When are kids old enough to wear contacts?

Glasses are pretty cool these days. They come in a variety of colors and shapes, they’re easy to wear, and they look downright adorable on kids. But if your child is active in sports or simply wants to see what life is like beyond glasses, you may be wondering if it’s time to introduce them to contact lenses. Let’s dive in and find out.

Can kids wear contacts?

The short answer is yes.

As long as you’ve met with your child’s eye doctor and received the proper go-ahead for contact lenses, your child can begin wearing them as early as age five up into adulthood. However, when it comes to contact lenses, it’s less about meeting the minimum age for contacts and more about making sure your child is ready for the responsibility.

Here’s what you should think about when considering contact lenses for your child: 

Maturity

Does your child take responsibility for their schoolwork, chores, and personal belongings? Maybe they remember to feed and walk Fido every day? These are signs that they may be mature enough to handle the daily tasks of removing, cleaning, and caring for their contact lenses.

Motivation

Has your child shown excitement for getting contacts? If they have the desire on their own, whether they’re looking forward to being more active or simply not having to wear glasses to see well, they’ll be more willing to take on the responsibility and stick with it over time.

Hygiene

Dirty contact lenses create the perfect environment for bacteria, often resulting in eye infections. The last thing your child needs is to look like a creature of the Black Lagoon on class picture day, so make sure your child practices good hygiene habits and hand washing before they commit to contacts. 

If your child checks all three of these boxes, it may be time to make that eye appointment with your child’s ophthalmologist to figure out your next steps. (Woo-hoo!)  

What about colored contacts for kids?

Colored or enhanced contacts can be fun for Halloween when worn correctly, but we don’t recommend colored contacts for children who’ve never worn contacts before.

If your child wears contacts regularly and wants to try colored lenses, make sure you purchase them from a reputable vision care provider and not just any ol’ internet shop. (Hint: we’ve got a great selection of colored lenses here.) 

Ready to get your kiddo started with contacts? Here’s how to get a contact lens prescription.