Is It Safe for Children to Wear Contact Lenses?

Children can safely wear contact lenses with the support of their parents or guardians. The crucial thing to consider is whether your child has the ability and maturity to wear contact lenses. Physiologically, their eyes can handle contact lenses at a very young age. However, they need the above qualities to get the best from their contacts.

Teach Them Hygiene

Hygiene is crucial when using contact lenses. Otherwise, your child may get an eye infection and its likely complications. Your child needs to have good hygiene practices. They must wash their hands and dry them with a lint-free cloth before putting on or removing their contacts. 

They also need to disinfect their lenses daily using a contact lens solution. Also, teach them techniques to rub, rinse, and clean their lenses. They also should discard any used solution and dry the contact lens container. These practices will keep their eyes safe.

Ensure They Are Responsible

How your child follows through with chores, schoolwork, and grooming habits will tell whether they are responsible. You may notice that your eight-year-old is more accountable than your teen. That puts your younger child in a position to take better care of their contact lenses than their elder sibling.

Although you may notice some responsible behavior, enforce it by giving them more tips. These include not rubbing their eyes when itching. They should also not sleep in their lenses unless they are ortho-k lenses. They should also not expose their lenses to water or saliva. Also, get them backup eyeglasses in case of an emergency.

Get One-day Disposable Lenses

One-day disposable contact lenses are ideal for children. They do away with the hustle of cleaning contacts. They also reduce the cost of new contact lenses when your child loses theirs. Also, they will save on the time it needs to get new ones and do a fitting.

Use Ortho-k Lenses

Ortho-k lenses are safe for use by children. The special lenses shape their corneas as they sleep. It allows them to enjoy clear vision during the day. They do not need to carry them to school. Instead, they remove the lenses and leave them at home. It eliminates the probability of loss as they play. The lenses allow them to participate in other vigorous activities at school.

No Breakage

Contact lenses are safe because they will not break and harm your child. Eyeglasses can shatter as they engage in sports or other activities. Shards from the lenses or a piece of the frame can poke and hurt your child. Contact lenses are also safe since you can wear goggles over them, affording your child extra protection.

Allow for Sun Protection

Your child can wear sunglasses over their contact lenses. These can offer protection from UVA and UVB rays, mitigating the rapid progression of age-related eye diseases. Ensure your child’s sunglasses give them at least 99% UV protection from these harmful rays.

For more information on contact lenses for children, visit Refined Eyecare Optometry at our office in Torrance, California. Call (310) 214-0409 to book an appointment today.