A question we often get in the office from parents, “Is my child is old enough to wear contact lenses?” While there isn’t a specific age set to determining this, there are indicators you can watch for.
How to Tell if Your Child is Mature Enough for Contact Lenses
When it comes to contact lenses, maturity is a better indicator for readiness than age. Some children may be ready to wear contact lenses as early as age 8, while others may need to wait until their later teens. Wearing contact lenses involves a variety of responsibilities: being able to rinse and store the contact lenses properly, keeping them clean, remembering to pack them when traveling, and being able to and remembering to insert and remove them daily. Many people, children and adults alike, are uncomfortable with objects being near or in their eye, so having the ability to stretch beyond that comfort zone is a necessity in wearing contact lenses and requires a certain level of maturity. If your child is wanting to try contact lenses, look for the following indicators that show their responsibility level:
- Good personal hygeine. Do they have good personal hygeine without an adult having to remind them about it?
- Good school responsibility. Do they complete their homework on time and independently?
- Responsible work ethic. If they have a job, do they arrive on time? Do they perform their duties well? If they don’t have a job, do they complete their assigned chores at home? Do they keep their room clean?
If the answer is no to any of those questions for your child, they may not yet be ready for contact lenses. You, as the parent, will know best their maturity level regarding the responsibility of wearing contact lenses. If you are still unsure, speak with us regarding your concerns and we can help you make that decision.
Benefits of Wearing Contact Lenses
There may be a variety of reasons that your child wants to wear contact lenses. One of the most common we hear is regarding sports. Although there are many great types of glasses that are finely geared just for specific sports, your child may feel most comfortable wearing contact lenses while participating in their sport activities.
A second common reason children are interested in trying contact lenses is for self esteem. Early teenage years can be awkward enough for kids, and although glasses can be a really cool fashion statement, some kids don’t want the extra attention at that point in their life. If this is the case for you child, contact lenses may be a good solution.
If you are asking yourself, “Is my child is old enough to wear contact lenses,” or if your child wants to try contact lenses for sports or to just blend in with the crowd, weigh their reason with their responsibility levels to make that decision.
We are here to help! Please reach out with any questions or concerns you have when making that decision. 435.359.2020