Academic Lead for Vision Sciences, University of Central Lancashire

I would fit a seven-year-old with contact lenses (CLs). However, there are various caveats underpinning the positive answer.

I would have a frank discussion with the patient and their parents regarding the benefits and risks of CL wear. The suggested wearing pattern would be occasional wear. Sometimes, children are more compliant in terms of the care regimes than adults – they tend to follow the instructions and handling routines better.

Understanding the motivation to wear CLs can be helpful to ensure that the discussion can be targeted appropriately. If the patient wanted to engage with physical activities, such as sport or dancing, and wearing spectacles is a limiting factor, CLs can be on the list of possible solutions to be taken into consideration.