Children and Contacts

[Zandy595]

At what age would you let your child get contacts?

DS is 10 and I told him he could get contacts the summer before he starts middle school (he'll be 11.5). The problem is he hates anything that comes close to his eyes so I think he will have a hard time putting them in and taking them out. He might not even be able to do it at all.

He tells me all the time that he thinks he looks like a geek with glasses. I happen to think he looks nice with them and without them, but I'm his mom and "that doesn't count".

So anyway, I guess my question is - has your child been really squeamish about things getting near his eye, but been able to get over it to wear contacts?

 

[Marseeya]

It's probably up to the optometrist.

I took my DS to get fitted for contacts when he was 13, but when it came time to try them on he couldn't do it. He was so squeamish about putting it on his eye. The technician was great and worked with him for over an hour, but it just wasn't happening.

 

[Nancy]

My daughter got hers at 13. She was playing sports and it was either contacts or these huge god awful looking sports goggles...(she couldn't wear her regular glasses) Youngest DD is 13, she will be getting hers over the summer.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

DH is an optometrist. He lets kids get contacts when they can handle them themselves. He says it is easier for girls because they are more used to touching around their eyes. DS started with his before high school, and he had been wearing glasses since he had been 2. He tried earlier but couldn't do it. It depends some on the prescription too because the lenses are different.

 

[chris1gill]

One word, YES.... Our son got contacts shortly after becoming a black belt last year at age 10... he was having trouble with kids aiming for his glasses in karate... so we did allow him to get contacts. It was the BEST thing we've done for this kid, his self esteem is WAY up... He has daily wear contacts that he just throws away at the end of the day. It took about two weeks for him to get used to putting them in and taking them out. He's a total pro. I say give your son the chance.... he'll either soon learn how to put them in and take them out, or he'll learn that he can't...

 

[disneynutt1225]

I got my contacts when I was in the 8th grade. My brother got his when he was in his first year of high school. If he's squeamish about things being in his eyes, it might be a little difficult for him to be able to do contacts. It all depends on whether the doctor thinks he can handle them or not, and whether you feel he's responsible enough to have them or not. The worst that can happen is he tries and he's not able to get used to them.

 

[Bearvet]

DS11 just got contacts a few months ago and he LOVES them. So much easier for sports and many other activities! We felt he was ready for the responsibility of caring for them and he has done a great job with it. The optomitrist spent over an hour teaching him how to put them in and take them out. The first few days were pretty tough for him, but he got the hang of it fairly quickly. He hates his glasses now!

 

[Servants of Evan]

I couldn't do it until I was in my 30's! The mere thought of something close to my eyes made me nauseous, and it was a bit of a problem the first month or so of wearing them. It took a very patient Optometrist’s assistant to help me. They had a basic rule that I think they all subscribe to: You have to be able to put in and take out your lenses by yourself twice in 10 minutes. I had no problem taking them out – to me that was a breeze, but putting them in was another story. As soon as my eye saw something getting close, it instinctively blinked and I wound up with my contacts on my eyelashes. It took some mental concentration to “turn off” that eye and just let it happen. Fortunately, now it’s no big deal…

 

[pixiepower1971]

My daughter got them at 9. She could of had them sooner but she had to be able to do it herself...docs orders. She finally got over her "fear" of putting her finger in her eye. She needed to for dance. Glasses on stage are a big NO!

She loves them and is very good with them. She NEVER wears her glasses now.

 

[disneygals]

We're trying these for the second time next month. My dd was a pro at putting them in, but had an itchy reaction to them. She's 11 now, we're going to try the one day disposables.

Good Luck

 

[salmoneous]

I was *extremely* squeamish about anything near my eyes. Used to drive my eye doctors nuts, as they couldn't get the dilation drops in during exams.

But I was determined to get rid of my geeky glasses before entering HS. It took 4 full days of trying and failing (4 painful, miserable days) but eventually I was able to do it.

If the kid is determined, they will find a way.

 

[golfgal]

The twins got their contacts a few months ago. DS was a bit squeamish about touching his eye so I had him practice putting his finger on his eye and counting to 2,3 then 5. He got used to it pretty quickly and does fine now. DD had no issues. Our ophtholmologist basically said that if they can handle putting them in and taking them out and cleaning them properly, she will let kids get contacts.

 

[katied]

THis was a while back, but I first got contacts at age 11 (one I was in middle school). I hated anything near my eyes, and they wouldn't let me out of the dr office until I could put them in and take them out. We spent over a hour there as I worked at it (but I was determined). I had worn glasses since age 6 and couldn't wait to wear contacts. There were a few mornings I was late to school due to contact problems, but I soon adjusted and have been wearing them for many years now. With disposables, etc., there's even less of a concern about kids destroying them or lossing one. When I was a kid, it was a big deal if something happened to one, because they were quite expensive to replace.