There are some definite signs your child is ready for contact lenses that you can look for. It is a difficult decision for a parent to make; I know because I have been in that spot, too. These are some things that you want to look for to know if it is time to make the big switch that so many children do want to make. See if there are any signs your child is ready for contact lenses present in your child.
First of all, your child needs to want to get contact lenses. If they are perfectly happy wearing glasses, then contacts may not be for them. Contacts are a lot of work and your child needs to be ready to put in the time to take care of them. Wanting them is one of the signs your child is ready for contact lenses. If they don’t want to get them, you really don’t need to go any farther in making this decision.
Children usually go through a period of time in their tween years when hygiene is not important to them. This isn’t the case with all children but it does happen. If your child is not good with hygiene, it is best to hold off on contact lenses until they are. If you aren’t careful to be very clean in taking care of contact lenses, an eye infection or multiple eye infections are almost a certainty. Observe your child’s hygiene habits before you make this decision.
Is your child responsible? Responsibility is important when it comes to contacts. You need to be able to keep up with your contacts and all of the needed products that go along with them. You need to be able to take care of them and clean them the way they need to be cleaned. This is another factor to consider.
How is your child doing on maturity? Maturity matters, too. Your child may be responsible but immature. How does your child measure up on the maturity scale? Are they mature enough for contacts?
How does your child feel about their glasses? They may hate wearing them and having to take care of them. They may worry over scratches that could occur. They may play sports and their glasses get in the way. Those are all factors that go into considering contact lenses.
Your child may be responsible but not feel ready to handle all that contact lenses require. Some of this should definitely be your child’s decision. Get their input on the subject. Talk to them about what they are taking on when they get contact lenses. Make sure they feel ready for this responsibility.
This is a very important factor. What does your child’s eye doctor think? Are they mentioning contacts yet? Be sure to get their opinion. It is possible that contacts wouldn’t even work well for your child's eye problems.
It is important to consider all of these factors before making your decision. Is this something you are facing or have recently faced with your child? I would love to hear your stories.