Is your child ready for contact lenses?

• You can assess your child’s readiness for contact lenses by considering their personal hygiene habits, level of responsibility, and motivation.
• Most contact lens complications can be prevented by following the correct lens care routine.
• Contact lenses can provide greater freedom and safety during sports and also boost children’s confidence by helping them feel more comfortable and natural in their appearance.

Contact lenses give children the freedom to enjoy sports or active play, especially activities that involve a lot of physical contact where glasses could easily get damaged. This can increase the risk of frame or lens breakage which can possibly hurt the eye. In addition, if your child are active who love dancing, cycling, climbing or others, contact lenses can help them perform better! It is because contact lens does not slip, fog up, or break during movement. This allows your child to move freely and focus on what they’re doing without distractions. Furthermore, contact lens fits easily under helmets and protective gear, giving your child clear, comfortable vision and the freedom to play safely.

On the other hand,  many children especially girls, switching from glasses to contact lenses can have a positive impact on their self-esteem and improve quality of life. Without glasses, they often feel more comfortable, natural, and confident in their appearance. This boost in confidence can make social interactions easier, helping them feel more at ease when meeting new friends, participating in school activities, or speaking up in class. Over time, this growing confidence can extend beyond appearance which can help children feel more assured in themselves and more willing to take on new challenges!

Contact lenses offer clear, stable, and natural vision, without the visual limitations that glasses can sometimes create, such as seeing the frame in peripheral vision. Children who switch to contacts often experience sharper side vision and less distortion, allowing them to see more comfortably and naturally. Because contact lenses move with the eyes, they provide clear sight in every direction and often lead to higher satisfaction with vision correction. This improved comfort and clarity can also encourage better wearing compliance, which is especially beneficial for children using myopia control lenses or orthokeratology lenses.

There are two types of contact lenses for kids that are soft contact lens (wear during day time) and hard contact lens (orthokeratology lens, wear while sleep). Both contact lenses can be safe under your supervision of an optometrist and eye doctor. Daily disposable soft contact lens is the safest and healthiest type of contact lens. Interestingly, study showed children age 8-12 appear to be safer soft contact lens wearers than teenagers due to better compliance of lens handling steps and parents supervision.

The most common concern among parents is the risk of eye infection. Both hard lens and soft lens are considered a risk factor for infection because these lenses are brought into contact with the eye, and thereby offers an extra way for germs to come into contact with the eye. Germs can be transferred from the skin to the contact lens during lens handling, or from the environment. 

The good news is that with proper handling and regular guidance, the risk of complications can be greatly reduced. Besides, studies show that children actually experience fewer contact lens problems than adults.

To decide whether your child is ready to start their contact lens journey, you can look at their:

Personal Hygiene

Good hygiene is essential when it comes to contact lenses. If your child already practices good habits like handwashing, trimming their nails, and brushing their teeth, they’re already one big step closer to being ready for contact lenses. Without proper hygiene and care, serious complications such as eye infections can occur.

Responsibility

Wearing and cleaning contact lenses involve several important steps that must be followed consistently. A child’s sense of responsibility is therefore crucial. One way to assess this is by observing how they care for their glasses—for example, whether they clean them regularly and store them safely.

Motivation

Some children become interested in contact lenses after learning about them or hearing positive experiences from friends. When they are motivated and ready, they often adapt quickly and manage their lenses with ease. However, if a child is not quite prepared, they may struggle with handling or cleaning their lenses properly.

Age alone should not determine whether a child is a good candidate for contact lenses. Studies have shown that children as young as 8 years old can manage them successfully but the criteria above should always be considered. Every child develops differently, so readiness depends more on maturity and daily habits than on age. With guidance from parents and eye care professionals, many children are able to learn proper lens care and wear contact lenses safely and comfortably.

If you think your child may be ready for contact lenses, consider discussing it with your optometrist. A professional assessment can help determine if contact lenses are suitable based on your child’s lifestyle and characteristic. With proper guidance and care, contact lenses can offer children clear, comfortable vision and greater confidence in their daily activities.