Your teen has been begging to get contact lenses, but new data suggest she’s likely to struggle with proper use or upkeep. With your help, your child can become a responsible contact wearer for life.
Contact lenses are a big responsibility—one that most of the 3.6 million American teenagers who wear them don’t fully embrace. In August 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the findings of surveys of 12- to 17-year-old contacts wearers. They were concerning: 85 percent admitted to improperly wearing, cleaning or storing contacts.
Contact lens missteps can have serious consequences for eye health, including infections, ulcers on the cornea, abrasions and blindness. Contacts-related injuries send thousands of young people to emergency rooms annually, according to pediatric researchers. If you have determined your teen is mature enough to handle contacts—good hygiene habits are a positive indicator—share these tips for success:
- Be a model patient. Contacts are medical treatments, not cosmetic accessories. As with all treatments, strict adherence to a physician’s instructions is essential, especially when it comes to cleaning and replacing the lenses.
- Clean with care. Use only fresh, physician-recommended solution to rinse and soak contacts. Water and saliva are not a safe alternative as these can lead to an eye infection.
- Go lens-less when it’s appropriate. Contacts should not be worn when sleeping, swimming and showering. Teens who sleep in contacts are eight times more likely to get an eye infection, according to the CDC.
- Eye health start with hand hygiene. Your teen must have clean hands to perform the rub-and-rinse technique, a tried-and-true method of cleaning contacts.
- Stay on the case. Set a calendar reminder to replace the case of the contacts every three months and clean it regularly.
- Take a selfish stance. Sharing is usually a good thing, but it can be downright dangerous when it comes to contacts. Only wear your own lenses.
- Travel like a pro. That means being prepared. It’s easy to become forgetful when traveling, so be sure to pack the supplies you need and be extra mindful of your eye care routine. Travel-size items are fine to take, with one exception: your contact solution. Keep it in its original container, as trying to transfer it to a smaller one can lead to contamination.
Wearing contacts can be a big adjustment, so keep a close eye on your teen as she gets into a routine of wearing, cleaning and storing her contacts. A few gentle reminders may be needed from time to time, but once mastered it, she’ll be set for the future.
Sources:
aao.org, aoa.org, aoa.org, fda.gov, kidshealth.org, kidshealth.org, medlineplus.gov