Contacts lenses for kids

Contacts lenses for kids


Certain activities are best put off until the teenage years, including driving a car, getting a part-time job and, of course, that first date.

Until recently, wearing contact lenses was also on the list. But that may be changing.

Optometry researchers from Ohio State University recently conducted a study showing that children ages eight to twelve were just as adept as teenagers at handling and wearing contact lenses.

The findings were a bit of an eye-opener for optometrists who normally don’t prescribe the lenses to children until they are at least twelve years old. That’s the age at which children are thought to be responsible enough to keep up with the daily regimen of caring for the lenses.

But the researchers found that younger children were just as able to follow directions for removing, cleaning and storing the soft, disposable lenses each night and discarding them after two weeks.

The only difference between the younger children and their teenage counterparts came during the initial fitting for the lenses. It took optometrists about fifteen minutes longer to teach the younger kids how to insert and remove the lenses.

Both groups preferred contacts to glasses. But interestingly, they were more motivated by how the lenses improved their vision and their ability to participate in activities than by the way contacts affected their appearance.

If you think disposable contacts might be right for your child, consider a six-month supply. A child’s vision can change quickly.

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