close up on contacts

Teen Fitting Success

by Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC

Teens can be temperamental, as every parent knows. Overall, however, teens prove to be successful contact lens wearers since they're highly motivated. But, catering to teens means developing a mixed bag of clinical and psychological skills.

GETTING A START

Typically, interest in contact lenses sparks in the early teen years, when they are more concerned about their appearance. Picking the right patients and dealing with parents calls for people skills.

"We've gotten really good at character assessment," says John R. Martinelli, OD, of Martinelli Eye & Laser Centers in Charleroi, Pa. "The majority of teens are mature enough to wear contacts. I always involve parents in the decision and tell them one-on-one, ‘you'll know when your son or daughter is ready.’ As soon as they can take good care of their glasses, they can likely take care of contacts."

Learning to assess individual personality traits is also key to having a healthy and happy teen patient.

"There's no age line for a good fit; there's a personality line," explains Steven A. Hitzeman, OD, clinical associate professor and director of clinics, Indiana University School of Optometry. "I look for signs of hygiene like brushed teeth and clean hands. I also look for motivation, since less motivation typically means less compliance."

Assuming they follow a hygiene regimen, teens could end up being more successful wearers than adults.

"Teenagers usually have less systemic conditions than adults, so they're easier to fit and have less problems with contact lens wear than, say, an adult suffering with dry eye," notes Martinelli.

Some indicators that contact lenses aren't the answer include hypoxic keratitis, corneal issues, allergies, lens abuse, and non-compliance.

"Look for abnormalities, deformities, systemic problems, cornea/interior segment problems, and refractive abnormalities such as keratoconus or irregular astigmatism," Hitzeman advises.

Using artificial tears may be necessary in some cases, especially with teens active in outdoor recreation.

"I'm specific about what products to purchase and when I recommend their use," says Carla Barnett, OD, in private practice in Newport Beach, Calif. "This is especially important for teens involved in sports."

THE RIGHT MATCH

Typically the biggest challenge can be teens not wearing lenses properly—primarily over-wearing them. For most practitioners, this means recommending daily disposable lenses.

"Daily disposables are healthier for the eyes, easy to care for, and portable in a backpack or pocket for back-up if a contact lens gets lost or ripped," Martinelli says.

When it comes to cosmetic and performance-specific contact lenses, teens can be a good match if the lenses are secondary to their primary daily disposables.

"With teens, color contact lenses often come up. I offer to let teens try color contacts after I've achieved a successful fit with the primary contact lens," says Barnett.

Daily disposables are usually the best pick for active teens. Sports-specific lenses with UV protection are another consideration. "High school athletes enjoy wearing sport lenses for baseball, golf, or tennis," says Barnett.

"I try to use a lens with UV protection for teens I know will be outdoors a lot," Barnett adds. The safety aspect can win parents over too, she says. "Parents really appreciate lenses with an effective UV filter." EB