{"id":6187,"date":"2024-02-27T22:41:54","date_gmt":"2024-02-28T04:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/?p=6187"},"modified":"2024-03-26T23:03:49","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T04:03:49","slug":"should-i-let-my-child-wear-contact-lenses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eyetoeyefamilyvisioncare.com\/should-i-let-my-child-wear-contact-lenses\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I Let My Child Wear Contact Lenses?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is your child tired of wearing glasses and asking for contacts? Or has the normal attack of vanity made your youngling pine for the cooler, lens-free look of contact lenses? We understand.<\/span><\/p>\n

We usually don\u2019t recommend contacts for elementary school children and can discuss the pros and cons of letting your middle school or junior high student get contacts. By high school, most (but not all!) teens can honor the \u201crules and hygiene requirements\u201d associated with contact lenses - but every situation is different.<\/span><\/p>\n

5 Things To Consider Before Letting A Child Wear Contact Lenses<\/span><\/h2>\n

Kids, tweens, and teens want to wear contacts for the same reasons adults do. But, depending on <\/span>your child\u2019s age and vision health<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s not always the best idea. Here are some factors we discuss when parents ask us about kids and contacts.<\/span><\/p>\n

How old are they?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Most eye care professionals recommend sticking to eyeglasses until a child is at least 12 years old. Most younger children simply don\u2019t have the discipline and ability to take care of contact lenses as they should, which puts them at risk.<\/span><\/p>\n

It may seem hard to believe, but according to the FDA\u2019s emergency room and urgent care data from around the nation, \u201c<\/span>...according to a study published in Pediatrics, about 13,500 (or one-fourth) of the roughly more than 70,000 children who go to the emergency room each year for injuries and complications from medical devices are related to contact lenses.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Most adults don\u2019t think about the risks associated with contact lenses because they clean, store, and wear them properly. This is not necessarily the case for younger teens and children, which puts them at risk for some of the most common contact lens complications: eye infections and surface abrasions (<\/span>scratched eye membranes<\/span><\/a> and possibly the cornea).<\/span><\/p>\n

What are their hygiene habits like at home?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Your child may promise you up and down that they\u2019ll take care of their contacts. However, our experience is that a child\u2019s at-home hygiene routine<\/a> best predicts whether they\u2019re ready for contact lenses. So, if your child is 12+ and they are great about:<\/span><\/p>\n