Las Vegas is a city that moves fast for all residents, including the teens who call it home. Whether it’s sports, school presentations, or weekend outings, the desire to feel confident and self-sufficient is at an all-time high during adolescence. For many parents, contact lenses are not just a vision correction option. They’re a tool that helps their child feel more like themselves.
At The Contact Lens Institute of Nevada, we help identify the right type of contact lenses based on lifestyle, prescription needs, and eye health through safe, age-appropriate contact lens fittings for teens.
Why Contacts Are Good for Teens
Parents in Las Vegas face unique questions about teen eye care. Hot, dry weather can worsen contact lens discomfort, while extended screen time, common with both school and leisure, raises the risk of digital eye strain and myopia progression. These factors make it even more important to consult an experienced eye care professional when choosing the best contacts for teens.
Common reasons parents explore contacts for their teens include:
- Glasses make them feel self-conscious
- They play sports or do activities where glasses get in the way
- They’ve been asking for contacts for months
- Their current lenses aren't practical or comfortable
- Their prescription is changing due to rapid myopia progression
At What Age Can Teens Wear Contact Lenses?
There’s no universal age to begin wearing contact lenses, but most teens are good candidates between ages 12 and 14. Some younger children may be ready sooner, especially if they need contact lenses for myopia control or medical reasons. What matters more than age is maturity. A child should:
- Follow instructions carefully
- Wash their hands before touching their eyes
- Understand how to insert and remove lenses
- Speak up if something feels off
- Attend regular follow-up visits with an eye doctor
At The Contact Lens Institute of Nevada, we assess your child’s readiness as part of their eye exam and help set expectations around care, hygiene, and wear time.
Choosing the Right Contact Lenses for Teenagers
The best contacts for teens will depend on several factors, like lifestyle, maturity level, eye health, and how often they want to wear them. Here are some common options we offer at The Contact Lens Institute of Nevada:
1. Daily Disposable Contact Lenses
Daily disposables are often the safest and most convenient option for teens. These lenses are worn once and then discarded, reducing the risk of contamination and buildup. For children wearing daily disposable lenses, the risk of eye infections is lower, and there’s no need to keep track of cleaning or storage supplies.
2. Extended Wear or Monthly Lenses
Teens who prefer a more consistent, long-term solution may do well with extended wear or monthly lenses. These options are more cost-effective in the long run but require more attention to cleaning and contact lens safety. We only recommend these if the patient is fully comfortable with the cleaning routine and comes in for regular eye exams to check for any signs of irritation or infection.
3. Lenses for Myopia Control
If your child has rapidly worsening nearsightedness (myopia), specific lenses can help. Myopia progression is a growing concern among children and teens, especially with increased screen time. Our team may suggest lenses for myopia control, such as soft multifocal lenses or ortho-k (overnight corrective lenses), depending on your child’s prescription and visual needs.
4. Sports-Friendly Options
Contact lenses are a game-changer for active teens. From high-contact sports like football to activities like dance or tennis, contacts offer better peripheral vision and stay in place, unlike glasses, which can slip or break.
Get Advanced Contact Lens Help for Teens in Las Vegas, NV
At The Contact Lens Institute of Nevada, our eye doctors have fit thousands of patients with custom contact lenses. Teens in Las Vegas benefit from one-on-one contact lens exams and fittings with award-winning optometrists, using cutting-edge tools such as sMap corneo-scleral mapping and wavefront-guided lens technology.
Book your teen's contact lens exam to see if contact lenses are the right step for your teen’s confidence and visual health.
Contact for Teens FAQs
What is the best contact lens brand for teens?
There’s no single best contact lens brand for teens. The right fit depends on your teen’s eye shape, prescription, and whether they need myopia-control lenses or daily wear. Our team selects the most appropriate brand during the fitting process.
What should my teen do if they forget to take their lenses out?
They should remove them as soon as they remember and give their eyes a break. If there’s any redness, discomfort, or blurry vision, contact an eye care professional right away to avoid complications like eye infections.
