Contact Lenses for Teens or Tweens Part 2

Last week, we discussed if your teen or tween was ready for contact lenses. Today in part 2 of our blog, we explore the best contact lens options and their management.

Will my child be able to insert/remove lenses on their own?

In the ACHIEVE study, 90% of nearsighted children aged 8-11 years fit with a one-day disposable lens demonstrated no trouble with insertion or removal of the contact lens without assistance from their parents. In fact, as part of the contact lens fitting process with your Optometrist, we train your teen/tween to insert and remove lenses in the office, which can take up to an hour. When we feel they are able to do this on their own, we assess the comfort and vision of the lens in their eye. They are then sent home with the lenses, cleaning instructions and solution, the rules of wearing contact lenses, and a wearing schedule to start practicing and building up their wear time. They must return for a follow-up visit to ensure they are seeing well and their lenses are comfortable prior to finalizing them.

Contact Lens Care and Eye Care

It is important to note that improper care of contact lenses can lead to irritation, dry eyes, infections, damage to your eyes, and potential vision loss. Results of the Contact Lenses in Pediatrics (CLIP) study showed that children 8 years of age and older are typically mature enough to independently care for their contact lenses while experiencing few adverse effects. Hence with proper lens care, compliance, and parental supervision, they should have a healthy and happy experience wearing contact lenses.

As contact lenses are medical devices, it is critical to have your teen or tween’s eyes examined yearly. Besides making sure their prescription is up-to-date, your Optometrist is checking the health of the eyes, the curvature of the eyes, and ensuring there are no contact lens complications, such as abnormal blood vessel growth related to a lack of oxygen to the cornea from overuse.

Contact Lenses from the Optometrist

There are many advantages to purchasing your contact lenses locally from your Optometrist as opposed to an online retailer. You will find contact lenses fairly priced at your Optometrist office contrary to belief. You can be rest assured your lenses are authentic and come directly from the manufacturer. As part of our service, if a lens rips or is defective we can replace it with our open box policy; if your prescription changes, we can swap out the old lenses even if the box is opened; and you will be supporting your local YYC economy.

If you are interested in contact lenses for your teen or tween, simply schedule an appointment for their annual eye exam and discuss their vision options with your Optometrist. We look forward to seeing you yearly.