Templates Dragon

If you’re one of the many parents of children who wear glasses, the question of contacts is bound to come up sooner or later. Before you make any decisions, though, your first stop should be in the office of your Austin eye doctor. They’ll be able to help you make the final choice.

The first aspect you should take into account is whether or not your child is actually ready to deal with contacts. While lots of parents are worried about giving their child contacts too early, most ophthalmologists will tell you that it’s not as much age as maturity that is a concern. In the physical sense, even the smallest children can deal with contacts, but the real step is making sure your child can insert them and remove them as necessary.

The second aspect that must be considered is the type of lenses that are best for your child. At one time, there were hard and soft lenses. These days, though, hard lenses are a thing of the past. Originally made from glass, hard lenses were created to be worn for short periods of time, and the drawbacks were immense. They didn’t allow oxygen to the eyes, creating some serious issues. These days, lenses come in two primary types – gas permeable lenses, which are the primary replacement for hard contact lenses, and soft contact lenses. Soft lenses have several categories, though. There are extended wear choices, daily disposables, and toric contact lenses. The best type for your child depends on both his or her vision as well as the child. Much of the decision will rely on your child’s unique needs. For example, if your child regularly engages in sports like swimming or water polo, daily disposable lenses may work out best. If you think they’d do well sleeping in the lenses, you may want to move forward with extended wear lenses. Keep in mind, though, that part of the best choice will rely on your child’s unique eye issues, so only an eye doctor can tell you what may work out best.

The third aspect you must consider is the cost of lenses. Naturally, there will be an initial cost involved for the exam and the lenses themselves, but if you move forward with disposable lenses of any type, there will be ongoing costs. Additionally, there will be costs throughout the year for solution, lens cases, and any additional cleaning materials your child’s lenses may need. It’s essential that you talk to your eye doctor about what kinds of ongoing costs you can expect for lenses. While you can reorder lenses through various online shops at a discounted rate, you’ll still have some cost involved, and understanding what to expect at the outset is essential.

Before you sit down to talk with your
ophthalmologist about the best contact lens choice for your child, it’s best to make a list of any questions both you and your child have to help make certain this transition will work out for all three of you.

Hill Country Eye Center
12171 W Parmer Lane Ste 201
Cedar Park, Texas 78613
(512) 528-1144