More BrandsSome children are quite comfortable with wearing glasses and continue to favour them for the rest of their lives. Others, however, decide at some point they would prefer contact lenses. There will be cases when the desire to swap glasses for contacts is driven by the child’s belief that his or her looks will improve. Sometimes, it will be simply a desire to engage in active sporting activities, where contact lenses offer great convenience. Whatever the reason, parents have the final say and many struggle with the decision, wondering whether they should allow the switch. According to Dr Dan Hennessey, optometric physician at Little Rock Eye Clinic in the US state of Arkansas, it is primarily a question of whether the child is ready to wear contacts.
In a blog post on the clinic’s website, Hennessey said that it is difficult to pinpoint a specific age but the child does need to possess some degree of maturity. While Hennessey has had patients as young as eight, he noted that the success rate increases dramatically with kids aged 11 or 12.
A child ready for contacts would be one that can take proper care of the lenses without relying on parental help, Hennessey goes on to add. He cites the findings of a recent review by the US Food and Drug Administration, which established that 23% of infections and abrasions suffered by contact lens wearers were cases involving children and teenagers. It must always be remembered that contact lenses are medical devices. They should be prescribed and fitted by qualified professionals and looked after properly by their wearers. Where children and teenagers are concerned, the risks and requirements associated with these devices must be clearly understood, Hennessey concluded.
