Children and Contact Lenses

Children can safely and successfully wear contact lenses if they care for them properly. This often means having the support of a parent or other adult to help encourage healthy wear and care behaviors and reduce the risk of eye infections and other complications.

Children Can Successfully Wear Contact Lenses

Contact lenses can provide improved vision and other benefits for a wide spectrum of ages—including children ^1-3. Children may experience benefits of contact lens wear beyond seeing better. Wearing contact lenses may improve children’s perceptions of their physical appearance compared with wearing glasses, and increase their confidence both in social interactions and in their ability to participate in athletic activities ^2, 4, 5.

Contact Lenses are Not Risk-Free

Regardless of the wearer’s age, contact lenses are medical devices and are not risk-free ⁶. Contact lenses have been linked to serious eye infections and other types of complications. Contact lenses are a safe and effective form of vision correction for children, teenagers, and adults, as long as they are worn and cared for properly ^{2, 3, 7, 8}.

Parents Play an Important Role

Children often depend on their parents or other adults for medical care. Parents play an active role in the day-to-day safety and health of their children, which includes vision and eye health—especially when it comes to the use of contact lenses. In addition to parental supervision, a child’s level of maturity, motivation to wear contact lenses, and personal hygiene are all things to consider. It is important for both parents and children to understand that they share in the responsibility to wear and care for contact lenses successfully.

Contact lenses are not the only option for vision correction, and parents who are considering contact lenses for their children should consult with an eye doctor to decide which option is most appropriate. All contact lens wearers should follow these healthy contact lens use tips.