Contact lenses

Many adults would consider contact lenses to be a lifestyle essential and there is no reason children shouldn’t experience the same benefits.

• Building self-esteem: some children feel self-conscious wearing glasses, leading to a lack of confidence that sometimes affects their performance at school.
• Active lifestyle: if you have a very active child then contact lenses are the practical option, leaving your child free to participate without the worry of glasses being broken.
• Good vision: contact lenses are hugely beneficial for those with high prescriptions, especially for peripheral vision.
• Part-time wear: we have many patients who opt to wear contact lenses purely for sport so it needn’t be a fulltime commitment.
• Myopia Management: slowing the progressing of short-sightedness in children.

When can a child start wearing lenses?

A common misconception is that you have to be a certain age to wear contact lenses but we believe children just have to be mature enough to look after their lenses. A recent study of 8-11 year olds found that 90% had no trouble applying or removing their lenses without assistance.

Good hygiene and care is essential to avoid problems such as infection but contact lenses are available as daily disposable lenses for most prescriptions. This keeps maintenance and risks of infection very low making them a good starting point for children.

Our experience

We have extensive experience in fitting children with lenses, even newborn babies requiring medical contact lenses. We’re a specialist in providing Myopia Management contact lenses and are often asked to share our expertise with other optometrists in the UK and beyond. Our optometrists are amongst the most highly trained in the country, and Ian Cameron was recently named UK Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year. Together we will ensure your child’s vision is in safe hands.

Contact lenses are available through our Vision+ membership scheme.