Contact Lens FAQs

How old do you have to be to wear contact lenses?

For active children, contact lenses can be a significant improvement to quality of life. No more bent and broken glasses, and no more worries about the child not being able to see when he/she refuses to wear glasses. Playing sports becomes much easier and more enjoyable without the burden of glasses.

There is no set age to wear contact lenses. How early in life a child can begin to wear contact lenses depends almost exclusively on the individual child who is being considered for contact lenses. As long as the child understands the importance of proper lens care and is willing to undertake the task themselves, there is really no reason why he or she can't wear contact lenses. That being said, some optometrists adhere to strict age limitations for fitting contact lenses. While this may seem unfair, it is important to understand that doctors are legally liable for the contact lenses they dispense, and are avoiding the potential ramifications that might occur if an eye infection results when a child does not properly care for his/her lenses. If your child wishes to wear contact lenses, talk to your optometrist about a trial pair of contact lenses.