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.
Good luck!
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.
Like the idea of flexable frames.
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!)
Here are a couple of companies to check out.
https://www.goggles4u.com/
https://www.zennioptical.com/
Wow! The prices you have quoted are incredibly cheap! Good for you to get such a bargain.
If he doesn't notice them missing in the afternoon it is a great idea to keep them from him.
Well done!
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.)
https://www.alzstore.com/twiddle-muff-p/0209.htm
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!
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.
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.
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".
Or, swim goggles.
Snow goggles,
Party eye glassesllll Like Hobo Kelly :)