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From everyday frames to sport eyewear — here’s what we think you should know
If you’ve recently found out your child needs glasses, the first feeling for a lot of parents is a little bit of overwhelm. There are more options out there than most people expect, and it’s not always obvious where to start or what actually matters when it comes to choosing the right pair.
We help families navigate this all the time here at Island Optical, and the honest truth is — once you know what to look for, it gets a lot simpler.
This guide covers the essentials: what makes a good children’s frame, a few of our favourite everyday options, sun protection worth knowing about, and sport eyewear for kids who play organised sport and need something purpose-built for the field or court.
Let’s walk through it together.
For school-age children — roughly five through to twelve — a great pair of glasses needs to hold up to real life. That means early mornings, full school days, afternoons at training, and everything that happens in between.
Here’s what we always look at when helping parents choose:
Kids’ frames go through a lot. Sturdy hinge construction — particularly spring hinges, which flex under pressure rather than giving way — makes a real difference to how long a frame lasts. Material choice matters too, whether that’s a well-constructed metal or quality acetate plastic option.
A frame that sits too low, tilts, or slips constantly isn’t just annoying — it means your child isn’t seeing through the correct part of the lens. A proper fitting at the time of dispensing ensures the lens is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.
Lighter frames reduce fatigue and stay put better on smaller faces. A child who finds their glasses uncomfortable will find reasons to take them off — and that defeats the purpose entirely.
This one matters more than parents sometimes give it credit for. If your child has some say in choosing their frame, they’re far more likely to wear it consistently and look after it. Style isn’t vanity — it’s buy-in.
The Bravo range is designed with school-age boys in mind — and the kind of daily wear that entails. These contemporary metal frames come in bright, modern colours with reinforced temple and hinge construction that’s built to flex and bounce back rather than bend out of shape.
If you’ve had the experience of replacing a broken frame more than once, Bravo’s build quality will feel like a relief. And with styles that are current and appealing without being over-the-top, these are frames your son can feel comfortable wearing in the classroom, at the park, and everywhere else his day takes him.
Aura is a fashion-inspired frame range for girls, and it’s one that tends to generate a lot of enthusiasm at the fitting table. Bold shapes, striking colour combinations, and quality acetate construction that holds its look and finish well over time.
Acetate is a particularly good material for children’s frames — it’s strong, lightweight, and comfortable against the skin. Aura combines that practical foundation with styles that feel genuinely expressive, which means girls who have clear opinions about what they want to wear will find plenty to love. And a child who loves their glasses is a child who wears them.
Prescription glasses are the priority for most families, and understandably so. But UV protection is something we feel strongly about recommending alongside prescription eyewear — particularly as kids move into the older primary and early secondary years and start spending more time outdoors independently.
The Bill Bass sunglasses range offers a really well-rounded selection for older children and teens, with five styles that cover a range of tastes and occasions.
Dolly and Velvet have a softer, more style-conscious feel — a natural fit for older girls and teens who want their sunglasses to feel like a considered part of their look.
Deagon and Erwin are versatile and relaxed in their styling, suited equally well to outdoor activities, sport, and casual everyday wear.
Hayden brings a bolder frame to the table for teens with a more individual sense of style.
Getting kids into the habit of reaching for their sunglasses when they head outside is one of the simplest things you can do to benefit their long-term eye health. Having a pair they genuinely like wearing makes that habit a whole lot easier to build.
If your child plays organised sport — particularly soccer or basketball — and has been told by a coach, sporting body, or your optometrist that they need to wear appropriate protective eyewear during play, this is the section to read carefully.
Regular prescription glasses are not designed for sports. Beyond the obvious risk of frames shifting or slipping during play, there’s a real safety concern in contact/semi-contact sports. Many clubs and competitions now have clear expectations around this, and the message is consistent: if your child requires vision correction on the field or court, they need eyewear that’s built for it.
The Progear Eyeguard is exactly that. It’s a prescriptable sports goggle housed in a protective frame designed to stay secure and withstand the demands of active sport. This means your child’s full prescription can be built directly into the lens with no contacts required, no compromise on vision, and no worrying about a standard frame being damaged or causing injury mid-game.
It comes in two designs, and the right choice usually depends on the sport and your child’s personal preference:
Glasses-style arms + detachable Velcro strap — This version has standard temples with a Velcro strap added for security. It’s a familiar-feeling option that suits children who are already used to wearing glasses and prefer a design that doesn’t feel too different from what they know. The strap keeps everything stable without being restrictive.
Full elastic strap band (no temple) — This design wraps around the head with a continuous elastic band and no temples at all. It sits closer to the face and stays put even in high-contact, fast-paced situations. For soccer and basketball in particular, where collisions and sudden movements are part of the game, this level of security is worth having.
Both options are available with prescription lenses, and our team can help you determine which design best suits your child’s sport and fit requirements.
Every child’s vision needs are a little different, and the best starting point is always a thorough eye test with an optometrist who takes the time to understand your child’s day-to-day life — not just their prescription.
From there, we can help you find everyday frames they’ll love wearing, sun protection that fits their lifestyle, and sport eyewear that keeps them safe and seeing clearly on the field.
Bulk billed eye tests are available with tenant optometrists at Island Optical. We’d love to assist your family!
