What to expect when you take your teen to get their first pair of contacts

For those of us with kiddos that got glasses at an early age, we know it’s coming, the time when they ask us for their first pair of contacts. Now as for me, I tried out some contacts when I was in my early 20’s and they just weren’t for me. But when my daughter got her first pair of glasses, I knew it was only a matter of time before she would be asking to try out contacts. So a few weeks after her 13th birthday she said she felt ready for the responsibility of getting contacts, and I agreed! Things have changed quite a bit since I got contacts (which has been a little longer than I’m willing to admit online, ha!) So I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was! So with that being said, I thought I would share with you all what to expect when you take your teen to get their first pair of contacts! Let’s check it out shall we?

Now the first thing you want to tackle when your teen asks for their first pair of contacts is where you are going to take them for their eye exam. Even if they have had a recent exam for glasses, it’s a good idea to have a separate exam just for contacts. If you are using insurance, hop online (or on the phone) and see what local optometrist takes your insurance, and how much your plans allocates for the purchasing of contacts. I always like to check reviews from other customers too, to make sure it’s an office that’s great with patients! 

When you arrive for your appointment it’s  time to check on your eye sight and see what your prescription will be! I always have to remind my teen that it’s not a test, there is no right and wrong answers, and to just be honest so the doctor can get the best accuracy of her needs. And is it just my kid, or does every kid (and adult, honestly) HATE that little puff of air they puff into your eye during exams? If they haven’t had it before, you might wanna give them a quick heads up about it so it isn’t out of the blue. 

Once the exam is complete it’s time to move on to the fun part, picking out your contacts! While not as involved as picking out a pair of glasses, picking out the right pair of contacts is just as important! We did some research on the different types of contacts before we visited the office so we would know what direction we wanted to go. We considered the daily pairs that are thrown away after each use, but decided that would be too many packages for her to keep up with, and opted for a pair that you change out once a month. They are also super thin, so it wasn’t awkward to have them in. If you are torn on what type of contacts to get for your teen, ask questions! The staff is there to help and you know they know those contact facts like the back of their hand, ha! 

After you have settled on a pair of contacts comes everyone’s not-so-favorite part: the try on. I’ll be honest, my teen was not a huge fan of this. I can’t say I blame her because sticking something in your eye for the first time while several people is a bit stressful. I would recommend letting your teen know that it might take a few (or more than a few) tries to get it right, but not to stress, because they will get it! usually once they get them in, the tech will have them take them out, and put them back in just to make sure they are able to do so. 

After the try on session you will probably be given a sample bottle of contact solution and a case, along with information on contact safety. And they are ready to conquer the world without glasses, I would call that a win! 

And there you have it! Now you know what to expect when you take your teen to get their first pair of contacts! 

Looking for other teen tips? Check these out: 

• Great gift ideas for teens
• 5 foods that will keep your teen full
• Summer bucket list ideas for teens and tweens

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