When you’re deciding on the best vision correction option for your child, it’s important to weigh your options. Glasses are typically the first choice, but contact lenses are also a good choice. Many believe children are too young to wear contact lenses, but that’s not true. Here are the facts.
What Age Can Kids Start Wearing Contact Lenses?
According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists, children of any age can wear contact lenses. In fact, infants and toddlers can be fit with contact lenses for certain rare medical reasons where glasses will not correct their vision properly. For more common vision conditions, children as young as eight years old can be successful contact lens wearers.
The Advantages of Contact Lenses
Contact lenses offer many advantages for children. For example, if your child is heavily involved in sports and other recreational activities, glasses can be inconvenient and hinder performance. Contact lenses provide a stable and clear field of vision. Plus, they’re less likely than glasses to break or get lost.
Does your child find glasses uncomfortable? Contact lenses eliminate issues like fogging, frame pressure and peripheral vision interference. Additionally, if your child is self-conscious wearing glasses, switching to contact lenses may make them feel more comfortable in social settings.
Tips for Kids Wearing Contact Lenses
With proper instruction, most children can insert and remove contact lenses easily. A study showed that it takes approximately 30 minutes to teach a child how to handle contact lenses, which is about the same time it takes to instruct an adult.
Here are a few tips to ensure your child is successful with their contact lenses:
Contact lenses should be fit by a professional. It is important to have contact lenses that are the right material and fit for your child’s eyes.
Emphasize proper hygiene. Teach your child the importance of washing and drying their hands before handling their contact lenses. Daily contact lenses that are replaced after each wear are very easy to take care of and do not require the strict cleaning regimen that other contact lenses do. Part of the contact lens fitting process includes instruction on how to properly care for your contact lenses.
Stress the importance of safety. Instruct your child to remove their contact lenses immediately if they experience discomfort, redness or any unusual symptoms. Most contact lenses should not be worn to sleep or while swimming.
Schedule regular eye check-ups. Schedule regular eye exams with an optometrist to monitor your child’s eye health and the fit of their contact lenses.
It’s also important to have a pair of prescription eyeglasses as a backup in case your child cannot wear contact lenses due to eye infections or other issues. At Optometrists’ Clinic Inc., we carry kids’ glasses, as well as contact lenses.
Eye Doctors and Eye Care Specialists in Alberta
If your child needs vision correction, did you know that glasses aren’t the only option? Contact lenses may actually be more suitable. The eye doctors at Optometrists’ Clinic Inc. can help you determine what’s best for your child. Contact us today to set up an appointment in Edmonton, Leduc and Westlock.