August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, and those with vision impairments may be interested in wearing contact lenses.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, besides the benefits of improved vision, wearing contact lenses may improve children’s perceptions of their physical appearance compared with wearing glasses, and increase their confidence both in social interactions and in their ability to participate in athletic activities. Dr. Megan Hangartner of Modern Eye Care in Washington recommends that children who wear contact lenses use a daily lense as opposed to one that changes monthly, “With a daily lense you are getting a fresh lense every morning and you don’t have to worry about cleaning them at night because you’re just tossing them at the end of the day. And so that is great for cleanliness issues, we have much less risks of infections because we don’t have to worry about getting that lense perfectly clean. You’re getting a fresh lense from the package each morning.”

Hangartner says if she or the parents don’t feel comfortable that their child can be responsible with handling daily or monthly lenses, especially with the routine of washing hands before handling lenses, cleaning them in solution and taking them out every night she won’t prescribe them to the child. Cleanliness and responsibility are key in preventing complications or infection.