Should Children Wear Contact Lenses?

A common belief is that children should not wear contact lenses under any circumstances, but that is not always the best assumption to make. There are, in fact, many beneficial reasons for a child to wear contacts.  Here are some issues to consider when deciding what is right for your child:

Contacts Can Be Helpful For Sports

Contacts can provide better peripheral vision than glasses, allowing for better awareness and performance on the field or court.  Contacts also eliminate the worry of glasses or frames being broken during a game and causing injury to an eye.

Contacts Can Help Your Child Feel Better

As a matter of self-esteem, some children would just prefer to wear contacts over glasses.  This can lead to improved self-confidence, a more outgoing personality or better performance in school.

There Are Different Types Of Lenses

There are various types of contact lenses available, such as daily-wear soft lenses, extended-wear, extended-wear disposable or rigid gas-permeable.  These options should be discussed with your optometrist, as there are advantages and disadvantages to each.

There Are Drawbacks

Contacts do require more maintenance than glasses, and some kids or teenagers may not be responsible enough to follow the care instructions given by your eye doctor.  Not caring for lenses properly can lead to infections or vision loss, so if your child has a hard time remembering to do homework or chores, contacts may not be the best choice for them.

The decision to wear contacts instead of glasses should not be based on age alone, and rather on the needs of the individual child and how mature or responsible they are.  It is always best to talk it over with your eye care provider to determine if contacts would be a good option for your child.

Dr. Martin at Family Vision Development Center will help you make the right choices for your child’s eyes.  From contact and glasses, to vision therapy and rehabilitation, he is there to meet all of your eye health needs.  Call us today at 630-862-2020 to schedule your appointment at our Aurora location.

Full referenced articles HERE and HERE

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