Spectacles in children- Do's and don'ts

Purpose: To assess the best method to prescribe spectacles in children. Source of Data: References have been collected from a MEDLINE search from 1975 to 2014. Older articles deemed not to be very contributory and those with foreign languages without any translation were omitted. The search was done using the words – spectacles, children, glasses, and prescription. Study Selection: To help and decide a proper prescription of glasses in children. Data Extraction: Internet for indexed PubMed articles. Conclusions: Children have visual needs that differ from adults, and therefore, the prescription of glasses has to be given with utmost care. They are interested in their near world and the eyes are going through a process of emmetropization. A cycloplegic refraction cannot be avoided. Many guidelines have been given based on the experience of pediatric ophthalmologists/optometrists. The basic principles, however, remain the same and should be adhered to the treatment of myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism, and anisometropia. It is equally important to look at the spectacle frame and lenses to ensure that the prescription is used by the child. Keywords: Astigmatism, children, hypermetropia, myopia, prescription, spectacles