Page 2 | To ask you about contact lenses and teenagers?

GCSEmum1 · 2021-04-02T08:44:08+00:00

Posting here for traffic but also because I wasn't really sure if this is a style and beauty or health thing! DD is 13 and recently started playing contact sport - she can't see a thing until it's right in front of her without her glasses on so we need to look at contacts... I have no experience of contacts so what should I be looking for? Are they expensive? Do I need to get a prescription from optician? 13 years of parenting and sometimes I'm still flummoxed!

barnanabas · 02/04/2021 11:37

Read this with interest, and sounds like you've had lots of good advice.

On a slight tangent, I have a DS, aged 12, who plays a lot of contact sports and can't manage without his glasses. We've been advised not to start contact lenses for a couple more years if we can, so he has had 'sports goggles' (I'm not actually sure what they're called - basically, unbreakable glasses that look a bit like goggles) for several years now. You don't see kids wearing them all that often - they don't seem widely publicised - but they have been an absolute godsend for him/us. He's had them for years, and they really do seem indestructible. Just in case that helps anyone reading with slightly younger children/anyone squeamish about contacts...

Hankunamatata · 02/04/2021 11:40

Def go daily disposables. I damaged my eyesight by 18 with over wearing monthly contacts.

SallySycamore · 02/04/2021 11:58

so he has had 'sports goggles' (I'm not actually sure what they're called - basically, unbreakable glasses that look a bit like goggles) for several years now. You don't see kids wearing them all that often - they don't seem widely publicised - but they have been an absolute godsend for him/us.

Those do sound good. I know a few people who were cut by their glasses in their early teens playing sport if they got a ball to the face.

On a similar note, prescription goggles are absolutely amazing! I got my first pair in 2019 and I still can't believe how many details I was missing at the swimming baths! Although having seen some of the corners of the showers, perhaps ignorance was bliss.

FrankButchersDickieBow · 02/04/2021 12:07

I've been wearing lenses for longer than I can remember now. I am on something called lens mail. Its with specsavers and I pay £12 per month for daily disposables. They come through the post every 3 months.

I don't get them to wear every day. I might wear my lenses a couple of times a week. Got a good build up since lockdown seeming I haven't been anywhere for a year lol.

You get a free check every couple of years and free glasses, or a decent discount off designer ones.

I would recommend specsavers for sure.

Acovic · 02/04/2021 12:10

As per all the others - optician.

Daily disposable prices vary from 12.50 to 30 quid a month.

I've been wearing contacts since i was 15 (now early 40s) I initially had soft lenses that needed cleaning (huge faff), then moved to daily disposables. I still wear them occasionally (I primarily wear extended wear disposables but wouldn't recommend these for a teenager).

It's important to get regular contact lens checks - especially as a young wearer as poor hygiene can cause real issues. Embedding this habit now will hopefully mean it continues into adulthood!

Redcrayons · 02/04/2021 12:16

@Chutneypearls

If you get them from Specsavers they do a glasses offer - I think it’s a free pair every 2 years. Obviously children’s glasses are often free anyway so I don’t quite know how it would work but maybe you’d get a discount on designer ones. We pay £13 a month for dds monthly lenses with them. She is 17 and been wearing them for 4 years now, no issues.

Offer is now 50% but once per year. I went for mine last week.

I’ve been Specsavers since forever and have no complaints. I’ve got a stockpile of lenses as i have barely worn them so they paused my payments for 6 months.

Arbadacarba · 02/04/2021 12:17

I would definitely go for dailies.

I had contact lenses as a teenager - that was back in the dark ages, and they were gas permeable (hard) lenses and cleaning them was a terrible faff. Looking back I wasn't always as thorough as I should have been and I shudder to think what I might have risked through being slapdash.

I changed to daily ones when they became inexpensive - they are much more convenient and absolutely no worries about losing one (easily done when taking them out).

Specsavers website shows a range of options. The optician will recommend the best option for your DD (it can depend on how naturally moist your eyes are as some lenses are more suitable for dryer eyes).

If you don't think she'll wear them literally every day you can pay as you go and just order new ones when she runs out.

Original poster

GCSEmum1 · 02/04/2021 12:17

@barnanabas

Read this with interest, and sounds like you've had lots of good advice.

On a slight tangent, I have a DS, aged 12, who plays a lot of contact sports and can't manage without his glasses. We've been advised not to start contact lenses for a couple more years if we can, so he has had 'sports goggles' (I'm not actually sure what they're called - basically, unbreakable glasses that look a bit like goggles) for several years now. You don't see kids wearing them all that often - they don't seem widely publicised - but they have been an absolute godsend for him/us. He's had them for years, and they really do seem indestructible. Just in case that helps anyone reading with slightly younger children/anyone squeamish about contacts...

I showed her sports goggles and she nearly cried- funnily enough I would prefer these as it would protect her eyes- her sport is rugby and they have started playing full contact now she's older

OP posts:

user1487194234 · 02/04/2021 12:20

My DC have both had them since they were 11.
We go to a local optician,cost £45 a moth each
Never had any issues

rizzo23 · 02/04/2021 12:21

I've had mine since I was 14 and I'm 40 this year. When you go to the optician they'll teach her how to put them in and take them out and how to look after them if they are not daily disposable ones. Price wise it depends on what ones you have, I pay £15 a month for mine from specsavers and get them delivered for free because I'm on direct debit. There are benefits to direct debit, you can get a free replacement if you lose one and you don't pay for eye tests (that won't matter though because she's a child) so I'd recommend it.

LadyEuphemia · 02/04/2021 12:23

I started wearing contacts when I was 13 (48 now). Most important make sure she doesn’t shower in them or swim in them. Water into lenses can cause some horrible eye infections.

Also slightly more expensive daily lenses are the best. Monthly’s are cheaper but a teenager will never do the daily/monthly faffing to keep them clean.

A good optician will give her a trial and see how she gets on.

Arbadacarba · 02/04/2021 12:31

I remember the first time I put gas permeables in - the optician gave me a pair not in my prescription to try them out, and used lenses to adjust my vision. With the lenses being hard, at first it felt like when you get grit in your eye but 1000 times worse. I was sitting in the chair eyes watering, nose streaming thinking 'oh my goodness' and the optician said 'You're doing really well - most people are screaming at this stage'! I soon got used to them, though. It must be much easier to start off now almost all lenses are the soft type.

skeggycaggy · 02/04/2021 12:36

@Historytoo has this been successful for your daughter? I also have very bad sight and the optician mentioned this to me as an option for my 12 yo DD who has just started wearing glasses. But because of Covid it can’t start as they aren’t doing contact lens fittings...

LittleMissA · 02/04/2021 12:41

I started wearing contacts full time when I was 12, as my older brother started wearing them too, over 20yrs ago now! I've always had monthly disposables that you take out at night and never had an issue. We used to be able to get them as part of our nhs prescription whilst I was under 18 and in full time education. I don't know if that is still the case. It made me feel more confident and made sports easier.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 02/04/2021 12:51

Once you’ve got your prescription and know whether or not she can manage them and is comfortable, definitely shop around. DHs dailies from Specsavers are GBP30 per month, includes yearly check up and posting. DDs used to be GBP36 per month from Vision Express but for various reasons we moved to a local independent optician and its now GBP24 per month which includes check ups, posting and a generous amount off of glasses frames which she likes to use at weekends to give her eyes a ‘break’.

iMatter · 02/04/2021 12:57

I started wearing mine full time when I was 12, that was 40 years ago (yikes) and it was life changing for me.

Go to an optician you trust (I would recommend an independent). I played a lot of sport and swam a lot and they transformed my life.

Roselilly36 · 02/04/2021 13:07

I would recommend Specsavers I was a customer for years, on lensmail, regular check ups included etc. This was before daily disposables were around, I had monthly lenses I needed to clean each day. They will teach your DD how to insert and remove the lenses. Daily ones sounds much easier I would have switched to those had I not had successful laser eye treatment in 2008. Best money I have ever spent.

Historytoo · 02/04/2021 13:11

@skeggycaggy yes, really pleased with the results. Slowed the deterioration right down, vision the same at most appointments over the years and for one appointment was actually slightly better. We were lucky because she had them at twelve, before her teenage growth spurt. A lot of the research was apparently done in Hong Kong because they have a higher incidence of short sightedness (who knew?). I did get my GP brother in law to use his Athens research account to look up the research for me at the time and it was convincing enough for me to think it was worth a go (and worth the money 🙄).

Serafinaaa · 02/04/2021 13:12

There is a sort of contact lens which is worn at night to reshape the eye and then can be taken out during the day leaving perfect vision! It's the only option for some sports such as diving where you can't wear glasses OR contacts.

skeggycaggy · 02/04/2021 13:17

That’s really interesting, thanks @Historytoo. My DD has already started her periods so maybe not the best timing for us but definitely worth a shot. I’m a -8 prescription & it would be so much nicer to be a -3 let’s say! If our usual optician still can’t do I might ask around the other places in town to see if I can push on with it...

skeggycaggy · 02/04/2021 13:18

@Serafinaaa

There is a sort of contact lens which is worn at night to reshape the eye and then can be taken out during the day leaving perfect vision! It's the only option for some sports such as diving where you can't wear glasses OR contacts.

Have to confess I’ve always worn contacts for diving! Didn’t realise it was forbidden.

Redcrayons · 02/04/2021 13:25

I’ve got extended wear ones so I don’t take them out even for a shower for about 3 weeks at a time. I am careful about getting water on my face.

I wouldn’t do it now but I’ve been swimming in them before and in my younger days, would leave them in a glass of water overnight if I was crashing at a friends house. Surprised I’ve still got eyeballs left tbh.

m0therofdragons · 02/04/2021 13:27

Dd is 9 and at 10 they’re going to start her on Contacts that will stop her eyes worsening. I wear glasses and contacts 50/50 each week. Speak to the optician and get the free trial to find best fit.

Serafinaaa · 02/04/2021 14:35

@skeggycaggy

I'm not sure if it's forbidden or just not recommended? The teenager in question is a friend of mine's daughter and she is national squad type level.

skeggycaggy · 02/04/2021 14:56

[quote Serafinaaa]@skeggycaggy

I'm not sure if it's forbidden or just not recommended? The teenager in question is a friend of mine's daughter and she is national squad type level. [/quote]
I just realised you meant diving in a swimming pool not scuba diving, ignore me!