Pediatric Contact Lens Program
Children with certain eye conditions, such as nystagmus and aphakia, may benefit from wearing contact lenses, including children as young as infants. Older children who are prescribed glasses may also be able to wear contact lenses to correct routine vision problems. This is based on their specific vision problem and level of maturity, including whether they’ll be able to follow instructions for cleaning and handling their contact lenses.
The optometrists at Akron Children's Vision Center are specially trained in fitting children in contact lenses. First, our staff will determine whether your child’s condition is related to a medical or vision problem. Insurance coverage for contact lenses varies, so please contact your insurance company to determine what portion of the exam, contact lens fitting and contact lenses will be covered.
At the fitting appointment, our optometrist and child-friendly staff will teach your child how to properly clean, insert and remove the lenses. After about two weeks, you and your child will return for a follow-up visit to make sure they are comfortable wearing contact lenses, no further modifications are needed and to answer any of your questions. After the final contact lens fitting, you will receive a copy of your child's contact lens prescription.
We can fill your child’s initial contact lens prescription as well as provide refills by mail within one year of your child’s final contact lens exam. Rather than periodic refills, you may also choose to fill your child’s entire yearly prescription at once. In order to continue contact lens wear, a yearly exam is required to obtain an updated prescription.
We fit contacts at our Akron and Boardman locations. Follow-up exams may be available at a satellite location at the discretion of the provider.
Locations
Akron Children's Hospital Pediatric Ophthalmology & Optometry, Akron
Considine Professional Building
215 West Bowery Street
Level 2
Akron, Ohio 44308
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Map & directions
Akron Children's Hospital Pediatric Ophthalmology & Optometry, Boardman
Building C
6505 Market Street
Suite 1100
Boardman, Ohio 44512
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Map & directions
Our Doctors/Providers
New Contact Lens Wearers
A contact lens is a medical device and requires a prescription.
Evaluation policy:
- You will need a current/valid dilated eye exam within 6 months to proceed with the contact lens fitting.
- The contact lens fitting will be a separate appointment for new wearers following your dilated eye exam
- In most cases, we will need to order trial lenses for your training /fitting appointment.
- Please Be Advised: depending on the complexity of the prescription, lenses may take 4-8 weeks to arrive.
- Multiple appointments may be necessary to finalize the proper fit of contact lenses.
- Every new wearer is REQUIRED to go through a contact lens training course.
Getting Contact Lenses:
- The timing of the contact lens process will fluctuate depending on the complexity of the prescription.
- In most cases, expect to hear from the Contact Lens Scheduler in 2-3 weeks
- This allows time for your doctor to design and order your contact lenses.
- In most cases, lenses arrive quickly, but depending on complexity, lenses may take 4-8 weeks to arrive from the manufacturer.
- As contact lens appointments are in high demand, please be advised that having more than 1 no show or not responding to 2 scheduling notifications may disqualify you for future CL appointments.
- If your child is unable to complete the insertion and removal training at their initial contact lens fitting appointment, they will not be able to leave that day with their contact lenses.
- Additional training sessions can be scheduled until your child successfully completes the training course
Established Contact Lens Wearers
A contact lens is a medical device and requires a prescription each year.
Evaluation Policy:
- You will need a yearly eye exam and contact lens fitting in order to receive an updated contact lens prescription.
- PLEASE inform our office when scheduling that you are a contact lens wearer.
- In most cases, if you have contact lenses left and can wear them to your yearly appointment, you will receive a contact prescription on that date.
- If you no longer have contact lenses left OR if there was a large change in your prescription, you may need to return for the contact lens fitting at a later date once lens trials have been ordered.
- Please be advised: depending on the complexity of the prescription, lenses may take 4-8 weeks to arrive.
- Multiple appointments may be necessary to finalize the proper fit of contact lenses.
- Established wearers are not required to go through a contact lens training course.
- If you are new to our office, but have been fit with contact lenses from an outside office, please provide our office with a copy of your most recent contact lens prescription to help speed up the process. If you are unable to get a copy of your recent contact lens prescription, our office will consider you a new wearer and will follow the process listed for new contact lens wearers.
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