Parents of children with vision problems know that keeping their little one in glasses can be a struggle. Children are notorious for losing, breaking and damaging spectacles. That can make contact lenses seem very appealing. No more searching for glasses or having to pay for replacements, but are contacts really right for your child? Answer these questions before you take the plunge.
- Does your child take hygiene seriously? If they struggle to keep their room clean or need to be chided into brushing their teeth, they may not be good candidates for contact lenses. The key here is that bad hygiene practices when using contacts can cause serious vision problems.
- Is your child mature? If they struggle to handle personal responsibility, they may make poor decisions with their lenses or forget to take care of their contacts. If a child does something like forgetting to remove their contacts before bed, they increase their risk of eye health problems.
- Does your child have seasonal allergies? If they do, wearing contacts may not be the right choice. Contact lenses can increase itching and burning in the eyes of children with allergy problems.
- Does your child play a sport? Doctors recommend that when engaging in any sport, children with contacts wear safety glasses of some sort to protect their contact lenses.
- Are your children old enough? Most children under age 12 are probably not ready for contacts. They simply do not have the maturity to take care of them. While there can be exceptions for some children, 12 is a good rule of thumb.
If you decide that contacts are right for your child, you need to make sure they take good care of their new lenses. While your optometrist should give you a comprehensive list of do’s and don’ts here are some basic rules for any child who will be using contacts.
- Always wash your hands before you touch your lenses.
- Never wear any lenses that have not been prescribed by a doctor.
- Wear safety goggles over your lenses when you play sports.
- Keep a pair of backup glasses just in case.
- Never put in your contact lenses if your eyes are red.
- Never ignore any eye problems like itching or burning.
- Do not use coloured or cosmetic lenses unless you get a prescription.
- Never wear any lenses longer than the time prescribed by your optometrist.
If your child follows these rules, they can enjoy all the benefits of contacts. If you would like to know more about contact lenses or have your child tested for contact lenses, please contact Eyesite today to make an appointment.
