Nerds No More: Eyeglasses Make a Great Impression on Kids

By Paddy Kamen

A recent study shows there is now little or no stigma attached to children wearing eyeglasses. In fact, the opposite is true.

Cultural stereotypes do change, albeit slowly, and the case of kids and glasses is illustrative of just such a transformation. Research from the optometry department at Ohio State University, published in the May 2008 issue of the journal Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, demonstrates that children hold other children who wear glasses in positive esteem1.

Eighty young children – 42 girls and 38 boys – were surveyed. Of those, 30 kids (38 percent) wore glasses, 34 had at least one sibling with glasses and almost two-thirds had at least one parent who wore glasses.

The children were presented with 24 pairs of pictures of children and asked six questions about them. Each pair of children in the photos included one child with glasses and the other without glasses. The children in the photos also differed by gender and ethnicity. When presented with each pair of photos, the participants were asked which of the two children pictured: would you rather play with; looks smarter; looks better at playing sports; do you think is better looking; looks more shy; and looks more honest?

The fact that the question of attractiveness yielded no significantly different answers for children with or without glasses suggests that kids don’t automatically consider kids with glasses to be unattractive.

On average, two thirds of the participating children said they thought that kids wearing glasses looked smarter than kids not wearing glasses. And 57 percent of the participants said they thought kids with glasses appeared to be more honest. Both kids with and without glasses thought other kids wearing glasses looked smarter.
So what’s new in children’s eyewear for those honest, smart kids who need it?

Great New Eyewear for Smart Kids

Optiq Frames has broken into a new category with their Einstein and Bratz collections. Einstein is new and funky. Bratz is making customers sit up and take notice with its powerful branding for girls from 2 to 10.

“Compelling product is the one and only way to change perceptions,” says company sales director Don Coulson. “We’ve been very successful with Einstein, and Bratz is a superb product that makes the young ladies feel a little glamorous.”

Optiq is also doing well with the first flex metal in the economy priced Minimize collection. “This material has been very expensive,” says Coulson. “But we are now able to bring a flex product to the market at a very reasonable price.”

Optiq is known for having children’s eyewear in a wide range of sizes, from 36 to 47. “Dispensers tell us it is difficult to get small eye sizes, so we offer an enormous range,” explains Coulson.

Westgroupe Kids is all about style and choice, according to vice-president Beverley Suliteanu. Their collections include Super-flex kids available through Western Optical and Converse Kids from Wescan.

Suliteanu points to the growing popularity of memory metal in children’s eyewear. Converse Eyewear has recently added three new styles in memory metal to its kids’ collection. The memory metal bridge and temples provide the maximum flexibility and restoration, while all three styles have the cool styling that is demanded in a Converse product.

Continuing advancement in the technology of spring hinges has allowed Super-flex kids to incorporate 180 degree spring hinges to many models for increased durability.

According to Suliteanu, styling is critical in the kids’ segment today. “Children, pre-teens and teens all want cool looking frames but nothing extreme. Colour choices have increased and, along with popular eye shapes, mirror that of adult styles. It is all about choice and allowing the child to choose a frame that best reflects their taste and personality.”

The Souris Mini brand of children’s eyewear originated in Quebec and is distributed internationally by Optique Cerem. This brand has high fashion apparel stores for children in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces and the eyewear colours, in fifteen models, match those in apparel. President Ruben Cohen is excited to be adding another brand that originated in Quebec to his already successful children’s business. “Gusti is for the rough and tumble, sports-oriented kid,” says Cohen. “They specialize in sports clothing for kids, so the eyewear is a natural extension for them. The quality is superb, with European metals and plastics. We support the product with good service and an excellent guarantee.” Gusti will be available nationally this August.

Tweens (aged 9-13) are the lucky ones with the new GUESS Tween Collection from Viva International Group. Launching this summer, the collection features a variety of materials, including handmade acetate, stainless steel, and memory metal, as well as combination materials that showcase the fashion forward and innovative design concepts of the brand. The three streamlined memory metal styles offer the technology of nickel titanium for the active lifestyle of today’s tween, equipped with rubberized temples for a secure fit. The two new stainless steel models are available with rectangle or oval fronts and temples adorned with the GUESS by Marciano logo with hearts. Every model features spring hinges that provide added comfort and durability.

“We wanted to create styles that mirror the trendsetting designs and brand elements found in our adult collection, yet sized just right for a tween,” says brand manager Jennifer Orentas. “Tweens are becoming more brand savvy and exploring new accessory options, including optical styles.”

DOC & Associates is the proud licensee for Slinky, a brand with world wide recognition. “Slinky has been around for over 50 years,” says DOC president Doris Ouellet. “It's a universal toy that everyone has played with, boy or girl. We have translated this phenomenon into a serious eyewear collection for kids, from 8 to 15.”

First launched at Vision Expo East in 2007, and now distributed in Canada exclusively by DOC, Slinky started with a memory eyewear collection, mostly for boys, in 12 pieces available in two colours each. “Durability is key to this line, which is especially important for boys,” says Ouellet. The latest collection is a fashion forward girls line, available this summer. “It is a lot of fun with very youthful colour combinations,” she adds.

Sun clips are available for most models and sizes range from 43 to 48. The magnetic case is an item of added interest to children.

LINDBERG Kid frames are available in an abundance of shapes, colours and sizes. The collection, which is under continuous development, is especially well know for being light-weighted. At three grams, the frames weigh only 0.01 percent of the weight of an average six-year-old. Children barely feel the glasses, thanks to their lightness, flexibility and adaptability. They always sit just as they should due to the wide availability of sizes and the fact that the titanium material allows opticians to achieve a perfect fit. The titanium wire makes the frames so strong that they seldom cause any problems.

LINDBERG Kid is also hypoallergenic as the frames are nickel-free, unlike most other flex-metal children’s frames. Opticians who sell the frames are especially pleased that they seldom see parents coming in to have the frames adjusted or repaired.

High School Musical (HSM), launched last February by Optika Eyewear, is a Disney brand that is a big craze for tweens and young teens right now. Disney is about to launch its third feature film on the theme this coming autumn. The eyewear collection comes in 12 styles, with two colours per style, in sizes 44-46.

Optika’s house brand, Kuchi Kids (sizes 42-46), is focused on providing children with high quality, high style frames with laser etching on the temples. “Our clients are looking for a good solid frame that is very durable and fits properly on a child’s small face,” says president Richard Allen. “And kids are moving into brighter colours and more worked temples. Both HSM and Kuchi focus on very intricate temples with HSM featuring rhinestones and symbols like hearts which give a sense of identity and make a statement.”

Optique Levy has been selling children’s frames for the full 12 years that they’ve been in business. Two years ago, president Georges Levy was delighted to begin representing Menizzi, a new brand from the U.S.A. “This is a unique and colourful collection in eye sizes ranging from 38 to 48, in about 100 styles. Levy points to models 1012, 1006 and 1001 as best sellers.

Another Optique Levy collection is Eyefunc, hailing from England. This funky collection in eye sizes 44-48 features superior design and colours made according to eco-friendly production standards, one of the first companies to do so, according to Levy.

Ronor has really captured the needs of children with innovative eyeglass cases to surprise a young clientele. With integrated games, cases that change colour, designs that remind them of their favourite sport, and funny characters that imitate those from movies, children will take great pleasure in choosing the case that reflects their personality. Most models allow children to write their names on the inside of the case, an important aspect of ownership for kids and one way to help protect the parents’ investment.

Tough eyewear for kids is also available through Ronor in the form of the Oio brand. Specially designed for the physiognomy of children’s faces, these comfortable glasses are available in nine models, including a brand new baby’s frame. Thanks to TITANflex, these glasses are ultra light and incredibly flexible, thus reducing the risk of injury in active kids.

Importlux has been representing NafNaf from France for two years now. The line is doing very well, according to sales rep Phil Plamondon. “From infants (sizes 34-36) to young adults, this collection is distinguished by its use of colour. Kids wearing eyeglasses can be fashionable and cute. These are made in France to high standards and when you touch it you can tell instantly that the quality is amazing.”

Also from France is the Minimoys collection, mostly for boys in babies and kids sizing, with cable temples.

Sàfilo is filling out the popular Juicy Girls ophthalmic collection by making it available to young girls, 7-13. The best selling shapes from the Juicy Couture women’s eyewear collection were scaled down to create Juicy Girls. Detailing on the frames includes glitz and embellishments inspired by Juicy Couture jewelry and apparel. Four styles have been created – two in plastic (Julie and See You) and two in plastic/metal combinations (Sunshine and Too Cool). Fun colours, inspired by the Juicy Couture Spring 2008 palette, fill the collection including lavender, pink, khaki, brown, light brown, khaki aqua and olive crystal. Silhouettes include a very wearable soft rectangular shape as well as some modified ovals.

Venus Eye Design is doubling their kids’ line, qt-pie, from 12 to 24 models this year. “qt-pie is one of the best selling children’s collections because it offers amazing styles, bold colours and trendy frames in small sizes as well as an “anything goes” warranty, the first and only in the industry,” says president Mike Christiansen. “We are selling it so quickly, that our factory is in constant production of many models.”

The collection is made from flat pressed aluminum with thick temples and plastic laminates with perfect fitting bridges and shorter temples for smaller heads. Christiansen notes, “As in my adult lines, some of the most stunning colour combinations in metal frames are created by combining finishes (likes a matt with a gloss or a high gloss with satin) and I also carry this through to the qt-pie line. Most children want bold colour, and are not afraid of colour the way many adults are. If their favorite tint is purple, they want their frame to be purple too.”

Michael Bohbot of Bo Optik created the Jungle brand in 2001 and it is his most popular line for the younger crowd, with the Pacu model exceeding expectations. For boys, the trendy Jungle Tarantula is very popular. Bo’s children’s frames all have rubber temple tips.

As of August 2007, Jungle became its own company, and Bohbot is expanding the brand into the U.S. market. “We currently have 18 agents and on our way to 60. The response in the United States has been excellent,” he notes.

Bo Optik carries more than 125 models in four lines: Pez, Hush Puppy, TMX, Jalapeno, and Thalia Girls, in addition to Jungle. Always on top of the trends, Bohbot says many of his pieces include erosion technology in temples, with wide temples in the teen market only, because they’re too heavy for younger wearers.

Centennial Optical is excited to be launching Columbia Kids. “We’re starting off small but definitely building this collection,” says Linda Mulford Hum, director of frames. “Canada is the number one market per capita for Columbia products in apparel, boots, and outerwear and the Columbia frames for older adults have been extremely well received.”

Columbia has sporty styling without being too “out there”, notes Mulford Hum. The colours are not aggressive, in gun metals, earthy browns and khakis. Starting off with six models, primarily for boys, the collection is made of monel, with spring hinges and bow temples. “They are very saleable and comfortable, along with being a well loved brand,” she observes.

One can also look to Centennial for Barbie, Roots Kids and Kidsmode – their value based house brand.

COS brings the Gerhard Fuchs-designed Performance Youth Powerflex™ New Generation to the market. Manufactured from Performance Steel™, this eyewear is lightweight and thin with high stability. The temple and hinge areas offer 15 percent increased flexibility. Optical integrity and shape stability are combined with rounded temple ends with traction grip and comfortable and adjustable soft nose pads. This is very durable eyewear for active kids from age six in trendy, colourful styles, many of which sparkle.

Optical professionals will be happy to learn that the LeaderMax kids’ eyewear collection from Hilco has been expanded to address the fitting needs of children from three months to four years of age. Responding to dispenser recommendations, “Little Ones” features correctly proportioned bridges, temples, and cable tips, resulting in an optimum fit for these special eyeglass wearers.

The collection includes both plastic and metal styles in attractive colours and with unique treatments that parents will love. All frames feature Hilco's patented SprinGuard lens retention system for impact resistance comparable to ANSI Z87 industrial safety eyewear. And, each frame is supplied with a colourful case and a genuine "Gotta Getta Gund ®" bear.

Ralph Lauren Children’s eyewear collection for summer 2007 offers a variety of styles in classic shapes and fun colours to fit and flatter young faces. Distributed by Luxottica, the line offers eight models targeted to young sophisticates, ages 6-12, seeking preppy styling. Here we find iconic frames from the adult collection pared down to fit smaller faces. Stainless steel fronts, acetate temples and spring hinges ensure lightweight comfort and exceptional durability. Rich handmade double acetates are shown off to great advantage in models PP 8503 in a P3 unisex design and PP 8501 for girls in Demi Amber with lavender.

Every child knows about Little League baseball, and Tek Optical has just launched a new children’s collection under this iconic brand name. Tek president Travis Rowe had been looking for a children’s collection with strong brand recognition along with the combined attributes of design, quality and affordability. “I didn’t see anything that interested me until I came across Little League at Vision Expo East last spring. We’re now the exclusive distributor for Canada and we’re moving fast to get them out on the market.”

The collection comes in metals and metal/plastic combinations in an attractive range of colours. Shapes are simple, with fashionable designs on the temples. There are seven introductory styles with five colours per style. “We chose the most saleable and unique models from the collection. The case looks like a baseball, with the stitching and branded Little League logo on it. It’s a perfect package of brand name and quality.”

The TuraFlexies collection was inspired by the challenge to design fashionable eye-shapes for the active lifestyle of children from 6-12. Since it shares the same high quality as the TuraFlex memory metal collection, each TuraFlexies frame can be trusted to withstand the daily use and abuse typical from the young age group it is designed for.

TuraFlexies offers fun and energetic colours in boys, girls and unisex styling. Each frame comes with a semi-rigid case with an attachable hook for backpacks and other everyday items used by children. This collection will be available for late November delivery.

Eye care professionals seeking a convenient package need to look no further than the Youth Duo from Mexx and Essilor. This package provides a wide variety of Mexx youth frames in dynamic colour combinations, composed of either metal or plastic. The Airwear® Crizal® Alizé lenses in single vision, edged and mounted, are dirt and smudge resistant, which means less frequent cleaning. The package comes with a hard Mexx case.


1 Ohio State University (2008, May 12). Kids Think Eyeglasses Make Other Kids Look Smart. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 21, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512105708.htm