At What Age Can My Child Wear Contact Lenses?

As eye doctors in Coldwater, MS, one of the most common questions we’re asked is, “At what age can my child wear contact lenses?” There’s no definitive answer to this question since each situation is different. The answer depends on various factors, including the child’s age and level of maturity. However, other things come into play, too.

Assessing your Child’s Readiness to Wear Contact Lenses

Parents are the first ones to be able to assess whether their child is ready to wear contact lenses. Try to be as objective as possible when considering the following:

• Is your child able to follow instructions?
• Is your child generally willing to follow instructions without supervision?
• Does your child maintain good hygiene in other areas, such as brushing teeth, washing hands, cleaning after themselves in the toilet, etc.?
• Does your child take care of their possessions, such as putting toys away, hanging up clothes or putting them in the laundry basket, making their bed, etc.?
• Can your child keep track of their things, or do you find that they often lose or misplace things?

As you make the assessment at home with this checklist, bear in mind that these have no weight on whether your child is a “good” child or responsible. If your child doesn’t have the full skillset now, they may simply need more time to develop. Every child develops and matures at their own pace.

The Generally Acceptable Age

Most eye care professionals recommend waiting until a child is about 11 or 12 before fitting them with contact lenses. By this age, children are typically more responsible and better able to handle the daily maintenance required for contact lenses. However, this age recommendation is not set in stone, and some children may be ready to wear contact lenses earlier or later than others.

If you’re interested in pediatric contact lenses in Coldwater, MS, please book an appointment with us today. We can help assess whether your child is ready for this important step. And, if it turns out that contacts aren’t in the picture yet, we can help your child feel good about wearing glasses for a few more years!