Both sons want contacts but only one can wear them.

[tvguy]

The experts (those trained in ophthalmology presumably) disagree with you.

LOL. Dealt with more contact lense issues as a Safety Officer for our Little League than I care to think about.

 

[tvguy]

What? How does their infections relate your contact lenses? Didn’t you wash your hands properly before caring for them?

Idk, guess we are going to have to agree to disagree. If my child (she wears glasses, does not want contacts) wanted to wear contacts over glasses, I wouldn’t have any hesitation at ages 11 or 13. With my background I wouldn’t even blink an eye at age 10.

Self confidence is big at tween/teen years. I remember not telling my parents earlier that my vision was getting worse because I was afraid I’d have to wear glasses. Stupid, I know! But they didn’t hesitate to let me have contacts (gas permeable) at age 12.

Well, I have learned a lot about how important handwashing is since the pandemic began, but hard to live under the same roof with two children who keep passing on illnesses they bring home from school without getting sick.
My Doctor's recommendation was to switch to your glasses when you had a cold since your eyes were already irritated by the illness.

 

[kymom99]

Before disposables, I got infections regularly. I assume because I was teaching and handling things the kids touched. Once I switched to monthlies I no longer have problems with infections.

 

[Colleen27]

What? How does their infections relate your contact lenses? Didn’t you wash your hands properly before caring for them?

Basically the only time I don't wear mine is when I have colds/respiratory illnesses, just because my eyes are already watery and irritated and that tends to make the contacts less comfortable. It also means I tend to touch/rub my eyes, which I try not to do with my contacts in. So I can see how frequent illness or, worse, allergies could make contact wearing more difficult.

 

[EACarlson]

I get foreign body conjunctivitis every year or two due to my contacts. One of the biggest causes of viral conjunctivitis is the common cold virus, which is exasperated by wearing contacts and the limited oxygen that goes along with wearing them. I wear Night & Day contacts so I can sleep in mine for a month at a time.
I wouldn't have a problem letting my 10 year old have contacts if he wanted them.

 

[sam_gordon]

I get foreign body conjunctivitis every year or two due to my contacts. One of the biggest causes of viral conjunctivitis is the common cold virus, which is exasperated by wearing contacts and the limited oxygen that goes along with wearing them. I wear Night & Day contacts so I can sleep in mine for a month at a time.
I wouldn't have a problem letting my 10 year old have contacts if he wanted them.

Knock on wood, while I've had conjunctivitis in the past, it's rare. And I'm terrible when it comes to hygiene and changing out my contacts when I should (I basically wait until I get a tear or other irritation from it). I don't sleep in them though.

 

[nw6675]

I wore gas permeable lenses from age 12 to mid 30s. Switched to daily soft disposables and never looked back! I even wear progressive soft lenses so no need for readers. $$$$ but so worth just throwing them away every day!

11/12 is NOT too young, especially with modern options

 

[TwoMisfits]

Both my sons, ages 11 and 13 wear glasses. Neither like them very much but 11 in particular doesn’t and keeps asking if he can wear contacts. Due to his particular eye problem, he cannot wear contacts. 13 doesn’t have that problem nor does he complain as much about his glasses. But yesterday he said he knows 11 doesn’t want him to, but can he please have contacts?

How should we approach this situation? I know 11 will be mad that 13 is going around without glasses, but also he can’t dictate what others do.

If it were me...I'd get the 13 year old contacts for his 14th birthday or for his 8th grade graduation gift. At least when I had them, contacts were always more expensive, especially since you still needed glasses and you had to purchase items for maintenance, so being a gift is not out of line.

Then, I would tell the 11 year old that you will work with the docs to see if he might be able to get a type of contacts when he's 14 - maybe disposables don't work, but gas perms might - but you and he can spend the next few years finding out.

AKA - I'd treat this like cellphones - a gift for when the responsibility and ability factor for caring and respecting the gift is possible.

But, that's just IMHO.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I started with contact lenses when I was 18 (after wearing glasses from the age of 10), and have had various kinds over the years as the technology improved. Last ones I wore were daily disposables, which offer great flexibility and are generally the best for eye health. IMO, most kids from about middle school age and up would do fine with them. FWIW, I wore contacts for over 40 years and never had an infection. As of last year, after cataract surgery, I happily no longer need any corrective lenses.

 

[fly girl]

Basically the only time I don't wear mine is when I have colds/respiratory illnesses, just because my eyes are already watery and irritated and that tends to make the contacts less comfortable. It also means I tend to touch/rub my eyes, which I try not to do with my contacts in. So I can see how frequent illness or, worse, allergies could make contact wearing more difficult.

Allergies I get. I have never had issue when I have a cold. And unless I am in pain with something in my eye and I’m not near water, my hands get a thorough washing before I handle my contacts.

I just don’t see the correlation to saying no to a kid getting contacts due to colds and upper respiratory illnesses. But that’s just me.

 

[tvguy]

Allergies I get. I have never had issue when I have a cold. And unless I am in pain with something in my eye and I’m not near water, my hands get a thorough washing before I handle my contacts.

I just don’t see the correlation to saying no to a kid getting contacts due to colds and upper respiratory illnesses. But that’s just me.

My eyes always get irritated when I have a cold so per Doctors instructions, I didn't wear my contact if my eyes were irritated.
I never had an infection or issue with my contacts because I religiously followed that recommendation from my Doctor.

 

[tvguy]

AKA - I'd treat this like cellphones - a gift for when the responsibility and ability factor for caring and respecting the gift is possible.

But, that's just IMHO.

I couldn't agree more. But my kids didn't get cell phones until they were 16 and driving. So at least I am consistent!

 

[brockash]

Both my sons, ages 11 and 13 wear glasses. Neither like them very much but 11 in particular doesn’t and keeps asking if he can wear contacts. Due to his particular eye problem, he cannot wear contacts. 13 doesn’t have that problem nor does he complain as much about his glasses. But yesterday he said he knows 11 doesn’t want him to, but can he please have contacts?

How should we approach this situation? I know 11 will be mad that 13 is going around without glasses, but also he can’t dictate what others do.

Let the 13 YO wear contacts and use as life lesson for 11 YO. It stinks, yes, but it's life.

 

[lilmc]

I’ve been wearing contacts since I was 7. I was a responsible and highly motivated child, so I’ve never had problems. My 17 yr old struggles with the responsibility. It just depends on the kid, not the age IMO.

I wouldn’t hold one kid back who is motivated just because the other one can’t for medical reasons.

 

[Kae]

Let him get the contacts most offices give out free samples.

 

[mumto3girls]

Two of my daughters wear contacts. I think they both were around 13 when they got them but I think they could have managed them earlier. I think, depending on the child, I would consider it for ages 10 and above.

I wouldn’t keep one from doing it just because the other can’t.

I love my contacts and despise glasses, but I generally have a few weeks in the spring where I have to switch to glasses because my allergies are so bad. My eyes itch, tear up and my lenses start feeling sticky and move with my eyelid when blinking which then causes me to rub them. I’ve gotten infected twice from that so I try not to wait too long to switch to glasses now.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Sorry, that is just plan crazy. Too young to understand the importance of the hygiene needed to car for lenses.

My eye doctor's age was 12. I got them when I was like 12 1/2. Age limits can be eye doctor specific and are IMO more arbitrary. It's entirely possible my eye doctor has lowered the age. Tech on contacts is a lot better than in the past.

As an aside I think you overestimate hygiene of adults and underestimate hygiene for youths when it comes to eyes. The grossest behaviors I've seen from contact wearers are always adults from licking the lens (yeah gross and that's what my step-mom used to do instead of using contact solution) to just putting the contact back in your eye without washing it with solution if it falls out onto whatever surface, etc.

Now if you're talking about soft contacts and tears yes you do have to be careful all the time and that's actually the reason my eye doctor had the limit. Not about not knowing when to remove the contacts, put them in solution, change the solution, but rather about taking care of them entirely.

One thing to note if a kid has been wearing glasses for years beforehand, like I had been, chances are they already understand how to take care of glasses and thus contacts and unless they are showing you (general you) otherwise I would make the assumption they understand responsibility more than you (general you) think.

 

[TippyThomas]

Anxiously awaiting chapter three.

 

[goofyernmost]

I would accept that the younger one would be disappointed or even jealous, but mad? Why? If there is a physical reason why he cannot wear them than he needs to be told that by the optometrist. Upset, yes, but life doesn't come with any guarantee's so he will eventually understand. In the mean time, if the older wants to get them just to upset his brother than he need a swift .........!

 

[goofyernmost]

Which one of the two did not want to cut his hair for his new job?

What hair issue? Was a post altered or deleted? You are post #2 but I see no reference to hair in the OP's post. Maybe I need contacts?