Contact Lenses

[chrisandbex]

Hi

How old do you have to be before you can get contact lenses ?

Bye

[acw]

Hi,

It entirely depends on your eyes!  I started wearing glasses when I was 15 and a half, and had contacts by the time I was 17 and a bit.  If you want them, just ask your optician.  You may find that they start you off on daily disposables as these are easier to look after and possibly healthier for your eyes.  They are expensive though!

Good luck!  I remember being desperate to change away from glasses - if that's your situation, I know how it feels! :-(

acw

:-)

[fibifooz]

My son had to wait until he got to 16 before the optician let him have contact lenses.

[acw]

I reckoned on mid-teens too fibifooz.  I hope you've spotted in travel that someone is (I think it's you they're referring to) thanking you for help on a Malta type topic! :-) 

Sorry chrisandbex - back to contact lenses.  Good luck with getting them.  Just remember to ask lots of questions and you'll be sorted! :-)

[Sammy Snake]

I had mine way before aged 16 - probably about 12-13.  Mainly because I was prescrbed glasses whilst at primary school.  Lovely blue national heath ones.

I refused to wear them, someone tipped off my mum who turned up at school unannounced to find I wasn't wearing them. I was taken to the opticians and had my first pair of contact lenses.  

So I was definately in primary school, I definately never had my glasses in high school (whether I wore them or not) although in later years (aged about 20 onwards) I reverted to glasses which I wear all the time now, unless I'm going out when I wear my contact lenses.

[kaktus]

I think that I got my contacts around the age of 12 maybe 13. I can't remember, but it was definitely before I was 15.

[~Wingnut~]

I was about 13 when I got mine and have never looked back. I had to start wearing glasses when I was 6! nice pink national health ones,and I had a blue pair too so know exactly how you felt Sammy snake lol 

[jake-the-peg]

I'd had similar experiences wearing thick glasses at school at 14 I got old fashioned hard lenses. They were a brute to get used to but I really wanted to. In 3 weeks I was wearing them all day every day - still am 25 years later (not the same pair!).

I think most people who chucked in glasses and started wearing lenses in their mid teens will tell you how much it changed their lives and how much more confidence it gave them.

[fibifooz]

Thank you chrisandbex, yes it was for me, I hadn't read it.

[lethologica]

I got contact lenses when I was 15 and have now been wearing them nearly 5 years.

My boyfriend started wearing them at 16-17ish when he saw how easily I could wear them.

As far as I know there isn't an age restriction as I've seen adverts for kids lenses, but make sure you stick to a cleaning routine.

It's also worth mentioning to shop around for solutions, I have to use a peroxide based solution (it neutralises overnight, I don't have blonde eyes!) and so it can be quite expensive, even from asda.  But I found that by buying it online I could get 6 months worth for just over �30 where normally it's about �7-�8 for a months supply!

Good Luck!

 

(And yes I too had those lovely NHS glasses when first prescribed for glasses aged around 7)

[kalise25]

It depends on your eyes chrisandbex - I've fitted 9 year olds with lenses and refused 25 year olds....... your own optometrist will be able to give you the best advice. Good luck!