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

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

DD tried at 10, but it didn't work out. Doctor told her if she could get them in and out by herself she could continue with them. She had too much trouble getting them in.

Now at 12, she is fine. Cleanliness is the main issue, she is constantly leaving the cap open on the lens solution. She is also starting to wear eye makeup, so I have to stress cleanliness there and to keep the makeup from getting into her eyes.

We started early because her prescription changed too frequently and it is cheaper to change contacts than glasses.

 

[chanson2]

I got my contacts in the 6th grade as well - my lenses just kept getting thicker and heavier. Contacts were so much better, once I learned how to get them out! I had the hard kind, which are more forgiving if you drop them or leave them out overnight. (This was over 30 years ago) I know doctors don't all agree on this, but I feel having the contacts stabilized my eyes - before that my RX had been getting worse year after year.

On the other hand, DD would like to have contacts, but can't even touch her own eyeballs to get out lashes, ect. No way could she handle contacts - and she's 16! So it depends on your child, of course.

 

[Golf4food]

I started wearing contacts just before turning 14. Wish I had gotten them a little sooner. Middle school with glasses is no fun. Neither was elementary school, for that matter. This was the 90s, however, and they didn't do contacts for kids as much. Now days I guess you can get them much younger no problem. Most doctors just didn't do it back then.

 

[phins_jazy]

You guys have started to make me think. DD is 11 and has had glasses for 2 years. She'll be starting middle school next year. We go in for appointments in the morning. Maybe I'll see if she wants to get fitted for contacts too. She's a BMX rider and the goggles don't work the greatest over her glasses. I'm going to get fitted for contacts too. I wore them off and on for years. I've never tried swimming in them though. Is that possible? I was going to buy some prescription swim goggles but if I could wear contacts in the pool that would be awesome!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

My DD switched to daily contacts when she started 7th grade.

We found dailies worked really well for the first 6 months or so -- because you tend to lose/tear more when you're still adjusting to having them. If she lost one or messed it up and had to get another, she was only 1 day behind -- rather than 1 month behind.

After that initial get-used-to-it period, she has now switched to the monthly lenses and she loves them!

When DS got his contacts at 9 yo, he started out with the daily contacts also. It was easier for him to adjust to them at this young age just throwing them away everyday.

After 6 months, he switched over to the monthlys.

 

[Mickey & Minnie Mom]

Just before my son turned 9, he started Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT). Basically, he wears contacts but only at night.

While he sleeps, the cornea is reshaped to correct his vision. He wears them 3 nights per week.

The eye doctor told him that he needed to correct his vision, and to him, glasses were not an option. He plays sports, but really he just didn't want to deal with glasses all the time. That was his motivation for taking it seriously and learning how to put them in/take them out ... that and the amount of money it costs.

My husband had done CRT for a few years so we were familiar with the process and the results. DH could no longer stand his glasses (kids bending them, sports), could never get in to a routine with daily contacts and was afraid of Lasik.

The doctor said age 9 is the youngest she had done and it works as long as the child is motivated.

Good luck finding a solution that works for your child.

 

[Luvchefmic]

DD was 12 I don't wear glasses and have no clue about contacts, the eye dr taught her how to put them in & out, I made her understand I couldn't do it for her...she was very responsible

 

[tinkmom2]

My daughter has been wearing glasses since she was 2 and is in the 5th grade now. She doesn't want to wear her glasses and has broken two pairs since the beginning of the year. She's 10 but won't even let me change her earrings so I doubt she will enjoy sticking a contact on her eyeball. Right now she isn't showing much responsibility either.(Don't get me wrong she is a good kid) I told her if she wants them she has to take care of them 100 percent or she could go blind. I think we will be waiting a few years for contacts.

 

[jenlynn0808]

My DD12 plays select softball and just started wearing contacts this season. It's made a huge difference.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

My DS has had contacts for about 2 and 1/2 years now ~ he just turned 10, he doesn't wear them very often - I put them on/in and take them out/off. I decided to give it a try when a 4/5 year old in my DD's pre school class wore them every day!

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

My husband is an optometrist. When parents ask if their child is ready for contacts, he usually responds that if a child is responsible with other personal hygiene issues, he/she will probably be responsible with contacts. If you constantly have to remind them to brush their teeth, they probably aren't mature enough to properly care for contacts.

 

[m&m's mom]

My husband is an optometrist. When parents ask if their child is ready for contacts, he usually responds that if a child is responsible with other personal hygiene issues, he/she will probably be responsible with contacts. If you constantly have to remind them to brush their teeth, they probably aren't mature enough to properly care for contacts.

Our Dr started with that too but when she realized what a big difference contacts made in her vision, she approved at 8.
DD has been in glasses since 1 and the 5mm between glasses and her eyes were enough to distort her vision. She can see so much better with contacts.
I had contacts for 20 years so I put them in and took them out every day. We have only ever used Dailies. Would not consider anything else.
It was funny when she went to her Grandmothers. Her Grandmother knew nothing about contacts but had a Optometrist next door. That sweet lady came over every morning before she left for work and put in her contacts for almost all summer.
Took her a bit but she has been doing them on her own for years.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

I just started a thread like this on the community board!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2448708

We were at the fitting appt. yesterday with my son who just turned 12. We had sunk big $$ into Rec Spec's for baseball, but they keep fogging up on him. The appt. went well, but getting them in and out was very difficult for him. I knew it would be, so I took an as long as it takes approach. Once in, he loved them - so that's motivation. He got them out last night after about 20 min. of trying. We won't try again until today after school - he has a game tonight. I told him if they weren't in by 4, we would just try another time. So the jury is still out for us.

BTW - we were given 2 week disposables to try - how much more $ are the dailies?

Oh - here is another good thread! http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2262151

 

[jenlynn0808]

I just started a thread like this on the community board!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2448708

We were at the fitting appt. yesterday with my son who just turned 12. We had sunk big $$ into Rec Spec's for baseball, but they keep fogging up on him. The appt. went well, but getting them in and out was very difficult for him. I knew it would be, so I took an as long as it takes approach. Once in, he loved them - so that's motivation. He got them out last night after about 20 min. of trying. We won't try again until today after school - he has a game tonight. I told him if they weren't in by 4, we would just try another time. So the jury is still out for us.

BTW - we were given 2 week disposables to try - how much more $ are the dailies?

Oh - here is another good thread! http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2262151

They had DD go with the dailies, since they are mostly for softball (the dust/grime from the playing field). It cost me $45, for a box of 90. I only needed one box since DD has the same script in both eyes. (Can't say the same about my eyes.) Anyway I figure that is enough for 40 days, with 5 sets left for the still learning/getting used to them curve. I'm okay with that...scratch that...DH and I are ok with that.

 

[steph124ny]

My DD was about 10 when she got hers, but she is a competetive gymnast and glasses are not an option. She actually wears her glasses most of the time for school. But she is good with the contacts and they don;t bother her. Her glasses are "trendy" according to her...so maybe that's it! LOL!

 

[greenmyvalley]

I got my contacts at 14 and they were the bi-weekly kind. It didn't occur to me to get them sooner! I think 11 is a good age to start.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

Day #2 - and he can't get them in, wants to give up.
He won't let me do it either.

They just stick to his finger. The contacts do seem huge to me. Any ideas? Too much solution, more solution? We've looked at the your tube type videos over and over.

 

[ceecee]

I started them in 6th grade, so my eyes wouldn't get worse. Hard lenses...painful! Soft lenses don't stop the eyes from getting worse and back then they were hard. I have gas perm. now and DD wanted to try them when she was in 6th. She didn't do well at all and went back to glasses. Now she is 14 and wants to try them again.

 

[Huff]

My Dr. told me that the best age for contacts is when your child will clean their room, pick up after themselves and keep belongings put away without being told. In otherwords, contacts take some responsibility and if your child doesn't handle responsibility well yet then its best to wait.

 

[steph124ny]

Day #2 - and he can't get them in, wants to give up.
He won't let me do it either.

They just stick to his finger. The contacts do seem huge to me. Any ideas? Too much solution, more solution? We've looked at the your tube type videos over and over.

Contacts stick to whatever is wettest. So his finger must be dry and his eyeball wet. I used to teach people how to put them in at an eye docs office! Also, make sure he is touching just a tip of the edge of the contact to his eye and then sort of tipping it in. If you try to go straight at the eye with the contact, it will get air under it and fall out. Once it is on his eye, have hi wiggle his eye around to squish any air out...and then blink very slowly to not dislodge it.

HTH!!