Responsible contact lens wear can improve self image in children compared to glasses

Do you find yourself constantly reminding your child to wear their glasses? Does this often lead to a battle you know that you can’t win once they are away at school? If so you may take heart in knowing that contact lenses can have certain advantages over glasses in some younger patients. Though contact lenses are not a perfect option for every child, many children can benefit from the new technologies of the contact lens industry leading to a better quality of life.

Daily contact lenses are a great option for children as they allow these patients to wear a fresh contact lens each day without the hassle of remembering to store and clean the lenses properly. This simplifies the contact lens experience for children and their parents as they only have to remember to throw the lenses away each night before bed. In addition the less time a lens is on your eye and reused, the result is a lower chance of infection and potential allergic complications.

A former study shows that contact lenses can have a dramatic effect on self image for children. In our office I often see this in terms of younger patients feeling better about their appearance without glasses, or even in their ability to excel athletically with contacts aiding their vision. You can read the details of this study from The Ohio State University College of Optometry by clicking the above link.

Above all contact lenses are a medical device and may present a risk for certain patients. Therefore, the decision for your child to go into contact lenses should be agreed upon by the eye doctor, parents, and a responsible child to ensure safe and healthy contact lens wear.