More children adopt contact lenses for myopia control

Stronger safety data and lifestyle benefits drive growing pediatric adoption.

Contact lenses are becoming an increasingly common solution for children as myopia cases continue to rise across global markets. Backed by both medical research and growing confidence among parents, the trend signals a major shift in pediatric eye care.

“We’re definitely seeing more children wearing contact lenses nowadays, and that's for myopia control, slowing down the progression of short sightedness,” said Dr. Kate Gifford, Clinician-Scientist, Visiting Research Fellow at Queensland University of Technology, and Co-Founder of Myopia Profile. “Even if your child does not need myopia control, there’s enormous benefits to contact lens wear for all children who need glasses.”

During the 2025 Asia-Pacific Myopia Management Symposium in Hong Kong, Dr. Gifford told Healthcare Asia that contact lenses boost children’s confidence and improve participation in sports, school, and other daily activities. “Their own self perceptions improve in contact lens wear.”

While many parents still worry about safety, research shows that children under 12 often manage lens care better than adults. “Children...tend to be quite good and quite compliant with steps like hand washing and cleaning contact lenses.”
Daily disposable lenses show particularly strong safety profiles. “The likelihood of a child getting an eye infection from wearing a daily disposable contact lens is one per 5,000 patient wearing years,” Dr. Gifford noted.

With both clinical evidence and lifestyle benefits aligning, experts expect pediatric contact lens adoption to accelerate further as myopia prevalence continues to rise.