Children's Contact Lenses in Fort Myers | Riverside Family Eye Care

When your 10 to 12 year old is ready for contacts, we don't just hand over lenses and wave goodbye. Our optometrists fit the lenses and teach your child, in person, how to put them in, take them out, and keep their eyes healthy. Riverside Family Eye Care is an optometry practice in Fort Myers, so the exam and the fitting happen under one roof.

Request Appointment or call 239-500-2020.

The worry every parent has about kids and contacts

Your child wants contacts for soccer, for dance, or just to stop pushing glasses up their nose all day. You want that for them too. What stops you is the worry:

that they'll lose a lens on the field,
rub an infection into a tired eye,
or simply not be able to get a lens in when you're not there to help.

That worry is fair, and a two-minute demo at a rushed counter does nothing to settle it. Your child gets handed a trial pair, a quick "you'll figure it out," and heads home unsure. We think it should be the opposite of that: thorough, personal, and unhurried, from optometrists who take the time to get it right.

What your child, and you, can count on

Here is what you and your child can count on.

An honest readiness check

Not every 10 year old is ready, and we will tell you straight. Readiness is about maturity and hygiene habits, not just a birthday. If your child isn't there yet, we say so and check again later, rather than sell you lenses that end up in a drawer.

A lens matched to a young, active wearer

We fit soft contact lenses, usually daily disposables: a fresh, clean pair each morning and nothing to store or scrub at night. For a busy kid, that keeps the daily routine simple and the risk of infection low.

Handling taught until it sticks

We don't rush the part that matters most. Your child practices putting a lens in and taking it out, with you in the room, until they can do it on their own without a fuss.

What a first contact-lens fitting actually covers

A contact-lens fitting is its own visit, more involved than a standard eye exam. We fit soft, daily-disposable lenses, which work well for a young wearer. Here is what it includes:

Measuring and a health check. We measure the curve and size of your child's eye and confirm the eyes are healthy enough for lenses.
A real trial, in the office. Your child tries actual lenses here, with us watching, so we can check the fit is comfortable and the vision is sharp.
The handling and hygiene lesson. Together, child and parent, we teach insertion, removal, and how to clean hands and care for lenses the right way.
A follow-up visit. We bring your child back to confirm the lenses still feel good and that they are coping well day to day.

The difference from a big-box counter

At a big-box optical counter, a first fitting often goes like this: whoever is on shift hands your child a trial pair, runs through it once, and sends you off with a bag of lenses. If it doesn't go well at home, you are on your own.

Here, the fitting is taught by hand from start to finish. Our optometrists fit the lenses, watch your child try them, answer the questions you didn't know to ask, and bring you back to make sure it is actually working. The same lenses are available either way. What is different is who teaches your child, and whether anyone follows up.

Keep exploring

Children's Eye Care: the full picture of how we look after kids' vision, from the first exam onward.
Pediatric Eye Exams: the exam that comes before a fitting, made easy on younger kids.
Kids' Eyewear: frames your child will still want for the days they are not in lenses.
Back-to-School Eye Exams: a clear-vision check before the school year starts.
Comprehensive Eye Exams: the regular check for your child's vision and eye health.

Questions parents ask

Is my child old enough for contacts?

Age is a guide, not a rule. Most kids are ready somewhere between 10 and 12, but what really matters is whether your child can handle a lens carefully and keep up with hygiene. We assess that honestly at the fitting and tell you if it is better to wait a while.

Is it safe? What about infections?

Worn and cleaned properly, soft contact lenses are a safe option for kids. Most problems come from poor handling, which is exactly why we teach it in person and start most young wearers on daily disposables, so there is a fresh pair every day and less to go wrong.

Is it covered, and what will it cost?

It depends on your plan. We accept vision and medical insurance plans, listed on our Insurance page. Because coverage varies from family to family, call us and we will help you understand your benefits before the visit.

Can they wear contacts for sports?

Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons kids make the switch. No frames to fog up, slip, or break on the field, the court, or the stage. Once your child is fitted and comfortable with handling, sports are exactly where contacts earn their keep.

Ready when your child is

When you think your child might be ready, request an appointment and we will start with an honest readiness check. No pressure, and no lenses sold before they are ready for them. We accept vision and medical insurance plans; call us and we will walk you through your benefits.