear-cut top of the front that tapers to the lower rim. The lightweight design of GU9170 for girls and GU9173 for boys are characterized by a combination of metal and acetate, enhanced with colourful matte and brushed finishes.
>> marcolin.com
