Whenever it comes to matters related to children, the grown ups are usually more apprehensive and careful. Naturally, when your child asked for colored contacts, the first question that would come into parents’ minds is, “Can kids wear colored contacts?” So, are colored contacts safe for children? The answer is yes, provided you have follow the below.
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At What Age Can Kids Wear Colored Contact Lens??
“Age is not the issue, it’s the matter of maturity”, says Bernard P. Lepri, O.D., M.S., M.Ed., an FDA optometrist in the agency’s Contact Lens and Retinal Devices Branch. In addition, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children can safely wear contacts as long as the adults show them how to wear and care for the contacts. With that, we can safely say that a child’s age is not the determining factor whether a child can wear colored contacts or not. There is no fix age to introduce your kid to colored contact lenses. To make this important decision, parents need to first make sure the child is able to handle responsibility and follow the appropriate instructions on wearing colored contact lens.
Accessing a Child’s Readiness
Today’s advancement in technology has enabled colored contact lenses to be made for nearly everyone regardless of which age bracket they fall into. When considering colored contact lens for your child, make sure you look at:
- The child’s ability to understand instructions
- The child is matured enough to handle responsibilities
- The child’s hygiene habits
- Remember to also consult qualified eye doctors to assess if the child is the right candidate for colored contact lens
Positive Impacts of Colored Contact Lens for Children
- There are a few studies showing that contact lenses may be helpful to slow down the advancement of myopia (near-sightedness) in children compared to the use of glasses.
- Children are less prone to dry eyes, making them the suitable candidate to wear colored contacts.
- Children who are involved in sports will find wearing contact lenses more convenient and safer compared to wearing glasses. This is because glasses may risk falling off, fog up and potentially cause sports accident.
- Wearing colored contact lenses may boost a child’s self-esteem especially for a child in his or her teens when self-image becomes important. Wearing glasses may subject them to victims of bully in school and affect their morale.
- Children who feel better about themselves tend to perform better in schools, academically and socially.
Issues and Risks of Colored Contact Lens for Children
There are a few issues and risks involving colored contact lens wearing for children, teens, and even adults alike. We listed a few here for your reference:
- It is not recommended for children to wear colored contact lens over an extended period of time, including sleeping. Even if the colored contact lens is labelled for extended wear, children’s eye may be deprived of oxygen if left overnight on the cornea.
- Although the risk of contact lens-related infection can be lowered if parents and children care for the lenses properly. However, we cannot dismiss the possible risk such as keratitis.
- Allergic reactions from wearing unfit colored contact lenses.
- Corneal abrasions or scratches in the cornea due to accidents or improper wearing.
- Acute red eye or irritation caused by contact lenses.
- Contact lens induced dry eyes. Some inferior quality colored contact lenses available online block the flow of oxygen to the cornea. It is important to purchase soft colored contact lens made from silicone hydrogel from reputable retailer.
- Neovascularization which is having new blood vessels growing onto the cornea, causing the eyes to appear read.
- Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis. Bumps that appear underneath the eyelid and causing discomfort.
Read More: Can Contact Lenses cause Subconjunctival Hemorrhage?
Before Purchasing Colored Contact Lenses for Your Child
Pay A Visit to Your Eye Doctor
Now that you have the basic knowledge of contact lenses for children plus the risks involved, you and your child are planning to get his or her first colored contact lens. Before you dive right in to order a pair, you need to schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist or qualified eye doctor for a thorough assessment. Let the doctor determine your child’s eye health and the suitability of wearing colored contact lens. The doctor can also suggest the appropriate brands or types of colored contact lenses for your child.
Get the Correct Prescription
Make sure your child’s prescription is an updated one. If your child wears glasses before, be sure to get a separate prescription for contact lens as it is not the same as the prescription for glasses.
Read More: How to Read Contact Lens Prescription and Get It Right
Commitment from Parent and Child
Besides that, both parent and child must be ready to uphold the responsibilities of wearing and caring for the colored contact lenses. It is extremely important to adhere to the proper guidelines for wearing contact lenses and perform the correct cleaning to avoid contamination that can damage the eyes. Your child may be responsible enough to follow the instructions but parents’ supervision remains crucial.
Types of Contact Lens
The best bet to start your child’s journey with colored contact lens is to introduce him or her with daily disposable colored contact lenses. Once the transitional phase is over, the child may be open to other options available depending on the lifestyle and preferences. Daily disposable lenses limit the use of cleaning solutions and tools, eliminating the steps and also minimises the health risk related to contact lens.
Furthermore, daily disposable colored contact lenses are the most comfortable contacts as there is almost zero contamination or protein build-up, which is common in monthly or yearly disposable contact lenses especially when proper cleaning and handling are neglected. Discuss the options with your eye doctor if you find yourself in the dilemma.
Buy from Trusted Retailer
Another very important step is to always purchase colored contact lenses from trusted retailer. If you are buying colored contact lenses online, be sure to check if the colored contact lenses you are about to order are medically certified and FDA approved. Remember, your eye health should always be your top priority, not the pricing.
Conclusion
Finally, colored contact lenses are relatively safe for children If you and your child have got all the areas covered. Hop over to Uniqso, one of the largest online retailers for colored contact lenses to check out our huge collection of medically certified contacts from popular and reputable brands. We also stock special contact lenses such as cosplay and sclera lenses for different occasions use. Enjoy amazing discounts and seasonal promotions when you shop at Uniqso.
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