Can My Child Wear Contact Lenses?

Have you thought about the possibility of contact lenses for your child, but maybe dismissed the thought assuming that they are too young? Contact lenses may be a viable option for your child and here are some questions and answers to help you decide:

Question: Does a child's prescription need to be stable before they can be fit with contact lenses? 

No. Most prescriptions continue to change as a child grows, and contact lenses can change with it. Children are often fit with daily disposable contact lenses, and any prescription changes can be easily updated.

Question: Can children handle wearing contact lenses?

Yes. Even young children can be fit with contact lenses. With appropriate instruction, most children can put contact lenses in their eyes and remove them easily. Children are also just as capable as looking after their contact lenses as an adult. An Optometrist will always consider a number of factors with a child's family to decide if contact lenses are appropriate, such as the child's maturity, their current activities and motivation to wear them.

Question: How do I know if contact lenses are a better option for my child than glasses? 

Ask yourself a few questions to help you decide. Is my child bothered by wearing glasses? Is my child responsible enough to care for contact lenses? Would contact lenses be easier for them during their sports and activities? Would their social quality of life be better with contact lenses instead of glasses?

Question: Is it safe for a child to wear contact lenses?

Absolutely, as long as they have been prescribed and fit by a regulated eye care professional such as an Optometrist.

REMEMBER - In Ontario, only a regulated health care or medical professional can prescribe and dispense contact lenses. Contact lenses are a medical device and as such, anyone wearing contact lenses should receive regular exams and follow-up care to ensure that they are dong well.

Milton Optometry recommends comprehensive eye exams every year, and welcomes infants, toddlers and children of all ages to our family-friendly office! Visit www.miltonoptometry.ca or phone 905-636-9500 to reserve an appointment for your family.       

 

Milton Optometry educates momstown Milton moms about Child Vision

How much do you know about your child's vision?

Parents, test your "Eye-Q"! 

As many as 1 in 6 children has a vision problem serious enough to impact their learning and development. TRUE! Often parents are totally unaware.  

My child will tell me if he or she has a vision problem. FALSE! Children under 9-10 years old do not know what normal vision is and assume they are seeing well.  

A vision screening performed in a school is the same as an eye exam done at an Optometry office. FALSE! School vision screenings can help identify children with vision problems but are very basic and are NOT the same as a comprehensive eye health exam. 

Conditions such as lazy eye (amblyopia) should be corrected by age 6 in order to have the best chance of correcting the problem. TRUE! If eye problems like lazy eye or turned eye (strabismus) are detected early, there is an excellent chance they can be fully corrected.

Rubbing eyes, squinting or tilting head to one side are all symptoms of a possible vision problem in your child. TRUE! These are noticeable problems. Other less obvious things such as avoiding close work, sitting close to the TV and hand-eye coordination problems are also signs.  

Babies are not able to have a full eye examination. Only children who can read letters are able to have one. FALSE! Babies as young as 6 months of age should be examined by an Optometrist. Children do not have to be able to read to have an eye exam.

Children should have their eye examined only when they say they are not seeing well. FALSE! It is recommended that children have their eyes examined annually by an Optometrist. 

After an eye examination, a parent should know if their child's eyes are coordinated, see colour and have good depth perception. TRUE! A comprehensive eye exam will tell you all of these things.

An optometrist, ophthalmologist and my family doctor all have different roles in helping my child's vision. TRUE! Family doctors are often one of the first professionals to see a child and recommend an eye exam with an Optometrist. Optometrists are primary eye care providers that perform full eye health examinations and prescribe medications when necessary. Ophthalmologists are eye surgeons.

As much as 80% of learning in the early years is visual. TRUE! Vision plays a HUGE role in the growth and development of a child's brain.

Bring your child into Milton Optometry today for a full comprehensive eye examination! It is full insured by OHIP for all children under 19 years.

www.miltonoptometry.ca

 

 

 

Dr Phil will be conducting an in-office tour for our momstown members on March 15th and July 9th. He will also be joining us as a guest speaker at our Baby Basics program on May 8th to educate our moms and to address any questions they might have.

 

momstown Milton offers a variety of info sessions and educational seminars throughout the year. If you are a business that would like to participate in our sessions please contact sam.kassam@momstown.ca. If you are not a member yet please click here to register for a 6 week FREE trial membership.