Teens and Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are a medical device which require a prescription … even if they are not for vision correction. When you have an eye exam, your eye care professional will assess the health of your eyes and also check for nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. While you look at an eye chart, your eye care professional will measure your vision precisely, and, if necessary, determine a prescription for corrective lenses.

If corrective lenses are needed, it’s also a matter of determining if you’re “ready” for contacts. This may not be based on any sort of age guidelines – only your willingness to care for and wear lenses properly. If you feel you will be able to responsibly wear and care for your lenses, then talk to your parents about setting up an appointment with your eye care professional to discuss options. It’s up to you and your parents and your eye care professional to determine if you’re ready for this responsibility.

Proper wear and care

Contact lenses are designed for specific wearing times. Depending on what’s best for your eyes, your eye care professional may recommend a lens designed for daily replacement, or a lens designed for frequent/planned replacement.

·         Daily disposable wear - the contact lens is discarded after each removal

·         Frequent/Planned Replacement - the contact lens is cleaned, rinsed and disinfected each time it is removed from the eye and discarded after the recommended wearing period prescribed by the eye care professional. 

It’s really important to follow the replacement schedule your eye care professional gave you – it tells you when you need new lenses. Following it will help keep your eyes healthy and comfortable – so make sure you stick to it.

What Makes a Great First Contact Lens?

Many eye care professionals recommend daily disposable contact lenses for first-time teen wearers. Daily disposable lenses are worn once and thrown away. Talk to your eye care professional about what is best for your eye care needs; they will determine the best prescription and as long as you follow a proper wear and care regimen, you will likely succeed.