how old were your kids when they started wearing contact lenses?

[fac]

thank you for all the responses.
Getting contact lenses was my idea as I noticed she always took down her glassess during sports. She was excited when I told her about the contacts. I will check with the optometrist and will likely get her dailies if possible as she does need daily reminding. I will definitely get her a pair of backup glasses.

I am curious and concerned, were there any situations that your kids could not take out the lenses? what did you you do?

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

This is a timely thread for us. I took DS11 almost 12 to an appt this week to be taught how to put them in and take them out. He was so excited to get them. We got there and they sat us at a table in the optical dept which is essentially in the middle of the waiting area. So I know exactly what happened, he felt like every body was watching him, and he couldn't get them in. He tried three times and was embarassed and gave up, he refused to try anymore. I was so surprised because he's been begging for them for months. I came home and told Dh and he too was kind of surprised they sat him in the middle of everybody to try to teach him. All these folks waiting for their appts were watching him. Now I'm not sure what to do. He gave up so easily and has been upset about it for days. DH says a new doctor.....we also have the problems with sports, he broke a pair of glasses two weeks ago at soccer, he got hit in the face and has a little bruise too.

I PM'd you. Same thing with our son. Today was Day #3, and he finally got them in. Three tries is nothing. He worked on it in 20 min. sessions, and it took 3 days for one success. Each session he probably tried 20 times - and that was just to get it in one eye! He only got out of the office because the Dr. put one in one eye, then gave him an anesthetizing drop in the other eye, and he got it in.

He also can't stand anyone looking at him. So, best time to do this is NOT when you need to be somewhere. My attitude was - eventually you can do it, and it really doesn't matter if it takes hours, days, weeks, or months.

 

[Drkaito]

My daughter is 14 and began wearing contacts last year, when she was 13. She has handled them very well. She is very good about cleaning them and taking care of them.

 

[mollay]

I am curious and concerned, were there any situations that your kids could not take out the lenses? what did you you do?

Hey hey! I got my contacts when I was fourteen, in the 8th grade, and I just wanted to give some input based on my own experiences.

First of all, when I went to the optometrist to see about getting my contacts, they let you practice putting them in and taking the out. Well apparently my eyelid reflexes were really strong! And I wasn't able to get them out on my own. So the optometrist said he couldn't let me take home my contacts that day, I'd have to come back and practice another time. Once I showed that I could properly put in and take out my lenses, I was allowed to go home with them.

So I would say they'll probably make sure your daughter can get hers out properly on her own before they allow her to take the contacts home.

As for random instances, even now, I'm 18 years old and sometimes have trouble getting my contacts out once in a while! They'll never get completely stuck and it's impossible for them to get behind your eyeballs (I was always terrified of this!) But sometimes if it's no use you just have to take a minute to give your eyes a break and then try again. But there really shouldn't be a problem, it gets easier every time!

 

[DVCsince02]

Got mine the summer before high school started.

As you can see in my pic below, that was MANY years ago.

 

[carone0318]

Ha-ha-ha, my dd is the same. She is a competitive gymnast also and started wearing contacts when she turned 8. She has had them for almost 6 yrs now. When she first got them though she could easily get them out, but had difficulty getting them in, so I'd help her but after about 3 weeks she got it down. I'd make her try to put them in by herself and after she tried unsuccessfully then I'd step in to help. She takes good care of her eyes and has never had any problems related to her contacts.

My daughter got contacts when she was 8 years old. She completely takes care of them herself and has not had any problems. She is a competitive gymnast and the glasses just weren't working for her flipping around. She is completely responsible with them and has had them for over 2 years. She puts them in and removes them and has never had a problem, even the first time she put them in / out. She is not very squimish though!