Letting your child to wear over night contact lense

[Greenleave]

My 9 yrs old needs glasses, she is near sighted(last time checked was -0.5). I am thinking of using Ortho-K. Do you use it? Know anyone who uses it? Especially young age children. My husband thinks we should stick with usual glasses.

She was -0.5, it was 6 months ago and she hasnt had glasses.

The benefit is you have 20/20 during day time without glasses. Yes, there is a risk as its lenses, thats why I am asking.

There is also some (acclaimed) evidences that it might slow down the myopia which I am hoping for.

I don't think people know what ortho-k contact lenses are.

I don't know how reliable the evidence is, but I read somewhere that studies have shown that when used by children, they can prevent eyesight from deteriorating ( because they eyes are still developing). If I had had the opportunity as a child to use them, I would have appreciated it.

Have you have a good, critical look at that evidence?

It sounds like you have made up your mind tbh and are looking for validation?

Crosspost

I had much worse eyes than that as a child but didn't wear contacts til I was 16. I'm glad I wasn't allowed to. there is a risk of your eyes drying out if using lenses for a prolonged period of time, the later you start the better.

I have s friend who used the type you are talking about. The effects gradually wear off over the course of the day which she found frustrating, as there would be a crossover where the glasses were too strong but her eyes not strong enough (iyswim). Your daughter will need to be prepared to put her glasses on in the evening.

If she is dead set on contacts I would get some daily disposables instead for special occasions. Otherwise if she has a party or something in the evening the effects will have work off - unless she sleeps in late that day!

Gas permeables are not as fiddly as soft lenses - easier to put in and pop out, but aren't as comfortable as soft lenses. I wouldn't want to subject a young DC to gas permeable lenses unless it was absolutely necessary.

Ive wore glasses since I was in primary, I tried contacts once when I was in my early 20s in the opticians and I just completely struggled getting them in and out, I just couldn't do it properly so never got them! if she's not keen on wearing glasses if she really going to be that keen at putting contacts in every night and taking them out in morning when they can be quite a faff?

I've asked my optician about these, for all sorts of reasons they are a bad idea, not enough is known about long-term results

OP, have you spoken to her optician about this? -0.5 is such a small prescription that she wouldn't really need glasses any way?

FWIW, my son may be having the over night lenses that you're talking about. This is because his prescription is changing quite rapidly (from -1 to -3 over 18 months or so). The optician said they may try the overnight lenses to try and slow down the deterioration in his vision, but first they are going to try varifocals for the same reason. Apparently adding in a varifocal can encourage the eye muscles to work better or something.

Anyway, my point is your daughter may not need or be suitable for those lenses. I don't really understand why you're so keen?

I don't think most of those that have commented know what you are talking about OP so I would dismiss their opinions. I know of a 6 year old girl that has just started wearing ortho k overnight instead of her glasses during the day, she seems to be getting on with them well so far. But I have no personal experience of them nor have I done any research on the pros and cons so can't help you there

My optician is quite keen on these and has lots of children on his caseload with them. He's based in Muswell Hill if you want the details.

I have never heard of those kind of lenses. All I can add to discussion is that I hated wearing glasses (started at about 7) can't remember my prescription but I'm now -10.75 so was pretty bad. I'm one of the 'least bothered about things' people you could meet but for some reason I really, really hated glasses. When I was nearly 10, I got gas permeable contact lens' and never looked back. Been wearing them for 33 years now (not same pair obviously!) and never looked back.

Yes, they are soft contact lenses. I am thinking of trying, if it was me then I would just go for it, they are for a 9yrs old so I am hoping to learn some one's experience.

She goes to bed early(8pm) and only is up around 7.30 or later.

I dont know of any children who use them but if your optician has said it is fine then I would at least try it, given the benefits you have mentioned. there is nothing wrong with wearing glasses but some people (myself included) hate wearing them. I was prescriped glasses aged 11, never wore them as i hated them. I suffered at school as i couldnt read the board but too embarrassed to say why. It wasnt till i was 19 and paid for my own contacts that I actually started seeing the world in all its glory. It was like i was looking at my 2 year olds face for the first time! If my dm offered me contacts at a young age i would have jumped at the chance.

Have you asked your optition about them?
I haven't used them but I wear normal contact lenses. All i can say that when i fall asleep with them in by accident, my eyes are 10x drier and so painful. Also you have to build your eyes up to contact use, wearing them for 2 hours a day, to 4 and 6 etc to how you would normally wear them for. I wear them for 16+ hours a day now and they're fine, but it took a lot getting used to them

My BIL uses Otho K, but started in his 20s. I also have a friend whose 13YO wears them with good results.

My son wears them, started aged 12 but I have heard of younger children having them.

His experience has been fantastic. It has completely stopped the deterioration of his eyesight, he loves the freedom of not wearing glasses and he is very responsible about putting them in/out and cleaning them. He has worn them for 18 months.

His eyesight is much worse than your DD, he is approaching that -5 (and you're right you CANT have them at higher prescription levels). But he was "losing" 0.5-0.75 per year. But since the ortho-K it has stabilised - I do need to add that my DH's eye started deteriorating at the age my son's started and also stabilised in his early teen years, so this may not be down to the ortho-K... but he loves them.

Only drawback has been camps for school - there isn't anywhere safe to leave them during the day, and he has to take peroxide solutions etc to clean them, and they need to be kept safe/undisturbed... normal contacts you wear all day and store at night, which is easier to secure. But he has slept without them for 3 nights, and although he could tell his vision was worse, he could still see enough on day 4 of camp to get by. Not sure what we will do for longer trips with no secure place to keep them (cross that bridge when we need to).

And although we are delighted with the ortho-K, my daughter will not entertain the idea of wearing any lenses, night or day. So her vision continues to deteriorate, sigh.

That is a minute prescription mine is -10.50 kids can choose what frames they wish these days i was stuck with ghastly NHS ones which i avoided wearing.

I've been wearing lenses for 20 plus years. Gas perm, soft and soft daily. No i don't think its a good idea at all. I understand your worry that you think this will slow down the myopia but soft lenses don't do that. Sleeping with lenses is always a risk for bacteria which can cause blindness so please don't consider it for your child.

Jenny70 have you considered gas perm for your child? They also tend to slow down changes.

I don't think a child of 10 would be responsible enough for contacts. Sorry. You have to be uber clean and careful so that you don't get eye infections and they can be very uncomfortable. I doubt an optician would prescribe contact lenses for a 10 year old

ortho-k is being researched as a method for helping slow down myopia and it can work very well for some people.
The main issue with contact lenses is that they introduce the risk of infection into a healthy eye and hygiene needs to be scrupulous.
I imagine you find it difficult to get your DD to wear her glasses because -0.50 doesn't actually cause that much of a blur, especially for younger children (a lot of the boardwork is big enough for them to see unaided and near work totallly unaffected)
I wouldn't use lenses for such a small prescription personally.
With regards to progression, the latest research is pointing towards vit D playing a big part so make sure DD gets outside in the sunshine.
Finally, contact lenses are no big deal for kids, it's all about motivation.
Speak to your own optometrist or an optometrist who does orthoptists-k for more info, it requires a lot of chair time so can also be expensive (£350 fees a year or more inc lenses)

I've read up on something something simular. It was ver expensive and people seemed to give up quickly, and found them uncomfortable which could disturb sleep.

I've had an infection from contact lense use, personally I wouldn't encourage my children to use contacts. Wait until she is older

Ortho-k not orthoptists-k.
And to repeat, as long as a child is mindful of hygiene there is no reason for not prescribing lenses, majority of kids love the idea and can't actually deal with the handling. To those of you who have a child with a really big prescription please don't be put off by the comments of lay people in this post, optometrists will prescribe lenses for children.