
- Aashi Dahiya
- Feb 14, 23
What is the right time to wear contact lenses?
The right timing for every little decision matters in your life. It is important to make the right decisions at the right time to have fruitful results. Same applies to your timing for wearing contact lenses. If you are an adult, you can start wearing contact lenses like yesterday. But if you a child or have a child, then you would need to know more.
So the big question is when is the right time to try contact lenses? Let's answer that.
Right Time For Wearing Contact Lenses
Wearing contact lenses is a convenient and popular way to correct vision problems. For a lot of reasons but mainly because contact lenses are:
- Easy to wear and carry
- Damage free and do not get lost easily
- Give a complete field of view
- Supreme in clarity
With all the benefits it's important to know what to keep in mind before you start wearing them at the right time.
Here are a few things to consider when deciding when to start wearing contact lenses:
Age
Children and teenagers can safely wear contact lenses, but they must be old enough to understand and follow proper lens care instructions. Contact lenses, especially, reusable ones like monthly disposable contact lenses, require proper care and storing. It is important to clean them with Lens solution and store them in fresh batch of solution in a lens case. It is also important to maintain hand hygiene while handling contact lenses. Young children may not have the dexterity or maturity to handle lenses safely, so it's important to consult with an eye doctor to determine if a child is ready for contact lenses.
The general rule of thumb is that soft contact lenses can be safely worn by children as young as 8 years old. For adults, there is no specific age when it is appropriate to start wearing contact lenses.
Prescription
Contact lenses, for vision correction, are prescribed by an eye doctor and are only available with a valid prescription. If you have an eye power, you need a prescription to get the right contact lenses for you. A person's vision can change over time, so it's important to get a new prescription from an eye doctor before starting to wear contact lenses.
However, if you do not have an eye power, you can still wear zero power colored contact lenses. These lenses are called plano and help change the color of your eye without the need for prescription.
Adaptation
Contact lenses may feel strange or uncomfortable at first, and it can take some time to adjust to wearing them. Usually, almost everyone feels a little weird when they first try contact lenses. It is because of our humanly natural instincts. For example, when we see some external object approach our eyes, our instinct is to shut them. Because of this, adapting to contact lenses can be time taking for some people. While some adapt very quickly, others take their own time. It's important to give the eyes time to adjust to the lenses before wearing them for extended periods of time or while engaging in activities that require visual acuity, such as driving or sports.
Lens Type
Different types of contact lenses are available, such as daily disposable, or monthly disposable contact lenses. Dailies are the ones that you can wear for 1 day and dispose off while monthlies last upto 30 days and can be reused for the recommended time. You can choose the right disposability as per your preference and lifestyle. Each of those have different requirements. It is important to discuss with the doctor what type is the best fit for your lifestyle and habits.
Overall, the best time to start wearing contact lenses is when an individual has a valid prescription, is old enough to handle them safely, and is willing to commit to proper lens care and adaptation. An eye doctor can help determine if contact lenses are the right choice for a person and provide guidance on when to start wearing them.
It is also important to take breaks when needed as well, for example, it is suggested to remove the contact lenses for at least one day a week to give the eyes a rest and avoid dryness, itching and possible infections.
Concluding Note
In conclusion, starting to wear contact lenses should be done after proper examination by an eye-care professional and the right lens type is chosen based on prescription, age and lifestyle. It's important to remember that contact lenses should be replaced regularly and handled and worn with care to ensure safe and comfortable use.