Contact lenses and children

Watch Video: Contact lenses and children by Kenneth Wright, MD, ...
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Contact lenses and children

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In general, we suggest switching from glasses to contacts if the patient’s motivated, when they’re around 10 to 12 years old. That said is it dangerous for a young child to have a contact? No. Babies who have cataracts and we operate, remove their lens, we often put a contact lens to replace that lens that we removed during surgery. So we have newborn babies with contact lenses. And they were those contact lenses all their life. So a contact lens itself is not really dangerous. And the problem is that it’s labor-intensive and it’s much easier just to wear glasses. So glasses are great. But if they get to that age where they’re pre-teens or teens and they really want contacts, that’s fine. They have to be responsible, they have to wash their hands, make sure everything stays clean, but the contact lens is not dangerous. One thing about contact lenses – if you’re wearing contact lenses, great. But if you get a pink eye or a red eye when you’re wearing your contact lens, you need to immediately remove the contact lens and go see an eye doctor. The reason for that is that the contact lens is a foreign body on the cornea and you can get an infection of the cornea which really can be dangerous and so if you’re contact lens user, you get a pink eye or a red eye, get the contact out and go see your eye doctor immediately.
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Watch Video: Contact lenses and children by Kenneth Wright, MD, ...

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Kenneth Wright, MD

Pediatric Ophthalmologist

A caring physician, Dr. Kenneth Wright is devoted to the health of children’s eyes. He is an internationally respected pediatric ophthalmologist, and is included in “The Best Doctors in America” and “Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care.”  Dr. Wright is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the USC Keck School of Medicine.  He has developed novel surgical techniques for pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus.  Dr. Wright received his medical degree from Boston University and fellowships in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus at Johns-Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, and Children’s Hospital, Washington, DC.  Following his fellowships, he then accepted a full-time faculty member position at USC School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles where he served for 10 years.  He was later appointed Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, before returning home to Los Angeles to establish a pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus center of excellence.  

Dr. Wright has authored of over 100 published scientific papers, seven textbooks including his renowned textbook, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and has lectured worldwide.  He founded the non-profit Wright Foundation with a mission to reduce blindness and suffering in children with eye disorders through research, education, and clinical care. He has established a pediatric eye clinic for underprivileged children.  Important to the Wright Center is the principle that patient care always comes first.  

An interesting personal note is that Dr. Wright’s youngest son developed crossed eyes as an infant requiring surgery and Dr. Wright operated on his own son.  The outcome was excellent and years later his son served in the United States Marine Corps as a top marksman.

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Transcription: 
In general, we suggest switching from glasses to contacts if the patient’s motivated, when they’re around 10 to 12 years old. That said is it dangerous for a young child to have a contact? No. Babies who have cataracts and we operate, remove their lens, we often put a contact lens to replace that lens that we removed during surgery. So we have newborn babies with contact lenses. And they were those contact lenses all their life. So a contact lens itself is not really dangerous. And the problem is that it’s labor-intensive and it’s much easier just to wear glasses. So glasses are great. But if they get to that age where they’re pre-teens or teens and they really want contacts, that’s fine. They have to be responsible, they have to wash their hands, make sure everything stays clean, but the contact lens is not dangerous. One thing about contact lenses – if you’re wearing contact lenses, great. But if you get a pink eye or a red eye when you’re wearing your contact lens, you need to immediately remove the contact lens and go see an eye doctor. The reason for that is that the contact lens is a foreign body on the cornea and you can get an infection of the cornea which really can be dangerous and so if you’re contact lens user, you get a pink eye or a red eye, get the contact out and go see your eye doctor immediately.
ALL PARENTS, Health and Wellness