Why do our children with Down syndrome need special glasses?

Children with Down syndrome have easily recognizable facial features, including very small noses, shortened depth from the eye socket to the ear and especially close set eyes with wide faces.  As a result, “typical” glasses slide down constantly, fall forward and bow out at the temples. Our eyeglasses are the only frames on the market today that address these special needs.

How many children are affected?

About 5,000 newborns per year are diagnosed with Down syndrome in the United States. 87% of those diagnosed will need corrective eyeglasses before the age of 3!

How do our children manage now?

In reality, they are not managing; it is a constant daily struggle for our children to see properly.  Chances are, when you see a child with Down syndrome, their glasses are down on the tip of their nose and they tilt their head back to see through the lenses.  Either that or they simply do not wear them at all, dramatically hindering their ability to function in school, the community and at home.  Erin’s World frames give our children the opportunity to see properly and without the constant struggle of frames that just do not function correctly.

Why hasn’t anyone done this yet?

It’s all about the numbers.  There are not sufficient quantities of patients to warrant interest by the major frame manufacturers. Because of the research, design, prototyping and patent investments, large for-profit corporations cannot justify this product line.

How do you know this design is better?

Erin’s World was developed by an experienced optical professional. More importantly, we’ve benefited from the priceless input of parents and caregivers who deal with these special issues everyday.

Where can I take the frame to get my child’s lenses made and put in?

After you have your child’s eyes examined you should always ask for a copy of the prescription.  You may have a favorite optician,or Optical office to go to. Remember any optical place is only as good as the optician and the lab they send their work to. If you do not go to a certain place because of insurance policies or do not have any insurance, places like  Wal-Mart, Sam's ect..have polycarbonate lenses that are very reasonable. A Polycarbonate lens is a clear lens with out anti-reflective coatings. I personally love anti-reflective coatings, but not for all children. If you do get lenses with it, please ask about warranties. Most places will have one year unlimited warranties. There are also many other lenses available that may work on a given prescription, your optician will tell you more.

Can I use my insurance?

There are two ways to use your vision insurance. Out-of-pocket – This means you purchase the frame from our web site, then submit your receipt to your vision insurance company to get reimbursed.  Always contact your insurance company first to see if you have that option and the exact amount allowed for your frame.

Find a local doctor or optical shop that takes your insurance directly. Ask them to order in our frames.  Then ask them what the total charges will be and how much is covered under your vision insurance plan. Remember any office that is truly looking out for your child’s best interest will order in a frame to fit them, not make you buy something they already have on the shelf.

If I want to order online how will I know what size to buy?

We have found that you will almost always be ordering a size smaller than what your child is currently wearing.  Because of the facial features of our children, most opticians fit too big in order to have the eyeglasses frame wide enough.  Look on the inside of the temples (arms) or bridge of the glasses and see what is marked.  The frame should have two set of numbers, usually between 30-50 and 10-20.  The numbers marked stand for the eye size and bridge size respectively.  Compare what we have close or go down one size. Always email us with any questions and we will get back to you ASAP to assist you in this decision.

Do Erin's World frames come with a warranty?

Being parents, we realize that no eyeglasses are industructable. Our children are especially hard on their frames, however we do know that problems arise and accidents occur. When purchasing your frames online, for the first year SPECS4US will offer 100% return on any true manufacturer's defects. Simply return the broken frames in exchange for a new pair. For any other damage to the frames , return the damaged frames with a $25 replacement fee and receive a new pair. For any damage after the introductory period, returns will be taken on a case by case basis. These frames are equipped with standard screws and nosepads, so small maintenance issues can be handled by your local optician. In my experience, it is always beneficial to visit your local optician every 2-3 months for a tune-up on your frames.