Please welcome a guest post from Maria Grieco of LensShopper.com. I have to admit, I never thought that it was even possible to put children in contacts.
Are Contact Lenses Safe For Children And Do They Improve Self Esteem?
Nowadays, the wearing of glasses do not appear, on the surface, to have much stigma attached to it. The vast array of colorful, trendy, glamorous frames can even make some children welcome the prospect. Times have changed since, for example, the 1970′s where the only choices were black or brown.
There have also been scientific advances since the 1970′s. One of the biggest challenges facing parents, today, is when to allow their child to wear contact lenses. Common thinking has been that contact lenses are only suitable for older children and teenagers. However, the eye can actually cope with using contact lenses when the child is still very young. Some babies are fitted with contact lenses. Although this is only done if an eye condition is diagnosed when the baby is born.
Myopic vision or short sightedness is the most common eye condition amongst children. However, a recent study surveyed five hundred children with myopic vision between the ages of seven and eleven. Some children wore prescription contact lenses whilst others wore glasses. The survey concluded that there was nothing to suggest prescription contact lenses damaged the children’s eyes. Both eye corrective treatments worked, and were safe.
There appears to be no medical reason why children should not wear contact lenses.
The wearing of contact lenses is a huge responsibility for a child. The decision should be based on whether the child is emotionally and psychologically mature. A survey conducted by Prof. Jeffrey Wallen concluded that children thought the wearing of contact lenses, as opposed to glasses, improved their own self image and helped them feel more accepted by their peers. Professor Wallen argued that children should be allowed to wear contact lenses to better their self esteem. However, self esteem should not be determined by whether a child can ‘fit in’. A child should be taught to accept themselves for who they are, and not be encouraged to conform to a looks and beauty driven society.
It is up to a parent to decide whether their child’s motives for wanting contact lenses are correct. A parent also needs to make sure the child is responsible enough. A parent should look at a child’s behavior in other areas, such as, taking the trash out, doing their homework on time etc. Looking at these areas might be good pointers in deciding if your child is mature enough for contact lenses. It is ultimately a parent’s individual choice and should not be made without consulting an eye doctor. Whatever a parent decides, the freedom always exists to change his/her mind.
Great post! Thanks, Maria.
If you’d like to submit a guest post to Earnest Parenting, please contact me and we’ll talk about it.
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Tags: contacts, glasses, responsibility, self-esteem, style
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The new research suggests that 8- to 11-year-olds can handle the responsibility of contact lenses just as well as their older peers. A three-month study included 10 nearsighted children who wore daily disposable contact lenses. By the end of the study, nine of the children had little to no problems with handling the lenses. So dear parents permit your children use it, it’s more comfortable for them.
Ambyr Amoureuse´s last blog ..Notre première fois
I’ve never thought of a child wearing contact lenses either and I’m not sure if I’d be comfortable with my kids wearing them. As Maria suggested, I’d just make sure they were responsible enough.
A child should be free to get dirt in his eyes or so I think because I believe that as much as possible they should be exposed to this kind of thing so that in their own way they can learn through their mistakes and also I am a firm believer that you get stronger by being exposed to various elements…
I don’t think contact lenses are much safer for children. Let the children be free as southampton said. That will be much better for the children’s self growth.
[...] Excerpt from: Guest Post – Are Contact Lenses Safe for Children? – Earnest Parenting [...]
Children can definitely do this but always–no exceptions, with an adult supervision. Something might go wrong if they are to manage their contact lenses all the time. Until they’ve grown up enough, I think they should be monitored, the risk of damaging their eyes further is more likely to occur with improper contact lens use than a little teasing from their playmates.
Regards,
Cha
Eyes is really important, children must have good eye sight. If it is prescribe by ophthalmologist to use contact lenses instead of eye glass I believe that it will do boost their self confidence.
plyometric training ´s last blog ..Basketball Guard Net 30 Foot
good post
Dentists in Brighton
The decision to allow a child to wear contact lenses instead of glasses is not an easy one. There is a lot of responsibility attached to it. Your post mentioned babies that can be fitted for contact lenses. There is an article on Children's Hospital Boston's blog, Thrive, about a mother's struggle to learn how to put contacts lenses in her children's eyes. There is a great instructional video that goes with it. Here is the link – http://childrenshospitalblog.org/one-mothers-st...
I have had contacts since I was 10… I am now 30. Yes, I lost some and yes I scratched my eyes.. but after a couple times, I learned some amazing responsibility. My 7 year old would be responsible enough for contacts, but my 10 year old would not. You have to decide based upon your own child.
Kelli @ 3 Boys and a Dog´s last blog ..What’s Your Passion?
Great point, Kelli. I personally will not ever do contacts because I can’t stand anything touching my eyes. So no worries for me about remembering to manage them, lol. It’s nice too that prices are lower and the cost of losing a set isn’t as high as it used to be.
My 9 year old wants contacts so much and has two half hour sessions to try to teach him how to insert them he has yet to do this successfully. He is starting to get a bit thinking that he may end up not getting contacts. In his own words he says they would change his life has anybody got any suggestions on how he can learn the techinique
I have a great tip for parents whose children wear contact lenses. Your child will never forget their replacement schedule with a new device called LensAlert. It is sold at Target stores. It keeps track of lens and lens case schedules. Yes – lens cases need to be pitched monthly. Fungus grows in cases and you can’t do anything about it other than throw it away and start with a fresh case monthly. LensAlert is a digital timer that sits on you sink. You just set your lens schedule (I wear 14-day Acuvue) and set your case schedule (30). Every 24 hours the device counts down one day. It is automatic you don’t have to do anything. At zero days the Zero flashes so that you know it is time for replacement. It has a little dish attached where you can hold your case. It is really a good design and it was under ten bucks at Target and included 3 contact lens cases. So that is a really good deal. But the best thing is the peace of mind that you get knowing that you are being safe with your eye health. For kids who wear contact lenses – it’s a no brainer. You don’t have to worry any more. Tip of the week or year!
[...] Are Contact Lenses Safe for Children?: One blogger takes a look at this important question. Although glasses do not have quite the stigma attached to them they once held, contacts still seem to be very popular with teens and college students. [...]