My 8 year old wants contacts. Is it ok for her to get them?!

My 8 year old wants contacts. Is it ok for her to get them?

She is very responsible but hates her glasses. I think she would take care of them if she had them but is that to young? Do contacts have any bad effects on a child's developing eyes?

I usually find that the doctor will leave it up to the parents to decide at what age a child is ready for contacts. I taught an 8 year old boy to get them in and out, and he did better than a lot of adults that I worked with over the past 11 years that I've been an optician. The parents know the child better than anyone and if they feel the child is ready, and the parent to also make sure that the child is responsible, then why not??? I've seen some grown men and women who aren't responsible enough to wear contacts, so in my opinion, you can't use age as a gauge as when someone is responsible enough! LOL

A lot of parents find that getting contacts for their children is actually a lot easier, and safer, and cheaper than glasses. I've seen soooo many parents back with their kids' broken glasses 4 and 5 times a month. Or, if they aren't bring them in broken, they are totally bent out of shape, the lenses are scratched and the kids cannot wear them. Or, even still, the parents have to come in and buy replacement glasses for their children, which gets very costly.

Most children are less than thrilled with the idea of wearing glasses, even when they need them in order to see clearly. The parents have to threaten the children into wearing them a lot of the time because kids just DO NOT like to wear glasses (most of them, anyway) so by letting the child have contacts, you eliminate a lot of trouble and money and headaches associated with children and glasses. Replacing a box of disposable Acuvue lenses is FAR less expensive than replacing a $200 pair of glasses. Wouldn't you agree?

So, you know your child better than anyone else...if you think she's ready (and there is some responsibility that comes on your part, too, with allowing her to have them) and your doctor says that her eyes are healthy enough for contacts, IMO, I don't see any reason why she shouldn't be allowed to wear them. There really aren't any negative effects on her young eyes, other than the effects of NOT being responsible with the lenses (infection, ulcers - all things her doctor will discuss with you)

If you decide to go ahead with lenses, I would sit her down and tell her that you'll agree to the contacts, but as soon as it becomes apparent that she is abusing this privilege, you will take them away and she will go back to wearing the glasses. You must stress to her how important it is for her to listen to what the doctor tells her and that you will be checking up on her to make sure she is following the doctor's orders.

Good luck!!!