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Educational content only
This page is general patient education, not medical advice. It does not diagnose conditions, recommend specific treatments for you, or replace a conversation with your eye care provider. Always consult a qualified clinician before making decisions about your eye health.
Teens often want contacts. The question isn't 'are they old enough' — it's 'are they responsible enough.' Research shows kids actually have fewer complications than teenagers (parental supervision helps). Here's how to think about it.
Options to discuss
Combining glasses and contacts — plus myopia control.
First contacts
Daily disposable soft lenses
Strongly preferred for first-time teens. No cleaning, no case to forget. A new sterile pair every morning. Lower infection rate than reusable lenses. Slightly higher per-day cost, but the safety and simplicity are worth it.
Keep glasses too
A glasses-and-contacts hybrid
Best practice for teens. Glasses for mornings, evenings, sick days, and when contacts aren't comfortable. Contacts for school, sports, and social events. The two complement each other.
If myopia is progressing
Specialty contact lenses
Daytime or overnight specialty lenses contacts are FDA-approved for slowing myopia progression in kids 8-12 and continue to benefit teens. Ortho-K (overnight rigid lenses) is another myopia control option. Both slow progression by about 50-60% in clinical studies.
Avoid
Extended wear or decorative contacts
Overnight wear is not recommended for teens because of higher corneal ulcer risk. Decorative or cosmetic contacts from unlicensed sources (gas stations, Halloween shops, online without prescription) cause severe injuries every year.
Stop and see a doctor if
A red, painful, or blurry eye in a contact lens wearer is urgent. Remove the lens, save it (your doctor may want to culture it), and call within hours. Contact lens infections progress quickly and can scar vision permanently if delayed.
Common questions
Honest answers to common questions.
How do I know if my teen is responsible enough for contacts?+
Reasonable signals: keeps their room halfway clean, can take on a daily routine without being reminded constantly, washes their hands without being told. The AAO frames it simply — 'if their room is always a mess, they're probably not going to be fastidious about lens care.'
Will contacts mess with my teen's myopia progression?+
Standard contacts won't make myopia worse. Specific specialty contact lenses can actively slow progression. Talk to your eye doctor about myopia management if your teen's prescription has been increasing.
Can teens get LASIK?+
Generally no. LASIK requires a stable prescription, which most teens don't have yet — myopia commonly progresses through age 18-21 or even later. Most surgeons wait until prescriptions have been stable for at least a year, usually meaning early 20s.
How much do contacts cost per year?+
Daily disposables run roughly $500-900/year. Two-week or monthly soft contacts can be cheaper but require more handling and care. Vision insurance covers some of the cost.
Should we restrict screen time to protect their eyes?+
Reasonable break habits help (20-20-20: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds). And studies consistently show 2+ hours of outdoor time daily reduces myopia onset and progression in children. Outdoor time matters more than screen restriction.