Can Your Young Child Wear Contacts?
Contacts are usually seen as appropriate corrective eyewear for adults and teens, but some parents are allowing their younger children to wear them. There is a great deal of responsibility associated with wearing contacts and if your child is not ready to wear them, he or she could experience a range of problems. If you are thinking of getting contacts for your child, here is what you need to know.
What Age Is Appropriate?
There are no set age requirements for wearing contacts. Eye doctors tend to focus on how responsible a child is before making a recommendation concerning whether or not contacts are a good idea. As someone who spends a great deal of time with your child, you are in the best position to assess whether or not your child is responsible enough to wear contacts.
When assessing if your child is truly ready for contacts, look at how responsible he or she is on average. If your child does his or her chores without constant reminders, performs well in school, and has good hygiene practices, he or she might be a good candidate for wearing contacts.
However, if your child is not responsible, it could be best to wait a year or two before switching from eyeglasses to contacts.
What Are the Risks?
Most of the risks associated with contacts is related to wear and cleaning them. If your child does not wear the contacts as recommended, he or she could suffer from chronic dry eyes, infection, and the development of blood vessels in the eyes.
If the contacts are not cleaned properly each time they are worn, your child could be at risk for an infection. Contacts-related infections can lead to a host of problems, including visual disturbances.
What Can You Do?
If your child does get contacts, it is important that you supervise his or her care of the lens. There are many duties that your child must complete to wear contacts, including:
- Washing and drying hands before putting in contacts.
- Cleaning the contacts with the proper solution.
- Replacing the contacts at the appropriate times with a new pair
You also need to monitor how well your child adjusts to wearing the contacts. If your child expresses discomfort or problems with his or her vision, schedule an examination with the eye doctor.
Contacts can help free your child from eyeglasses, but only when he or she is ready to take on the responsibility of them. For more information, contact A New Vision or a similar organization.
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