Many parents worry that their teenager may lack the necessary skills for contact lens wear. They worry about lost lenses, poor hygiene and other problems. Modern lens products have greatly reduced the necessity for these concerns. With a large supply of inexpensive disposable lenses and a simple one bottle cleaning system, most teens can thrive with contacts. There is nothing like the smile of a young person who has just been “released” from glasses.
In my practice, the main criteria for fitting a child with elective contact lenses is motivation. If the young person is motivated, they will almost invariably do well. Most of the failures I have seen occur when the parent is pushing for contacts. This happens when the parent is trying to boost sports performance or may occur simply because the well-meaning parent is so happy with their own lenses.
Using modern contact lens methods with a motivated young person is a great way to increase confidence and visual performance.
