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At what age can my ward start wearing Contact Lenses?

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Childrens are different from adults as they have a different ocular surface a different configuration and slightly different physiology which is needed to be analyzed during contact lens fitting.

The second most parameter is that children do not allow/ cooperate well with the practitioner unlike the adults so contact lenses trials to assess the best fit cannot be conducted this makes fitting contact lenses in children a bit difficult.

But this fact does not stop optometrists from fitting contact lenses in children

Here are some instances when your optometrist  would prescribe contact lenses in children below the age of 5 years:

  1. High myopia(high minus power)

  2.  Moderate to high hyperopia( high plus power)

  3.  Moderate to high anisometropia( a large difference between the refractive powers of the two eyes)

  4.  Amblyopia( unilateral for bilateral vision loss since childhood due to stimulus deprivation or various other causes)

  5.  Nystagmus ( Rhythmic  oscillations  of the eye due to the inability to fixate at the object of interest)


There are certain points which your optometrist keeps in mind when fitting contact lenses in very young children ie., toddlers and preschool children:-

  • The cornea is vulnerable in this age group, so interfering with its physiology would be a bit risky.

  •  The eye is also in a growing phase like their body so proper refractive correction is needed to be given keeping in mind that the refractive correction will soon change since the eyeball shall be growing in size which has a significant relation with refractive errors.


Every advancement in science and technology has come up with its own set of pros and cons similarly so do contact lenses. Contact lenses are a gift in the field of vision science and it has several benefits over spectacle corrections, some of them are:-

  1. They provide a better visual field

  2.  They reduce the peripheral distortions which are so present in spectacle lenses

  3.  Fewer chances of them to hinder the process of emmetropization

  4.  Modern contact lenses also ensure hassle-free comfortability at a slightly higher price.

  5. They control squint in children better than spectacles.

Moreover, contact lenses are not only used to correct refractive errors but also in some cosmetic purposes, therapeutic purposes 


Contact lenses in some special cases in children

In cases of congenital cataract( Cataract since birth), ophthalmologists generally take out the cataractous natural lens and keep the pediatric patient aphakic( eye with no crystalline lens) because IOL  options are limited due to the fact that the eyeball shall be growing in the subsequent years. So contact lenses or spectacles are the only way to correct the refractive error. as I have already mentioned the several benefits of contact lenses over spectacles CLs are preferred also aphakic spectacles are usually around + 20 diopters, so they are quite heavy.

 Contact lenses in aphakic children thus form the largest part of pediatric contact lens practice.

Soft Contact Lens


Congenital Cataract


So the simple answer to the question at what age can my child wear  contact lenses Is

 that your child can wear contact lenses at any age depending on the conditions, disorders of the eye your ward has as per the decision of your optometrist.



Let me know if you have any questions in the Comment Section below.

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Happy Learning!

Comments

  1. Unknown29 January 2022 at 17:45

    It's really helpful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. PRANEET MISHRA29 January 2022 at 17:51

    It really helped with to clear some of my doubts

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown29 January 2022 at 18:24

      Being a future optometist, it's really very beneficial topic for us.

      Delete
  3. Optometrist advised about your eye health29 January 2022 at 19:30

    Perfectly explained in short and simple layman's way. Nicely presented...

    ReplyDelete

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