Is your child ready for contact lenses?

Contact lenses are a viable option for many people who require vision correction. Some find them more convenient than eyeglasses, and people who wear contact lenses are less likely to lose them or leave them behind than they are with traditional eyeglasses. Others feel contacts are more comfortable to wear and reduce the propensity for any blind spots in peripheral vision. While contacts are appropriate for many people, there are some limitations depending on the particular vision problem and age.

According to a study titled “Children & Contact Lenses” conducted by the American Optometric Association Research and Information Center in conjunction with the Sports Vision Section and Contact Lens and Cornea Section of AOA, with support from VISTAKON¨, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., more than half (51 percent) of optometrists feel it is appropriate to introduce children to soft contact lenses between the ages of 10 and 12 years old, while nearly one in four (23 percent) feel 13 to 14 years old is a suitable age for a child to begin wearing contact lenses. The younger the child is, the lower the percentage of eye doctors who feel it is appropriate to introduce lenses.

Age alone may not be a reference for the appropriateness of contact lenses. Parents and eye doctors may take maturity into consideration as well. Contact lenses require a greater level of care than glasses, and parents should factor in that maintenance when deciding if their children should try contact lenses or stick with traditional eyeglasses. Younger children also may not be as dexterous as older contact lens wearers, making it challenging for them to insert and remove contacts safely and properly.