Would you let your 10yod (almost 11) get contact lenses?

[Mamabegood]

She's very responsible, but I'm wondering if she's not a bit too young. :cool:

[MaryM]

We did let our ds get them when he was 9. His eyesight was really slipping, wearing glasses cut into soccer at the time and the doc did a wonderful job of explaining cleanliness and sticking to daily procedures. IT's worked GREAT! We went for the disposables you could wear overnight but NEVER let him do that.

I think if would work even better with a responsible young lady!

Mary

[ELaurie]

What does your eye doc recommend?

[Mamabegood]

We haven't asked him yet. She just asked me this morning if she could get them. :)

[RoughCollie]

Two of our sons got contacts at age 12. One has the disposable kind and this works out very well. The other one has constantly had problems getting his contacts in and never wears them.

We checked with their ophthalmologist first.

RC

[Karen sn]

I second Mary M.
I think I would consider it if dd needed it for some activity.
And I'm so paranoid about artifical plastic anything - let alone on the eyeball - that
I would probably only let her do it for a few hours here and there at first.
FUNNY......I just realized that I would recommend disposables. And we had a thread earlier regarding consumer culture and I totally felt that I would lean more toward the group in this world who reuses. I too have rinsed my plastic bags. Hung inside out and placed over a wine botle they dry very well.

But eyballs are a different story......Unless I did the research and discovered otherwise, I would assume that a disposable contact made in the USA would be more sterile than one floating around in some plastic container in my kid's bathroom.
I think I would be more leary though of disposables made in China (IYKWIM).

[Lorna in the boonies]

My daughter got them when she turned 12 (her choice). It took a few days for her to get used to them, but now she loves them and doesn't ever want to go back to glasses.

I don't know why a responsible almost-11 year old couldn't handle it (as opposed to my own 11 year old, who would not be a good candidate!).

[Stirsmommy]

My dd got them a few months before turning twelve. She wanted them because she hated wearing glasses or goggles on the soccer field but couldn't see down the field without them. She too is quite responsible. She has done very well. Actually her big bro had a harder time learning to get his one (yes, only one eye needs it) than she did.
melissa

[Volty]

Pardon me for the stoopid question, but I've never worn nor needed contacts.

I'm curious why this is an issue, is it cleanliness or are there some sort of irresponsble or neglegent thing that requires special care that 10y/os may not be able to handle?

Also I saw an episode of House were one of his numbskull clinic patients was trying to pull out his cornea...

[Rebecca in VA]

My dad hated the sight of me in glasses, and he talked me into getting them. They were hard contacts, the kind people wore in the late 1960s. They often slipped around in my eyes, and I lost them several times -- what else can you expect from a fifth grader? -- but I'm glad I got them. I wouldn't hesitate to let my children get them.

[Robin in Tx]

My dd wanted them at 11, and I was willing to let her try. But when put them in her eyes, she fainted. They had to wait until she came to to get the contacts out. Taking them out made her throw up. It was not a good day. And she was so pumped up for contacts and couldn't wait to get them. If she could have managed to put them in and take them out, I would have allowed it, but I'm afraid that by letting her try them too young she will never have the courage to try them again. That's my only regret.

Good luck!
Robin

[Karen sn]

I love House.

[strider]

In my case, my eyes were degenerating at a really rapid rate. We had tried bifocal glasses to no effect. Gas permeable contacts slowed the rate of change in my eyes quite dramatically. If my child had a thick prescription I would not hesitate for a moment to get contacts--the ability of the lens to correct and train the eye is pretty amazing.

[kRenee]

Yes, absolutely. My responsible 10 dd has done just fine with contacts - keeps them clean, etc.

[imeverywoman]

I've been wearing them since I was that age and it was a wonderful gift that my mother gave me. It allowed me to regain some self-esteem that had long been teetering due to my weight and wearing super thick eyeglasses, etc.

Kids will surprise you.

Best to you! :)

[Colleen]

Theoretically, no, I wouldn't let a child that age wear contacts. (I say, "theoretically" because I've not been faced with the decision.) I've worn glasses since age 20 or so ~ once my vision went south, it went rapidly. Without corrective lenses of some sort, I'm lost. I primarily wear glasses. I think they're cool, although in this country there's still a stigma (ha! no pun intended) about glasses. I primarily wear my contacts when I do sports ~ running and skiing. I don't think contacts are particularly healthy for my eyes. I wouldn't want my kids to wear them at such a young age, and I wouldn't want to encourage the idea that there's something "less than" about glasses. And these days, the lenses do *not* have to be Coke bottles.

[cricket1178]

My ds got contacts at 13. He played sports and it made his life much easier. He still lost one now and again, but he was constantly breaking his glasses. My 11 yo dd wears glasses for reading only. If she wore them full-time, I would let her have contacts because I now wear glasses for driving and they are a pain to deal with. However, some people prefer glasses.

[Liz CA]

I wouldn't want my kids to wear them at such a young age, and I wouldn't want to encourage the idea that there's something "less than" about glasses. And these days, the lenses do *not* have to be Coke bottles.

with maintenance and a young child would have to be shown or helped with contacts. I have worn them since I was eighteen. I have glasses for back-up but honestly for the most part it's much easier to have contacts.

I would let a child have contacts with some stipulations. They have to be taken out every night and not be of the extended wear variety. They have to be cleaned every night. They should be the most oxygen permeable kind available. I could not imagine my son doing everything he does with glasses. For adults, it's a slightly different issue since most don't ordinarily climb trees, and play ball, ride horses and rough around all day.

[Amy in Orlando]

Pardon me for the stoopid question, but I've never worn nor needed contacts.

I'm curious why this is an issue, is it cleanliness or are there some sort of irresponsble or neglegent thing that requires special care that 10y/os may not be able to handle?

Also I saw an episode of House were one of his numbskull clinic patients was trying to pull out his cornea...


I got contacts at 11 because I was a serious gymnast and also seriously nearsighted. For the first 1-2 years, my mom monitored me putting in, taking out, washing the lenses. But, for me, I would have done anything to keep them. They were magic! I could see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

None of my boys need glasses but if one of them were as remotely blind as I was at 10, I'd go for the contact lenses. There really is a huge difference in how you see and approach the world.

[angela in ohio]

I have an appointment for my 11 yo to be fitted for them. She will get 2-week disposables. Our doctor said his age limit is 12 or a responsible 11 yo. I got mine at 13, and I wasn't very good at cleaning them, but with the disposables, I am not as concerned about dd having them younger.

[Colleen]

None of my boys need glasses but if one of them were as remotely blind as I was at 10, I'd go for the contact lenses. There really is a huge difference in how you see and approach the world.

I so prefer to wear glasses over contacts. One reason I'd never have corrective eye surgery (or whatever you call it) is because I wouldn't want to give up glasses.:) I'm glad I can wear contacts on some occasions, but they don't make a huge difference for me in terms of how I see and approach the world. Guess it just depends on the person.

[Jan in SC]

I would let her try them. My 7 yo ds just tried them and decided to wait another year or two. He plays several sports that are difficult to play when wearing glasses. He received several stitches from them when he ran into something while wearing them! (That does sound really clumsy!) However, he doesn't mind how they look in any way.

[Melinda in VT]

We let our 12 yo son get daily disposable contacts for his birthday, but only on the condition that he not wear them every day. Frankly, I'm just not confident he would remove them every night, not sleep in them, etc.

He is allowed to wear them for skiing (about two days a week) and parties (about once a month).

I got gas permeable contacts in high school, but found them so uncomfortable that I just never wore them. I switched to soft contacts in college and loved them. I have no problem with the way glasses look, but I don't like how they feel. I'm a much more confident, energetic person when I'm wearing my contacts.

[Mamabegood]

I think we'll give it a try. I wore contacts myself for several years, but had to give them up due to dry eyes. Back then, it was a high maintenance activity, but it sounds like there is a lot less to it now.

I always enjoyed the freedom contact lenses gave me--no worry about breaking them, smearing them, losing them, all the adjustments, etc. Not perfect, but at least the baby wouldn't consider it his sworn duty to rip them off my face like he does with my glasses. :p

Thanks for all the replies. :)

[Jenny in Atl]

I'm interested in the cost of contacts vs. glasses. My 12dd just got her first pair; her near sightedness and astigmatism are mild. She does do a lot of plays (drama) and physical activities, and she is always taking the glasses off for those. I'm just thinking as her vision gets worse, which it may or may not, would contacts be much more expensive.