If your child is currently wearing eyeglasses, there's a good chance that he or she will eventually ask to ditch them in favor of contacts (if he or she hasn't asked already). After all, many children reach an age where they're embarrassed by their glasses and will go out of their way to not wear them in public.
At the same time, many parents are skeptical about letting their children make the switch to contacts because they're not sure their children are ready for the responsibility. As a parent, however, there are a few signs you can be on the lookout for that indicate it might be time to let your child try contacts. (for more information about contacts, contact Envision Eyecare - Dr. Erika Duggan and Dr. Marilyn Lehrner)
Your Child is Good About Personal Hygiene
First of all, understand that caring for contacts is extremely important. This involves making sure they're stored in a closed container and ensuring that they're kept clean with a special disinfecting solution. If your child has good hygiene habits (for example, your child brushes his or her teeth without you asking or doesn't complain about bathing), then this could be a sign that he or she is responsible enough to take care of contact lenses.
Your Child Takes Care of Glasses
Of course, for many parents, the hesitation regarding contacts comes with the fact that they can be a lot more expensive than eyeglasses. If your child loses his or her contacts, you might have to pay a pretty penny to replace them. However, if your child has done a good job of taking care of his or her eyeglasses all this time (they're always kept in a case when not in use, they're wiped clean when they get dirty, etc.), then you probably have nothing to worry about.
Your Child is Involved in Sports
Finally, if your child is involved in sports, then you may really have no choice but to let your child make the switch to contacts. This is especially true if your child plays a high-contact sport, such as basketball or soccer. Otherwise, it's only a matter of time before your child's glasses are going to get damaged during a game and you're going to have to spend hundreds of dollars to replace them. By letting your child wear contact lenses (even if it's only during sports practice or games), you can avoid the hassle and expense of having to replace broken frames or missing lenses.
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