7 Healthcast: Kids & glasses

Optometrists are seeing a lot more kids these days who need glasses. Dr. Michael Bloom says he knows why.

"Children stare at things up close, like the computer, more so than they did in the past and that definitely creates more vision problems," Dr. Bloom said.

Dr. Bloom says teachers are often the first to notice that a child is having trouble seeing.

"The classic ‘I can't see the board at school' is one of the most common complaints we hear with children," Dr. Bloom said.

He recommends kids get an annual eye exam once they reach school age, and he urges parents to opt for polycarbonate lenses that are shatterproof. And when it comes to getting a child to actually wear the glasses, Dr. Bloom suggests parents and teachers work together.

"The glasses help, when children put on their glasses it makes them see better and there's a direct motivation to wear them.

Some pre-teens and teens might want to try contact lenses. Eye doctors say it's fine as long as the child is responsible enough to care for their contacts.

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