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Can Children Wear Contacts?
Can children wear contacts? How old do kids need to be to wear contact lenses? These are questions that parents frequently ask eye doctors.
As kids get older, glasses can start to affect self-esteem, and athletics and other activities can make wearing glasses inconvenient. If you have a son or daughter begging to make the switch from contacts to glasses, how do you know when your he or she is ready?
The question isn’t, “Is my child old enough to wear contacts?” It’s, “Is my child mature enough to wear contacts?”
There isn’t a minimum age in which children can safely wear contacts. In fact, even infant’s eyes are developed enough to handle lenses.
While children can wear contacts, whether they are actually ready to wear lenses depends on their maturity level. Contacts come with several responsibilities, and if your child isn’t ready to properly care for contact lenses, his or her vision can be harmed.
What responsibilities come with wearing contacts?
To safely wear contacts, your child will need to be able to:
1. Insert and remove contact lenses without assistance.
First and foremost, your child will need to be able to put in and take out contacts without help. If your child is reliant on you or other adults to help with this process, contact lenses aren’t a convenient option.
Don’t expect your child to learn how to do this on the first try. It will require practice, patience, and supervision from an eye doctor or optometrist to learn proper technique. But, rest assured, most children can master this in about a week.
2. Properly clean and care for their contacts.
Properly caring for contacts requires more time and attention than caring for glasses. And, improperly caring for contacts can lead to eye infections and wasted money.
Depending on the type of contacts your child wears, the lenses will need to be replaced each day or each month. If your child forgets to do this and wears them for longer than their intended use or fails to clean the contacts properly, your child can develop a variety of eye and vision ailments that require treatment.
3. Practice good hygiene.
Your child will also need to be diligent about washing his or her hands before handling contact lenses. It’s very easy to spread bacteria to the eyes. If your son or daughter practices good hygiene in other areas of life, chances are, he or she will not have a problem with this.
4. Keep track of his/her contacts.
There will be instances where your child has to remove his or her contact lenses (when sleeping, swimming, traveling, etc.). So, your child needs to be organized enough to keep track of his or her lenses while out and about.
If your child is prone to losing items and tends to be forgetful, you may want to think twice before investing in contact lenses. Contacts aren’t expensive, but if lenses are frequently lost, the cost will add up.
In conclusion, can children wear contacts? YES! If you feel your child can handle these responsibilities without frequent reminders and will be able to practice good hygiene, he or she is likely ready to make the switch to contacts!
The first few days or weeks of wearing contacts may require you to be a bit more hands-on to ensure that your child is adapting well to the new eye-care routine. But, if your son or daughter is mature enough to care for contacts, we’re confident that he or she will make the switch with ease and everyone will be happy with this decision.
Dr. Steven C. Mather 1401 Union Street Lafayette, Indiana 47904 765.742.1955 Dear Esteemed Patients, After 43 years of dedicated service, it is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement from my medical practice as of March 9th. It has been an incredible journey, one that I have cherished every moment of, and I am looking forward to spending more time on my new title of Grandpa. Our practice has rich history that dates back to 1946 with Dr. Peterson and in 1959 my uncle, Dr. Robert Mather, succeeded him. I was overjoyed to continue his legacy when I took over the practice in 1989. Over the years, we have built strong relations with our patients, and for that, we are profoundly grateful. Your loyalty and trust have been the driving force behind our success, and we cannot thank you enough for allowing us to be part of your lives for the past 78 years. I am thrilled to inform you that I have chosen to entrust the future of our practice to our friends at Norman and Miller Eyecare. They bring with them a wealth of knowledge, skill, and compassion, ensuring that you will continue to receive the highest quality of care. As I embark on this new chapter of my life, I do so with deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for each and every one of you. While I will miss seeing your familiar faces in the office, I am confident that you will be in excellent hands with Norman and Miller Eyecare. Please join me in welcoming them to our practice and continuing to entrust them with your healthcare needs. They share our commitment to providing personalized, compassionate care, and I am confident that they will uphold the legacy that we have worked so hard to build. They will continue to serve you at our 1401 Union Street location, however, if there is a location more convenient to you, your records will be available at all Norman and Miller Eyecare locations. Thank you once again for your trust and support over the years. It has been an honor and privilege to serve you, and I look forward to watching our practice flourish under the new leadership. With Warm Regards,
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