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I was 17 when I got mine, but I was wondering if it's earlier these days. I have a sixth grader who seems to not want to wear her glasses in school and she needs to.
I think it is up to the parents. But, if the issue is to help her, maybe it's time for your child. Lots of self-esteem, and separation individualization going on at that age. They do have some awesome frames now too. Check coastal lenses.com. She could shop and pick out her own frames, really reasonable prices. All you'll need is her prescription, you can get that by calling her eye doctor. I spent only 118.00 on my last pair and I also have astigmatism and bifocals. They also sell contacts.
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I would be really interested in this as well. My daughter wears glasses (which she picked out) but has been clammoring for contacts for quite a bit. Right now, I don't think she is ready. She can't even take some pills without mass drama or attend to some basic hygiene properly. I can't even imagine getting her into a routine of cleaning them, taking them out, putting them in, etc. I would think a few more years and we will revisit the issue. She is only 12.
It depends on the kid. My 11 year old niece really needs glasses for school, but she kept losing them or breaking them. I pushed to get her into contacts and took her to the Dr. for the fitting.
She's a little of a freak because she can touch her eyes, other people can touch her eyes, etc without her blinking so it was pretty much a non event and she's been wearing them problem free for months. I did practice with her (after having her wash her hands) having her touch her eyes in the weeks leading up to the appointment though. It's been a little expensive but so worth it!
She uses dailies, as most kids do, no cleaning, just in in the morning and 12 hours later in the garbage they go.
It used to also be a medical consideration as reputable opthalmologists wouldn't give contacts to a child that's too young. The eyeball is still growing and getting contacts too soon may affect proper development but I guess modern contacts are better made for that sort of thing? I didn't get mine until I was 18 but that was a couple of decades ago . I can say that it absolutely changed my life!
All three of my boys got them in 5th grade. They had to sit in the eye doctor's office and practice taking them in and out by themselves. The oldest boy had a problem with that, but he was determined to wear the contacts, so he persevered. The younger two got the entire process immediately.
Doctor's don't have an issue prescribing them for pre-teens. You just have to make sure your child is ready for the necessary care regimen that is required.
I got mine when I was 7. I wore soft lenses until I was 11, and then I got gas permeable lenses, which were a little more difficult to get used to.
One thing I can say about preteens, hygiene and motivation...my 5th grader finally made the connection between washing her face twice a day and not getting pimples, and now she's washing her face without me having to tell her to. So basically when they want something badly enough, they can keep up with it. I would have no problem getting contact lenses for her, but so far she's happy with her glasses and she's scared of things touching her eyeball.
I got contacts in middle school. Wearing glasses often becomes cumbersome, difficult, and inconvienient, and contacts makes it so much easier. Now they have the ones you don't have to take out every day, which they didn't have when I was a kid. I always had a habit of falling asleep in them. Now I don't have to worry about it, although I don't mind wearing glasses so much now as I did when I was younger.
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. I can say that it absolutely changed my life!
