While prescription glasses have been getting much lighter and easier to care for over the last few years as technology has improved, many children still do not enjoy wearing glasses. If your child is asking whether they can switch to contact lenses you might be wondering when this will be possible.
Are they are big enough?
While the eyeballs don't change size as dramatically as other parts of the body, it's important that a contact lens wearer has large enough eyelids to comfortably be able to place the lens on the eye. This usually occurs as the child gets to adolescence. They also need to have the fine motor coordination to place the lens in the eye, because even if the parents place them in in the morning, it is possible that the lens will fall out during normal play and need to be put back in.
Are they mature enough?
The contact lenses wearer needs to be able to remember to take out the lens at night and keep them in solution so that they don't dry out. They also need to have clean fingers when they put the lenses in to prevent infections or irritation. This requires a level of organisation and planning. You can always opt for daily contact lenses to minimise the need for overnight washing and care.
It is also important that for teenage girls that they apply makeup after putting the lenses in, and use makeup that is designed for contact lens wearers.
Is their prescription in the normal range?
Contact lens have gotten much more powerful, but still cannot handle the same range of prescription as glasses. Extremely short sighted people may need to opt for glasses or investigate options such as laser surgery.
Contact lenses also provide the same prescription correction all the time, which can be an issue if the wearer usually needs a different prescription for near and far work and usually wears bifocals. It can mean that wearers still need to carry reading glasses, but this can be preferable for some children compared to wearing glasses all day long.
Contact lenses, where suitable, can be a great option for children. Many children feel more confident and comfortable in contacts and have better peripheral vision which helps them to participate more fully in sports and play activities. If you wish to explore if contact lenses might be suitable for your child you should chat to your optometrist.
Share24 August 2016
Hey there. My name is Wade, and I have been a first aid volunteer for the past twenty years. Most weekends you will find me at football games, rodeos, agricultural shows or fun runs. I really love being able to help at these events and provide the necessary level of assistance. As a first responder, my medical role is very limited, but, many injured people do contact me to give thanks after they recover. This has further sparked my interest in health and medicine. I love watching medical shows and reading basic texts to gain a greater understanding of particular medical problems. I'm sure there are others like me who take an amateur interest in health and medical matters. I started this blog to share intriguing information I come across. I hope you find my topics fascinating and instructive. Thank you for dropping by.