Replace glasses when hubby destroys them? With what?

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superstring Asked January 2020

Replace glasses when hubby destroys them? With what?

Hubby is ridiculously nearsighted. Has worn glasses since he was little & has always been very careful with them and protective of them. Diagnosed in 2010 with dementia & although now quite severe still always wanted his glasses. Lately will occasionally take them off & set them down but always welcomes having them put back on. A month ago he & caregiver were watching TV & caregiver looked over & saw him fiddling with something in his lap & it was his specs--he'd broken the frame & bent the temples all out of recognition & the lenses had fallen out. I had a spare pair & over the holiday was trying to figure out what the best way would be to replace them since we can tell by his behavior that he can see with them and can't see without them. (A couple of times he'd inadvertently rolled over on them somehow & bent them but they could always be fixed, but I saved the last 2 prescription pairs he had made so I'd always had a spare. We still take him to the ophthalmologist for glaucoma test & inspection but he's long past anything like a refraction test so I'm just using his glasses from 2010 and 2011.) Before I could do anything, though, he did the same thing to the spare pair with a different caregiver on duty! Both caregivers felt terrible but I don't blame them at all. Turns out the 2nd pair could be bent back into shape enough for him to wear although I think they should be inspected by a professional. I took the 1st pair to an optician & bought similar but smaller frames which they think can accept the existing lenses but can't be guaranteed. Our current solution is to take his glasses off after his afternoon nap & leave them off for the rest of the day. He doesn't seem to realize he isn't wearing them by that time of day, but in the morning he misses them and wants them. When the pair that are being replaced are done I'll take the current pair in for adjustment & repair if necessary. I'm not sure there is any "solution", I can't expect the caregiver to sit there and stare at him for 8 hours and never go to the bathroom! And he did it so FAST! Any suggestions would be more than welcome. I'm not ready to say oh well he doesn't know he doesn't have them on, because he was always so terribly dependent on them.

Dementia Behaviors Product Vision & Eye Disease

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score 0 · Answer 1

Call the place where she got her glasses as ask them what strength of reading glasses would be appropriate if you don’t know. Or just go buy a couple of pairs at the dollar store at 1.5 and see what he says b

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score 1 · Answer 2

Oh, my, so many answers! Thank you so much to everybody! I'll just try to answer everything here as when I go back through there are questions and duplications and although I'd like to answer everybody personally I just cant :( Here's an update: I have an appointment with his ophthalmologist in a few weeks. He hasn't broken the resurrected pair (yet). Haven't heard back from the optometrist who was fitting the old lenses into new frames I bought but that should occur pretty soon. One of the caregivers (and several of you) pointed out that they are able to do refractions on babies & other people who can't "cooperate" with the test so I checked with our ophthalmologist and they are going to try to measure his prescription. If their result is anything like his old prescription it ought to be okay and then I can get the glasses made anywhere, with new lenses. I'll check out the recommendations on this thread for sources. Somebody asked how old he is--he will be 88 on Feb 20! Readers won't do it. He's worn bifocals for years and he's not only nearsighted but his eyes are different from each other so a new Rx is what I need. (Nobody will make specs without a current Rx, if it doesn't work, I'll get ophth. to write it for his old Rx, why shouldn't he.)That way I can get any frames that will work for him. Sports frames, rubbery frames--have to see what's out there. And he has a fiddle apron and a fiddle muff but isn't interested in them. What he DOES like to do is play catch! I call him my golden retriever. But we have to use balloons or great big beach balls because if you give him a regular ball he'll aim it at something and break it. (!) I just want to keep his glasses on his head for as long as I possibly can because I know he cannot see without them, and I can tell that he sees much better with them on.

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score 0 · Answer 3

what about safety goggles that you find at Lowes,
Or, swim goggles.
Snow goggles,

Party eye glassesllll Like Hobo Kelly :)

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score 0 · Answer 4

Someone told me about a FIDGET BLANKET... I found a blanket in store for $5.00. found an elephant bath scrub on sale, and I will find something else for her feel and play with. Maybe you can do the same thing. Go to the dollar store or 99 cent store, buy a few cheap glasses, put them on a lanyard, and attach it to the blanket have a few around =so he can destroy them and it doesn't cost much. Keep his good ones around for when you take him places and actually needs to see something. Or a nerf football, or a soft stuffed animal....

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score 1 · Answer 5

There’s an online company called Flexon... flexible titanium frames. Sounds pretty durable, hope they aren’t too expensive.

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score 0 · Answer 6

Superstring, I just had a thought reading posts that recommend extra pairs that he can fiddle with.

Truck stops usually have puzzles that are made from metal and you have to separate the pieces, they are tricky and I have never been able to open one, but I have spent many hours trying, maybe something like that for him to be able to fidget and not ruin anything.

You can probably find them online, I have only seen them on road trips walking through the isles and isle of tourist "gifts".

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score 1 · Answer 7

Don't they make glasses out of rubber for kids? Maybe see if you can find an adult set like that.

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Hellominsu, I think that I read way back that dad has a large head and it is a challenge to find glasses that fit him.

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score 0 · Answer 8

Edit - ONES THAT CAN'T BE BROKEN.

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score 0 · Answer 9

Zenni's Optical (online) makes multi-focal (progressive lenses) eyeglasses. Very reasonable.

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score 0 · Answer 10

Get indescribable glasses per Geaton.

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score 0 · Answer 11

How old is he?

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score 1 · Answer 12

I agree with the others that he needs frames that are enduring - like those for special needs children. I would also suggest giving him something to fiddle with in the afternoons - handwork, beads on a string, rosary (if you're Catholic)...

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score 3 · Answer 13

have a nephew with Down Syndrome. He wears glasses with frames that are kind of rubbery. Surely someone makes glasses like this in adult size.

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score 3 · Answer 14

Readers ( multiple pairs) at this point are the answer. Same thing happened to my Mom and the RX was too old; the eye exam was a fiasco.
Long story short, she broke the new glasses three times and then didn’t realize she didn’t have them any longer. I tried a glasses-holder lanyard, extra counseling for staff about protecting my $600 investment ( trifocals), and everything else I could think of. Just a few things that you might want to consider; I’ve been there/ done that.

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IF one can resort to reading specs, Dollar Tree is recommended. Theirs are $1 each, so you can have MANY available! Also, combine that with something he can "fiddle" with, as others have suggested. Mom only has reading glasses at this point, and is constantly "cleaning" them.

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score 2 · Answer 15

Since the issue here is breaking eyeglasses, thus buying extra pairs of glasses only means more glasses to fiddle with and damage.

I agree with Geaton's post about purchasing indestructible eyeglasses. Those who are sport's professionals that need to wear glasses must be able to purchases glasses that don't break, such as those with titanium frames. They are expensive, but in the long run if they don't break, they probably run equal in cost to a couple dozen new regular frames.

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score 1 · Answer 16

Google "indestructible eyeglasses":
https://www.yesglasses.com/collections/flexible-frames?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsfTjq_Pq5gIVFP7jBx32OwweEAAYAiAAEgLbM_D_BwE

Also, I would be so shocked if any doctor would deny you his old prescription! You say he has an ophthalmologist appt Feb 7... is there a co-pay for this? I would call first to see how they plan on testing someone with his level of dementia. If they don't inspire confidence in you, I would find another doc or just request his old prescription via medical records department of his health care provider. Good luck!

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score 3 · Answer 17

There are fiddle blankets. My daughter made fiddle muffs. You put things like zippers, buttons, shoe laces, etc. She crocheted hers. They can be sewn. Can do them like a blanket. Daughter made Mom one when she was in LTC. Activities director liked it so much she ordered 4.

https://www.alzstore.com/twiddle-muff-p/0209.htm

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score 3 · Answer 18

Try giving him things to fiddle with instead of his glasses. There are many substitutes you could find. It's probable that his glasses are just what's handy when he gets restless.

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score 2 · Answer 19

I second buying from Zenni. Mine are not as cheap as needtowashhair's but for prescription glasses they are FAR cheaper than any other place I've ever bought from. I did a quick search on Zenni and if you type in 742823 it brings up a sports goggle style that is very strong looking. It also has an elastic strap. Hubby would have to work at damaging that style.

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score 1 · Answer 20

The ophthalmologist will probably not give you the Rx if it is years old. Although you could explain the situation and they might give it to you. But that would be like going to the pharmacy and asking for a refill on an old prescription.
Another option would be to bring the glasses in, broken to any one of the places that sell glasses and they can tell what the Rx is by looking at them. Once you have this info you could order from one of the on line services. (if they are bi-focals you will need to know where the line goes but that is easy to figure out)
You could also try one of the straps they put on sports players that hold the glasses very secure I think he would have a difficult time getting them off. (do not do this if it would frustrate him and upset him.)

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I guess he isn't capable of sitting thru an eye exam. Refraction test is one way they can measure to see what prescription they need. This is how they do small children who can't read or understand commands. Like my 8 month nephew. Under the circumstance an old script is better than no script.

(1)

score 4 · Answer 21

It sounds like he is sundowning a bit and you have a great plan to protect future glasses.

If he doesn't notice them missing in the afternoon it is a great idea to keep them from him.

Well done!

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score 3 · Answer 22

Contact the LIONS club, glasses are their thing. They have helped millions over the years with the donation of glasses.

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score 0 · Answer 23

Prescription glasses are very cheap if you order them online. I just got 4 pairs for $20. That was a sale though. Normally they are about $10 per pair delivered. But the company I bought them from have sales all the time. I think right now it's 55% off. So wait for a sale and stock up. At $5/pair, cheaper than many Starbucks drinks, I consider them disposable. So I won't cry if I lose or break them. But I still tend to wear them for years. I sat on my last pair and while it was OK bent back out, I figured why not just stock up on more.

Here are a couple of companies to check out.

https://www.goggles4u.com/
https://www.zennioptical.com/

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Do they fill all prescriptions? Some people have more complex prescriptions. My husband does. Plus he has astigmatism. My husband is like the OP, has worn glasses since he was young. He even has to buy a specific sized frame for his lenses, otherwise his vision will be distorted.

Wow! The prices you have quoted are incredibly cheap! Good for you to get such a bargain.

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score 1 · Answer 24

I wonder if you could get away with readers. He does not read right. Pretty much needs them for TV or just because he is used to them. You can get them cheap at BJs, 3 to a pack.

Like the idea of flexable frames.

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IF and only if readers would work, I recommend Dollar Tree - $1/pair, so you can get MANY pairs for less than traditional glasses. It would only help if he "needs" his glasses to be on, they won't likely help him see. Our mother wore glasses for most of her life, until she had cataract surgery, then it was only reading glasses. She constantly "cleans" them. Since she doesn't need anything for distance (lives in MC), we don't bother with regular glasses. She is also still getting treatment for Mac Deg - her hearing is so bad that I feel it is best to keep her eyesight. Being blind and mostly deaf would be a disaster! When I visit, she generally can see me from across the room, so I won't bother with any Rx glasses, even if she needed them.

I would ask the doctor for recommendation - lookup online indicates there are flexible metal ones (flexible to a point of course!) Depending on cost, you could try one of these, if the optician you use has them.

It is probably best to attempt taking them away if/when he takes them off. For sure we can't watch every second of the day, but at least try. Mom keeps taking her hearing aid out, at which point staff takes it away (this is after having her original aid go through the laundry, and then the first replacement going AWOL!)

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score 2 · Answer 25

Thank you, lealonnie1, Tothill and metoo111 for your suggestions. It helps me to sort out what to do. In order to get anybody to make new glasses for him I will need a prescription from his ophthalmologist. It will just have to be the same as the last prescription he had some years ago, because as I said he's long past having his vision tested. I'm sure that they will do that for us. Then look for strong, bendable, unbreakable, athletic frames and have the glasses made somewhere cheap! He's always been difficult to fit because he has a big head, typically we've had to choose frames which had long temples available. We're using a strap to hold them on right now but it doesn't really work. In any case, step one is to get the prescription! He has an ophthalmologist appointment on February 7, I wonder if I could just get them to fax me over a copy of his last prescription. Thank you again for helping me to THINK about this. Things like this are always hard to sort out because it takes me time to get over the sadness of the reality check...

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There's a scanning machine now that can detect/measure the eye's curvature and provide a prescription based on the scan. No participation required from the patient other than looking toward the scanner. My young nephew just had this scan during his physical instead of a traditional vision test. I asked the nurse how accurate the scan was and she stated most of the office staff had compared the scan to their prescriptions and found it was right on.

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score 1 · Answer 26

As a person who was legally blind before correction surgery, I can understand how much your DH wants and needs his glasses.

Two of my kids wore glasses (now they wear contacts). We got their glasses from Walmart because they have a warranty on the frames. They will make glasses with the prescription from another doctor as well. The frames may be too small for your hubby but the kid's glasses had very flexible hinges to help with clumsy fingers.

My last thoughts are perhaps using a cord to keep the glasses on or even the sports glasses that are made to be handled roughly.

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score 3 · Answer 27

Did you know there are online companies that sell glasses very inexpensively? That may be the best option for you. Look into flexible frames and plastic lenses that will not break when he starts to mess with them.

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I've seen various ads for Zenni that claim to sell eyeglasses very inexpensively, but I have no other knowledge or experience with that company.

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score 1 · Answer 28

Ugh, what a predicament!!! Can you maybe go to the store in the mall that sells 2 pair of glasses for one low price and get him new ones with plastic frames that are more durable? I know they do make metal frames these days that you can twist up quite a bit without them breaking. See what you can find in one of those stores.

Good luck!

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Replace glasses when hubby destroys them? With what?

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