Children and Contact Lenses - Information for Parents

Today ever more parents are switching their children from standard children’s glasses to contact lenses. This is due to the ongoing medical, technological and cosmetic advances in contact lenses, making it easier and more convenient to wear them than ever before.

Children may benefit from wearing contact lenses in many ways. Indeed children frequently want to wear contact lenses for the same reasons that adults do, including appearance, comfort and improved vision. Obvious, isn’t it!

Children's vision is constantly developing, and contacts lenses will provide a less distorted view of the world than traditional glasses. Contact lenses will balance the image from both eyes and correct any irregularities or astigmatism. Some studies have also shown that progression of nearsightedness can be lessened by wearing contact lenses. They are also a much better option for many sporting activities.

Contact lenses are designed to fit each individual, no matter what their age, so providing the right lenses for your child should be no more difficult than for an adult. Since each person’s requirements are different, your contact lens practitioner will help you make an informed decision as to whether contact lenses are right for your child.

But first of all, it is necessary to discover whether your child is suited to contact lenses. On the positive side there might be medical or cosmetic reasons, whereas on the negative there might be cost, eye health, allergies, parental responsibilities, etc. It is for the parent to weigh up the pros and cons in conjunction with a contact lens consultant or your optician.

There are a few risks involved in wearing contact lenses, including the possibility of infection, allergic reactions, dry eyes, and irritation. However the only sight-threatening risk of wearing contact lenses is corneal ulcers. But by staying with the prescribed care regime and having good follow-up and communication with your eye care provider, complications are generally rare.

It is important to be aware that for your child to wear contact lenses correctly and safely and to get the most from them, the parent must be as equally as motivated for the child to wear them as the child! For younger children, parents will have not only the responsibility of cleaning and caring for contact lenses, but might also need to handle their insertion, removal, and inspection.

For medical reasons, children can indeed be fitted with contact lenses when just days old. Cosmetic contact lens fitting can be undertaken as soon as a child is old enough to verbalize his or her desire for them. Typically, by the age of five children are able to take contact lenses out on their own, and by the age of six they can usually handle their insertion.

However, if parents don’t want, or are unable, to be involved with excessive overseeing of their children's contact lens operations, the earliest age for a child to begin wearing them is around ten years old.